Gospel of Matthew Chapters 25-28 Overview
Parables of the Ten Virgins, The Talents, and The Sheep and Goat, Jesus’ Crucifixion and Burial, and Jesus’ Resurrection
Gospel of Matthew Chapters 25-28 Overview. Chapter 25 contains three parables and teachings that emphasize the importance of being prepared for Christ’s return and living faithfully in the meantime. Chapter 26 covers the events leading up to the crucifixion of Jesus and Chapter 27 details the trial, crucifixion, and burial of Jesus.
Chapter 28 focuses on the resurrection of Jesus and the commissioning of His disciples. It also concludes the Gospel of Matthew with the powerful message of Jesus’ resurrection and the mission given to His followers to spread the Gospel throughout the world.
Gospel of Matthew Chapters 25-28 Overview
——————–
The Parable of the Ten Virgins (Matthew 25:1-13)
Jesus tells a parable about ten virgins who take their lamps and go to meet the bridegroom. Five are wise and bring extra oil; five are foolish and bring none. When the bridegroom arrives, the wise virgins are ready and enter the wedding banquet, but the foolish ones are left out. This parable emphasizes the importance of being spiritually prepared and vigilant for Christ’s return.
Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30)
In this parable, a man going on a journey entrusts his property to his servants, giving them talents (a large sum of money) according to their abilities. Two servants invest their talents and double the amount, but the third buries his in the ground out of fear. The master praises the first two servants but condemns the third for his lack of initiative. This parable teaches the importance of using the gifts and opportunities God gives us wisely and for His kingdom.
Parable of the Sheep and the Goats (Matthew 25:31-46)
Jesus describes the final judgment, where all nations are gathered before Him. He separates people as a shepherd separates sheep from goats. The “sheep” are those who showed compassion and kindness to others, which is seen as service to Christ Himself. They inherit the kingdom of heaven. The “goats,” who neglected to show love and care, are sent away into eternal punishment. This teaching emphasizes the importance of loving others as a reflection of our love for Christ.
The Plot to Kill Jesus:
The religious leaders plot to arrest and kill Jesus.
Jesus Anointed at Bethany:
A woman anoints Jesus’ head with expensive perfume. Jesus defends her actions, saying she has prepared Him for burial.
Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus:
Judas Iscariot goes to the chief priests and agrees to betray Jesus for thirty pieces of silver.
The Last Supper:
Jesus celebrates the Passover with His disciples, instituting the Lord’s Supper (Eucharist) by sharing bread and wine as symbols of His body and blood. He predicts His betrayal by Judas and Peter’s denial.
Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial:
Jesus tells Peter that he will deny Him three times before the rooster crows.
Gethsemane:
Jesus prays in the Garden of Gethsemane, expressing anguish over His impending suffering but submitting to God’s will. The disciples struggle to stay awake during this critical time.
Jesus Arrested:
Judas arrives with a crowd, betrays Jesus with a kiss, and Jesus is arrested. Peter cuts off the ear of the high priest’s servant, but Jesus heals him and allows Himself to be taken.
Jesus Before the Sanhedrin:
Jesus is brought before the Sanhedrin, where He is falsely accused and condemned for blasphemy after affirming that He is the Messiah.
Peter Disowns Jesus:
As Jesus predicted, Peter denies knowing Him three times and then weeps bitterly when he realizes what he has done.
Judas Hangs Himself:
After realizing the gravity of his betrayal, Judas is filled with remorse and returns the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests before hanging himself. The priests use the money to buy the potter’s field as a burial place for foreigners.
Jesus Before Pilate:
Jesus is brought before Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor. Despite finding no fault in Him, Pilate is pressured by the crowd to release Barabbas, a criminal, instead of Jesus. Pilate symbolically washes his hands of the situation, and Jesus is handed over to be crucified.
The Soldiers Mock Jesus:
Jesus is mocked, beaten, and crowned with thorns by the Roman soldiers.
The Crucifixion:
Jesus is crucified at Golgotha between two criminals. Darkness falls over the land, and Jesus cries out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” before dying. At the moment of His death, the temple curtain is torn in two, the earth shakes, and tombs are opened.
The Burial of Jesus:
Joseph of Arimathea, a wealthy disciple, asks Pilate for Jesus’ body. He wraps it in a clean linen cloth and lays it in his own new tomb. A large stone is rolled in front of the entrance, and guards are placed to secure it.
The Resurrection:
On Sunday morning,
Mary Magdalene and the other Mary go to Jesus’ tomb and find it empty. An angel informs them that Jesus has risen and instructs them to tell the disciples. On their way, they encounter the risen Jesus, who repeats the angel’s message.
The Guards’ Report:
The guards report the resurrection to the chief priests, who bribe them to spread the false story that Jesus’ disciples stole His body while the guards were asleep.
The Great Commission:
Jesus meets His disciples in Galilee and gives them the Great Commission. He instructs them to go and make disciples of all nations, baptize them, and teach them to obey everything He has commanded. Jesus promises to be with them always, to the very end of the age.