14 “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. 15 To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16 The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. 17 So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. 18 But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. 19 “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20 The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’ 21 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ 22 “The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’ 23 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ 24 “Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’ 26 “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27 Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. 28 “‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. 29 For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. 30 And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ (Matthew 25:14-30)
The man, the master in the parable is the Lord Jesus, and his servants are the servants of the Lord Jesus, that is, Christians. There are three servants here. The master gave them gold according to their ability: one given five bags of gold, one given two bags of gold, and one given one bag of gold. What does this mean? Here the Lord Jesus is not talking about he gave them the money to do business, but about the different gifts He gave to each servant. Some were given more, some were given less. Some used the gifts given by the Lord to serve the Lord, while some buried the gifts and did not use them. Because of the faithfulness of the first two servants, the master said: You good and faithful servant, you have been faithful in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; come and share your master’s happiness. This is the master’s reward to the faithful servants when they meet the Lord in the future, and they can share the master’s happiness.
Luke 19:12-27 is similar to the above parable, but there are some differences. It talks about ten servants, and the master gives each servant a mina. The master gives different rewards to each servant for their different profits. He gives us different rewards based on how faithfully we use the gifts Here it says that whoever has, more will be given to him; whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. What does this mean? This is a summary of
Parable of the Ten Virgins
The day of the Lord Jesus’ return
The Great Tribulation in the Last Days
Signs of Jesus’ Second Coming
About Jerusalem
Seven Woes to the teachers of the law and the Pharisees
Warning people not to imitate the Pharisees
1Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: 2 “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. 3 So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. 4 They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them. 5 “Everything they do is done for people to see: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long; 6 they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; 7 they love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by others. 8 “But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers. 9 And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. 10 Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one Instructor, the Messiah. 11 The greatest among you will be your servant. 12 For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted. (Matthew 23:1-12)
Here the Lord Jesus told the crowds and his disciples not to imitate the behavior of the scribes and Pharisees, who could talk but could not do. They gave heavy burdens to others, but they themselves would not lift a finger to move them, and did nothing.
38 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘Throughout the generations to come you are to make tassels on the corners of your garments, with a blue cord on each tassel. 39 You will have these tassels to look at and so you will remember all the commands of the Lord, that you may obey them and not prostitute yourselves by chasing after the lusts of your own hearts and eyes. (Numbers 15:38-39)
The Book of Numbers in the Old Testament required the Israelites to make tassels on the corners of your garments, with a blue cord on each tassel so that they could see and remember to obey all the commandments of God. However, they made their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long in order for others to see.
1“Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. 2 “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. (Matthew 6:1-4)
Here the Lord Jesus said that we should not do good deeds in front of people, deliberately for them to see. Here the Lord Jesus did not mean that we should not do good deeds in front of people, but that the motive for doing good deeds should not be for people to see. If the motive is for people to see, you have received rewards from people, you cannot receive rewards from the Father in heaven.
The scribes and Pharisees also loved the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues, and being called rabbi in the streets. Rabbi means teacher.
The Lord Jesus continued: Whoever is greatest among you must be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. Whoever is great must serve others, and whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. God gives grace to the humble.
May God bless you and your family!
The Greatest Commandment
34 Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. 35 One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:34-40)
A Pharisee, an expert in the law came to ask the Lord Jesus: “Which is the greatest commandment in the law? ” The Lord Jesus told him two great commandments:
The first great commandment is in the Book of Deuteronomy of the Old Testament:
4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. (Deuteronomy 6:4-5)
Here it talks about loving God with all your heart, soul, and strength.
The second greatest commandment is in the book of Leviticus of the Old Testament,
18 “‘Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord. (Leviticus 19:18)
Here it talks about loving your neighbor as yourself.
In the parallel passage in the New Testament, the Gospel of Mark, Lord Jesus also talks about the two great commandments
30 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. ’ 31 The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself. ’ There is no greater commandment than these. ”
(Mark 12:30-31)
8 Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. 9 The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. (Romans 13:8-10)
Here the Apostle Paul says that the Ten Commandments of the Old Testament are summed up in this one commandment: “Love your neighbor as yourself”. If you love your neighbor, you will not do harm to him, and love has fulfilled the law.
9 However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived” the things God has prepared for those who love him (1 Corinthians 2:9)
Here it says that what God has prepared for those who love him in heaven in the future are wonders, what no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived.
May God bless you and your family!
Sadducees questioned about the Resurrection
23 That same day the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to him with a question. 24 “Teacher,” they said, “Moses told us that if a man dies without having children, his brother must marry the widow and raise up offspring for him. 25 Now there were seven brothers among us. The first one married and died, and since he had no children, he left his wife to his brother. 26 The same thing happened to the second and third brother, right on down to the seventh. 27 Finally, the woman died. 28 Now then, at the resurrection, whose wife will she be of the seven, since all of them were married to her?” 29 Jesus replied, “You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God. 30 At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven. 31 But about the resurrection of the dead—have you not read what God said to you, 32 ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not the God of the dead but of the living.” 33 When the crowds heard this, they were astonished at his teaching. (Matthew 22:23-33)
The Sadducees and the Pharisees were both Jewish sects. The Sadducees were centered around the chief priests. They did not believe in the resurrection of the dead, but the Pharisees did. So the Sadducees came to question the Lord Jesus about the resurrection.
