新约 - 马太福音(Matthew)第25章

Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.
And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:
But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.
Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.
But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.
And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.
Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.
Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.
For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.
And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.
Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents.
And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.
But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money.
After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.
And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.
His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them.
His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:
And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.
His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:
Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.
Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.
For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.
And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:
And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:
And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:
I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.
And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
马太福音第廿五章   太 25 章 > 耶稣比喻真丰富,童女、才干、山羊与绵羊,这都说明了我们所需要作的──你做了多少? 

  25 章 耶稣用比喻来说明预备祂再来的意义,和在祂再来之前应该如何生活。童女的比喻( 25:1-13 )告诉我们每一个信徒都需要为自己的属灵境况负责。才干的比喻( 25:14-30 )则显明,必须好好地运用神所交托给我们的。山羊与绵羊的比喻( 25:31-46 )强调服事有需要的人的重要性。没有一个比喻可以完全地把我们要做的准备工夫描述出来,每一个都只是画出整幅图画中的一部分。 

  太 25:1-13> 临渴掘井,真有一种侥幸的窃喜,我会等耶稣来之前再预备,我会来得及…… 

  25:1-13 按照犹太人的风俗,婚礼当天,新郎到新娘家中举行典礼,然后新郎和新娘随着一大群人列队游行,回到新郎的家中,举行筵席,通常整个婚礼会长达一个星期。这十个童女就是等待着加入这个游行队伍的,也盼望参与婚礼的筵席,但新郎还没有在预期的时间来到,其中五个童女的灯油就用尽了,赶忙去买所需的油,结果赶不上参加筵席。 

  在耶稣再来,带领祂的子民回天家前,我们必须作好准备,属灵的装备不能在最后的一秒才去买或借来,我们与神的关系是个人的事,必须亲自向祂交代。 

  太 25:15> 左手、右手满满的握着很多东西;可是日子流逝,东西还在,我做了些什么? 

  25:15 主人按着他仆人的能力把钱──才干──分给他们,没有人取得多于或少于自己所能处理的,如果他完不成主人给他的任务,不能以能力不足作为藉口,只因他懒惰或恨憎主人。金钱在这里表示我们所获得的所有资源,神按我们的能力赐给我们时间、才能、恩赐和其他资源,期望我们能够有智慧地投资,直到祂再来。我们有责任好好地运用神所赐给我们的一切,问题并不在乎拥有多少,乃在于我们怎样运用我们所拥有的。 

  太 25:21> 不作传道、传福音的,也可以为神而工作吗?如何做? 

  25:21 耶稣要回来,这是真的,那是否表示必须放下我们的职业去事奉神呢?不一定!这里所指的是信徒要充分运用自己的时间、能力和财富。无论做什么事,都可以做到服事神。对一部分人来说,这可能是要转换他们的职业;对大部分人来说,这是为着神的爱来做日常的工作。 

  太 25:24-30> 他又没有吞掉一千块,为何被骂?是他忽略了点什么吗? 

  25:24-30 最后一位仆人只想到自己,以为只要安全地处置这些金钱,便不会被严厉的主人斥责,最后,却因他的自我中心受到审判。我们不能找藉口逃避神呼召我们去做的事,如果神真是我们的主人,我们就必须甘心地顺服祂。我们的时间、才能和金钱本来就不属于自己──我们只是一个管家。我们忽视、浪费或滥用神所赐的,就是背叛神,应该受到刑罚。 

  太 25:29-30> 让我们算一算,按照目前的情况,你想主再来时,你会得到什么? 

  25:29-30 这个比喻描述人对基督再来的两种态度的不同结果:一个仆人运用自己的时间和才干,忠心地服事神,等候主人回来,他将获得赏赐;另一个仆人无心为天国工作将要受刑罚。神会赏赐忠心的人,那些没有为神的国度结果子的人别期望与那些忠心的人有一样的结果。 

  太 25:31-46> 我们都爱自己多一点,其实我也想爱他人多一点,只是…… 

  25:31-46 神会把顺服的跟随者从假冒和未信的人中分别出来。我们的行动就是我们信仰的真实凭证,然而,要对待每一个我们遇见的人如同对待耶稣那样,实在不是一件容易的事。我们做在别人身上的,正显示我们真正如何思想耶稣对我们所说的话──使饥饿的人吃饱,使无家可归的人得栖身之所,使生病的人得照顾。你的行为怎样把你从假冒者和未信的人中分别出来呢? 

  太 25:32> 绵羊山羊同是羊,有何分别? 

  25:32 耶稣以绵羊和山羊来比喻信徒和非信徒。二者同在牧场中生长,但剪羊毛时就要被分开。以西结先知也曾提到绵羊和山羊,但其含意与这里不一样(参结 34:17-24 )。 

  太 25:34-40> 我无钱、无地位,那么多有需要的人,我可以帮助多少个? 

  25:34-40 这个比喻所描述的怜悯行为是我们每天都可以实践的,不必倚靠财富、能力或是智慧,只是无偿地付出和领受。我们没有任何藉口去忽略有迫切需要的人,也不能把这个责任卸给教会或政府,耶稣要求我们个人参与照顾别人的需要(参赛 58:7 )。 

  太 25:40> 想去爱,想行出来,却又感到无力……但你有去行吗?或只是在原地怨叹? 

  25:40 这里所指的“弟兄”,引起了许多的争论,有人说是犹太人,另一些说是所有信徒,又有人说是各处受苦的人。这类争论就如昔日律法师质问耶稣“谁是我的邻舍呢?”(路 10:29 )。这个比喻的重点不在“谁”,而在“服事”──哪里有需要服事的人,就去那里服事。我们应该尽一己所能,去爱和服事每一个人,从对别人的爱中反映出我们对神的爱,使祂得着荣耀。 

  基督徒如何看末世预兆 

  太 25:46> 地狱永火折磨人,可以选择不去吗?我怕…… 

  25:46 地狱里有永远的刑罚,是拒绝悔改的人死后接受刑罚的地方。圣经里有三个词与“永刑”有关:( 1 )旧约的 “ 阴间”──指死人去的地方,通常认为在地底下(参伯 24:19 ;诗 16:10 ;赛 38:10 );( 2 )新约的“阴间”──与旧约的“阴间”一样,是死人的居所( 16:18 ;参启 1:18 ; 20:13-14 );( 3 )“地狱”──指耶路撒冷城外的欣嫩子谷,在那里孩童被焚为祭,献给外邦偶像(参王下 23:10 ;代下 28:3 ),那里有永远不灭之火( 5:22 ; 10:28 ;参可 9:43 ;路 12:5 ;雅 3:6 ;启 19:20 ),是为撒但、它的使者和不信神的人预备的( 25:46 ;参启 20:9-10 )。 

  在主再来和白色大宝座审判之后,地狱就成为永远囚禁那恶者的最后地方。耶稣告诉那些未信的人,其实祂正是要把他们从刑罚的折磨中拯救出来。 ──《灵修版圣经注释》