Year of the Bible
Matthew 25
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Commentary on the Gospel of St. Matthew Chapter 25:
Chapter 25 continues Jesus’ answer to the disciples’ questions of when and what signs will accompany Jesus’ coming and the end of the age (24:3). Jesus answers with a parable of ten bridesmaids, all invited to a wedding, and even given a special role of honor. All waited for the wedding to begin, but only some were ready to endure the entire, long wait. Vs 13 succinctly captures the message of this parable. Jesus follows up with another parable of the kingdom of heaven, telling of three servants who each spend their time of waiting for their master to return differently. Two servants multiplied the different gifts the master had left them with while they waited for his return. In contrast, another servant was afraid of the master and did not bear any fruit from the gift he had been entrusted with for the time of waiting. Jesus’ long answer concludes in vs. 31 when Jesus comes in his glory to sit on his throne. In this scene, “all the nations,” the Old Testament term for the Gentiles and those who are not part of Israel, are gathered before him (vs. 32). The surprise comes when it’s revealed that some from these “nations,” who are not part of God’s covenant people, Israel, are indeed welcomed into eternal life because of their acts of mercy toward those in need. The corporal works of mercy are also derived from the list in vs 35-39
The Gospel of St. Matthew Chapter 25:
The Parable of the Wise and the Foolish Maidens
1 “Then the kingdom of heaven shall be compared to ten maidens who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3 For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; 4 but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. 5 As the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. 6 But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ 7 Then all those maidens rose and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 But the wise replied, ‘Perhaps there will not be enough for us and for you; go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’ 10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast; and the door was shut. 11 Afterward the other maidens came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ 12 But he replied, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ 13 Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.
The Parable of the Talents
14 “For it will be as when a man going on a journey called his servants and entrusted to them his property; 15 to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. 16 He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them; and he made five talents more. 17 So also, he who had the two talents made two talents more. 18 But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money. 19 Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 20 And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here I have made five talents more.’ 21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a little, I will set you over much; enter into the joy of your master.’ 22 And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here I have made two talents more.’ 23 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a little, I will set you over much; enter into the joy of your master.’ 24 He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not winnow; 25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.’ 26 But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sowed, and gather where I have not winnowed? 27 Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. 28 So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has the ten talents. 29 For to every one who has will more be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 30 “And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
The Judgment of the Nations
31 “When the Son of man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, 33 and he will place the sheep at his right hand, but the goats at the left. 34 Then the King will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; 35 for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38 And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.’ 41 Then he will say to those at his left hand, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; 42 for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ 44 Then they also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ 45 Then he will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to me.’ 46 And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
*Daily Lectio Divina Question:
Lord, you have opened a way to your kingdom for us. Ultimately, there are two destinations: “eternal life” or “eternal punishment” (v. 46). Lord, do I receive this as wisdom and good news or simply as a threating prospect?
Bible Commentary provided by the Catholic Biblical School of Michigan, an adult faith formation apostolate, cbsmich.org/join
Revised Standard Version; Second Catholic Edition. (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2006).
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Mateo 25
Parábola de las virgenes necias
"Entonces el Reino de los Cielos será como diez vírgenes, que tomaron sus lámparas y salieriona recibir al esposo, Cinco de ellas eran necias y cinco prudentes; pero las necias, al tomar sus lámparas, no llevaron consigo aceite; las prudentes, en cambio, junto con las lámparas llevaron aceite en sus alcuzas. Como tardaba en venir el esposo, les entró sueño a todas y se durmieron. A media noche se oyó una voz: "¡Ya está aquí el esposo! ¡Salid a su encuentro!" Entonces se levantaron todas aquallas vírgenes y Dadnos aceite del vuestro porque nuestras lámparas se apagan". Pero las prudentes les respondieron" "Mejor en que vayáis a quienes lo venden y compréis, no sea que no alcanced para vosotras y nosotras". Mientras fueron a comprarlo vino el esposo, y las que estaban preparadas entraron con él a las bodas y se cerró la puerta. Luego llegaron las otras vírgenes diciendo: "¡Señor, señor, ábrenos!" Pero él les pespondió: "En verdad os digo que no os conozco". Por eso, velado, porque no sabéis el día ni la hora.
