You ought previously to have followed the example of the pru dent. — vopeve&e, x.r.X., (fo i/£, etc.) Let us do in time what will then prove to have been wise. — vpb; rov$ wXovvras, to them that sell) although they are not traders [i.e. do not make salvation a matter of traffic]. — ayopdffars, buy) See Rev. iii. 18.
10. ' Afipxapsvuv ds avr&v, but whilst they were going) Their danger arose from the circumstance on which they asked ad vice.1 — a/' £<ro/,tta/, they that were ready) The prudent were ready.2
11. A/ \otirai KapSsvoi, the other virgins) To whom the name of virgins was now of no avail.
13. TpyyopsTre. watch ye) He who watches will have not only his lamp burning, but also oil in his vessel : he who has oil in his vessel is not greatly held, even by sleep ; see ver. 5.
14. — ' T-rap^/ovra, goods) For the distribution of them, see the next verse.3
15. J'E<3wx£, x.r.X., gave, etc.) He left them free to choose their method of trafficking without saying, " Give to the bankers." — <riyri — duo — tv} jive — two — one) A parable nearly resembling this occurs in Luke xix. 13, where one pound is given to each servant, and the pound of the first produced ten, of the second five, of the third none. The goods which God gives are distri buted equitably : and who knows whether, in all their inequality, the most scantily provided is surpassed by the richest more than
renders /noh<; (E. V. scarcely, Vulg. vix) by (t?gre. See Gnomon in loc. — (I. B.)
1 They came short of entering by but a little, yet thev did come short. — V.g.
2 'ExAe/(70», was shut) Hardly any one, whilst the door is still open, can realise by thought, how great will be the lamentation of those who shall stand outside when the doors are once shut. How often a mere trifle, as we should think, forms the boundary between wisdom and folly : and yet the decision we come to is of the utmost importance to us. There are — 1 ) those who enjoy an abundant entrance into the eternal kingdom of joy : 2) those who, as it were rescued from shipwreck, are brought to shore : 3) those who are openly hurried along on the broad way to destruction : 4) those who, though having been very close to the obtaining of salvation, yet suffer themselves to lose it. The condition of these last is lamentable above that of all others. — V. g.
3 There are intimated by these, spiritual gifts, temporal resources, time itself, and finally opportunities of every kind. — V. g.