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Jansen Morrison
Professor Fuhr
BIBL 110-B03
5 June 2016
Interpretation of Matthew
The main portion of the book of Matthew covers the life of Jesus. From His birth to when
He is coming back, it covers it all. Matthew 24:36–44; 24:45–51; 25:1–13 all have the major
theme of Jesus’s return. The more specific theme is that no one knows when he will return. Each
of the three passages are different and we as Christians can apply the themes to our lives.
The central message of each of the three passages is about Jesus’s return. Ben
Witherington, an accomplished writer, stated about Matthew 24:36-44 “Matthew 26:36, which is
the Matthean form of Mark 13:32, presents us with Jesus telling his disciples that neither angels,
nor ordinary human beings, nor even he himself, know the timing of his Return or Second
Coming. Only the Father knows such things. This should, of course, have put an end to
theological weather forecasting about the timing of the second Advent, but alas, pious curiosity is
always given to speculation.” Because only God knows when the second coming is makes the
date very important. Because of this many have speculated when it will be and have even written
books about it. Matthew 24:45-51 has a message of what we as Christians are supposed to do
until Jesus’s return. Ray Stedman said is his article abut the passage, “This parable is clearly for
the instruction of those who are awaiting the Lord's return. The master of the household is gone
but he has entrusted certain work to his steward until he returns. Jesus tells His disciples right
before he leaves that we are to go out and share the gospel to everyone. The final passage of the
three, Matthew 25:1-13, which is a parable about the ten virgins. Ben Deffinbaugh stated that,
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“Although we are meant to recognize the “season” of our Lord’s return, we are not meant to
know the exact time “ not the day nor the hour. This is consistent with God’s dealings with this
world in the past. Specifically, we can see this in relation to the flood. No one “not even Noah “
knew the exact day or hour that the flood would come.” We can see all throughout scripture that
God is steady with what He says. From the very beginning to when the flood accrued, God did
not even say the exact day that the flood would happen. This means that God is in full control of
what happens.
The common message of all three passages is of Jesus’s return. The way that the massage
is portrayed is different each time but the central is the same. The first passage says the not even
Jesus or the angles know when the date is. The second passage is addressing the servant by
saying, no one knows when the master (referring to God) is returning. The final passage is about
the ten virgins who took their oil lamps to the bridegroom. All of these have the common
massage of Jesus’s return.
The way I can use this in my own life, is that I should not be worried about Jesus’s return.
Jesus to all of us as Christians what we need to do before he comes back. We are to go into all
the world and preach the gospel. This being His lasts words on earth made them very important.
We should not worry about the future but obey God and His commandments.
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Works Cited
Deffinbaugh, Bob. "The Ten Virgins: What It Means to Be Ready (Matthew 25:1-13)." Bible.org.
10 Apr. 2013. Web. 5 June 2016.
Stedman, Ray. "In the Mean Time." Raystedman.org. 3 May 1970. Web. 5 June 2016.
Witherington, Ben. "Commentary on Matthew 24:36-44."Workingpreacheer.org. 30 Nov. 2013.
Web. 5 June 2016.