5 If brothers are living together and one of them dies without a son, his widow must not marry outside the family. Her husband’s brother shall take her and marry her and fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to her. 6 The first son she bears shall carry on the name of the dead brother so that his name will not be blotted out from Israel. (Deuteronomy 25:5-6)
According to the Old Testament law: “If a man dies and has no children, his brother shall marry his wife and raise up offspring for his brother”
The Lord Jesus told them that God’s power can resurrect people. When resurrected, people will not marry, just like the angels. The Lord Jesus continued to say: “God is the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.” That is to say, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are still alive.
The Bible says that the Lord Jesus resurrected Lazarus who had been dead for four days. I have read testimonies that the dead are still being raised nowadays.
The Lord Jesus was crucified on the cross and resurrected from the dead three days later. His resurrection gives us hope of resurrection.
16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17)
Here the Apostle Paul tells us that when the Lord Jesus comes again, the dead in Christ will be resurrected first, and then we who are still alive in Christ will be caught up with them in the clouds to meet the Lord and be with the Lord forever.
51 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, 52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. (1 Corinthians 15:51-52)
Here Paul says that when the Lord Jesus comes again, the dead in Christ will be resurrected and have an incorruptible body, and we will also be changed, and our bodies will be changed into glorious and incorruptible bodies.
I hope more people will come to believe in the Lord, become new person in Christ, and have
Pay taxes to Caesar
15 Then the Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap him in his words. 16 They sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians. “Teacher,” they said, “we know that you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren’t swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are. 17 Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not?” 18 But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, “You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? 19 Show me the coin used for paying the tax.” They brought him a denarius, 20 and he asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?” 21 “Caesar’s,” they replied. Then he said to them, “So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” 22 When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left him and went away. (Matthew 22:15-22)
Here we see that the Pharisees and the Herodians came to test the Lord Jesus, asking him: “Is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not?” The Herodians were a Jewish sect, supporters of King Herod, the king of Judah. At that time, the Jews were under the rule of Rome, and Caesar was the emperor of Rome. Here the Pharisees wanted to trap Jesus in his words. If the Lord Jesus said not to pay taxes to Caesar, they would accuse him of inciting rebellion. The Lord Jesus is the Son of God, and he knows everything. He knew that they came to tempt him, so he answered: “So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” That is, pay tax what is due to Caesar, and offer to God what is due to God.
Then the whole assembly rose and led him off to Pilate. 2 And they began to accuse him, saying, “We have found this man subverting our nation. He opposes payment of taxes to Caesar and claims to be Messiah, a king.”(Luke 23:1-2)
Here we see that later the Lord Jesus was arrested by them and brought before Pilate, they falsely accused him of forbidding the payment of taxes to Caesar. The Lord Jesus did not do so, but they still falsely accused him. If he had done so, it would have been even worse. They did not believe that he was the Christ and the King, and this became the reason for their accusation.
Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor. (Romans 13:7)
Here the Apostle Paul said that we should pay taxes if we own tax, we should be law-abiding people.
I hope more people will believe in the Lord Jesus and accept him as the Lord and Savior of their lives.
May God bless you and your family!
The Parable of the Wedding Banquet
1Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: 2 “The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. 3 He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come. 4 “Then he sent some more servants and said, ‘Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’ 5 “But they paid no attention and went off—one to his field, another to his business. 6 The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. 7 The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. 8 “Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. 9 So go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’ 10 So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, the bad as well as the good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests. 11 “But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. 12 He asked, ‘How did you get in here without wedding clothes, friend?’ The man was speechless. 13 “Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ 14 “For many are invited, but few are chosen.” (Matthew 22:1-14)
Here the Lord Jesus spoke the parable of a wedding banquet, comparing the kingdom of heaven to a wedding banquet. Here the king represents God, and the king’s son represents the Lord Jesus. The king sent servants to invite those who were called. God first called the Israelites, but they found excuses not to attend the banquet, and even killed many servants, prophets sent by God, including John the Baptist. Because the Israelites who were called were not worthy, God’s call came to the Gentiles, that is, non-Israelites. Here we see that God called all people, regardless of good or evil, and the banquet was full of guests. At that time, the host of the wedding banquet would prepare wedding clothes for the guests. The king saw that there was a person who was not wearing a wedding clothes. What does this mean?
I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. (Isaiah 61:10)
The wedding clothes mentioned above are the garments of salvation and the robes of righteousness that God has prepared for us.
Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear. (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God’s holy people.) (Revelation 19:8)
The fine linen mentioned here in Revelation is the righteousness of the saints.
and to put on the new self, create in the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. (Ephesians 4:24)
Here it says that after believing in the Lord and being born again and saved, we must put on the new man, which is created in the image of God, with true righteousness and holiness.
So wearing a wedding clothes means wearing a robe of righteousness, doing righteousness, putting on the new man, and becoming a new man.
Then the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!” And he added, “These are the true words of God.” (Revelation 19:9)
I hope more people will accept the Lord’s call to believe in the Lord, be born again and saved, become new men, and be able to attend the wedding supper of the Lamb in the future. The Lamb here refers to the Lord Jesus.
May God bless you and your family!


