separate them one from
another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall
set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left." Unto those
on His right hand the King shall give commendation and blessing,
bestowing a rich recompense for their good works, as attested by the
hungry they had fed, the thirsty to whom they had given drink, the
stranger they had lodged, the naked they had clothed, the sick to whom
they had ministered, the prisoners they had visited and encouraged, all
of which mercies are accredited to them as having been rendered to their
Lord in person. The blessed company, overwhelmed by the plenitude of the
King's bounty, of which they regard themselves as undeserving, will fain
disclaim the merit attributed to them; "And the King shall answer and
say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto
one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."

Unto them who wait on the left in terrified expectancy, the King shall
recount their several deficiencies, in that they had given Him neither
food nor drink, shelter nor clothing despite His need; neither had they
visited Him though ill, nor ministered unto His wants when He lay in a
prison cell. In the desperation of anguish these shall ask when and
where they had had such opportunity of comforting Him, and He shall
answer, "Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the
least of these, ye did it not to me." The righteous shall be welcomed
with "Come ye blessed of my Father"; the wicked shall hear the awful
sentence, "Depart from me ye cursed." Eternal life is the inestimable
reward; everlasting punishment the unfathomable doom.[1176]

Viewing as one discourse the two parables and the teaching that directly
followed, we find in it such unity of subject and thoroughness of
treatment as to give to the whole both beauty and worth beyond the sum
of these qualities exhibited in the several parts. Vigilant waiting in
the Lord's cause, and the dangers of unreadiness are exemplified in the
story of the virgins; diligence in work and the calamitous results of
sloth are prominent features of the tale of the talents. These two
phases of service are of reciprocal and complementary import; it is as
necessary at times to wait as at others to work. The lapse of a long
period, as while the Bridegroom tarried, and as during the Master's
absence in "a far country,"[1177] is made plain throughout as
int