The Last Times (the 'eschaton')
The early Christians thought they were living in the 'last times'. Jesus would soon be returning at the Parousia ('presence') to inaugurate the finale of the arrival of God's kingdom which included judgement.

Persecution
Christians had been subjected to persecution by the Jewish and Roman authorities. They needed encouragement to remain steadfast. This parable can be seen as giving encouragement to remain faithful, by showing that compensation awaits those who endure.

Son of Man
This term is found in Ezekiel where the prophet is often addressed as 'son of man' ( = 'mortal human') because in heaven he is regarded as a human being, representing other human beings. In New Testament times, on the basis of Daniel 7:13-14, the Son of Man was expected to come from heaven and be given power to rule the world after the Last Judgement. All the Gospels speak of Jesus as one who already has authority to judge and forgive (Mark 2:10; John 5:27), but also as one who will give his life to set others free (Mark 10:45). In most, if not all, these texts the Gospel writers understood Jesus to be speaking of himself. The title Son of Man is almost never used in the rest of the New Testament probably because it was not understood by Greek-speaking Christians.

Angels
Angels in the Old Testament / Hebrew Bible were the intermediaries between God and humans. Sometimes the angel of the Lord is hardly distinguishable from God. It literally means 'messenger' and is used of supernatural messengers of God and also of evil powers (demons). In Job 33:23 angels plead with God for human beings.

The Devil
The Devil (v.41) was an angel, the chief of the powers of evil. Satan is another name for the Devil. It means 'accuser'.

Blessings and Curses
Blessings, like curses, were automatically effective and could not be recalled.

• A blessing was a prayer to God to make someone prosperous.
• A curse was a way of speaking against someone, intended to bring harm and believed to do so. It was especially used of God's condemnation of the wicked, which would bring about their punishment.

Kingdom of God / Heaven
This refers to the rule or reign of God in people's hearts. God's reign has already been initiated in the coming of Jesus but awaits fulfilment at the Last Days with the return of Christ.

Right and Left
Virgil's Aeneid portrays a junction with the road on the right leading to the fields of Elysium and road on the left leading to the depths of Tartarus.