Parábola de los talentos
Porque es como un hombre que al marcharse de su tierra lamó a sus servidores y les entregó sus bienes. A uni le dió cinco talentos, a otro dos y a otro uno solo: a cada unio segúin su capacidad; y se marchó. El que había recibido cinco talentos fue inmediatamente y se puso a negociar con ellos y llegó a ganar otros cinco. Del mismo modo, el que habíarecibido dos ganó otros dos. Pero el que había recibido uno, fue, hizo un hoyo en la tierra y escondió el dinero de su señor. Después de mucho tiempo, regresó el amo de dichos servidores e hizo cuentas con ellos. Cuando se presentó el que había recibido los cinco talentos, entregó otros cinco diciendo: "Señor, cinco talentos me entregaste; mira, he ganado otros cinco talentos". Le respondió su amo: "Muy bien, siervo bueno y fiel; como has sido fiel en lo poco, yo te confiaré lo mucho: entra en la alegría de tu señor". Se presentó también el que había recibido los dos talentos y dijo: "Señor, dos talentos me entregaste; mira, he ganado otros dos talentos". Le respondió su amo: "Muy bien, siervo bueno y fiel; como has sido fiel en lo poco, yo te confiaré lo mucho: entra en la alegría de tu señor". Cuando llegó por fin el que había recibido un talento, dijo: "Señor, sé que eres hombre duro, que cosechas donde no sembraste y rceoges donde no esparciste; por eso tuve miedo, fuio y escondí tu talento en tierra: aquí tienes lo tuyo". Su amo le respondió: "Siervo malo y perezoso, sabías que cosecho dónde no he sembrado y que recojo donde no he esparcido; por eso mismo debías haber dado tu dinero a los banqueros, y así, al veir yo, hubiero recibido lo mío con los intereses. Por lo onto, quitadle el talento y dádselo al que tiene diez.
Porque a todo el que tiene se le dará y tendrá en abundancia; pero al que no tiene incluso lo que tiene se le quitará. En cuanto al siervo inútil, arrojadlo a las tinieblas de afuera: allí habrá llanto y rechinar de dientes".
El Juicio Final
Cuando venga el Hijo del Hombre en su gloria y acompañado de todos los ángeles, se sentará entonces en el trono de su gloria, y serán reunidas ante el todas las gentes; y separará a los unos de los otros, como el pastor separa las ovejas de los cabritos, y pondrá as ovejas a su derecha, los cabritos en cambio a su izquierad. Entonces dirá el Rey a los que estén a su derecha: "Venid, benditos de mi Padre, tomad posesión del Reino preparado para vosotros desde la creación del mundo; porque tuve hambre y me distéis de comer; tuve sed y me disttéis de beber; era peregrino y me acogisteis; estaba desnudo y me vestistéis, enfermo y me visitastteis, en la cárcel y vinisteis a verme". Entonces le responderán los justos: "Señor, ¿cuándo te vimos hambreint y te dimos de comer, o sediento y te dimos de beber?; ¿cuándo te vimos peregrino y te acogimos, o desnudo y te vestimos?, o ¿cuándo te vimos enfermo o en la cárcel y vinimos a verte?" Y el Rey, en respuesta, les dirá: "En verdad os digo que cuanto hicisteis a uno de estos mis hermanos más pequeños, a mí me lo hicisteis". Entonces dirá a los que estén a la izquierda: "Aparaos de mí, malditos, al fuego eterno preparardo para el diablo y sus ángeles: porque tuve hambre y no me disteis de comer; tuve sed y no me disteis de beber; era peregrino y no me acogisteis; estaba desudo y no me vestisteis; enfermo y en la carcel y no me visitasteis". Entonces le replicarán también ellos: "Señor, ¿cuándo te vimos hambiento o sediento, peregrino o desnudi, enfermo o el la cárcel y no te asistimos?" Entonces les respondrá: "En verdad os digo que cuanto dejasteis de hace con uno de estos mas pequeños, también dejasteis de hacerlo conmigo. Y estos irán al suplicio eterno; los justos, en cambio, a la vida eterna".
Pregunta de Lectio Divina del día de hoy
Señor, tú has abierto un camino hacia tu reino para nosotros. Ultimamente, hay dos destinos: "la vida eterna" o "el catigo eterno" (v. 46). Señor, ¿yo recibo esto como sabiduría y buenas noticias o simplemente como una propuesta de amenaza?
La Biblia de Navarra
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para el Año de la Biblia del Obispo
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