New Testament Hints of the Three Kingdoms of Glory

Jesus taught three parables about where souls are going when judged. Matthew 25. https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Matthew-Chapter-25/ Read carefully they hint at the three kingdoms of glory. At least, at something more than just one unitary heaven and one unitary hell.

When I say hint, I mean hint. I am not announcing the one true and obvious reading that no one got before.

First, we have the parable of the virgins. 10 are waiting for the virgins, five are watchful and prepared, five aren’t.

Next, Christ tells the parable of the servants investing their master’s talents. One gains five talents, one gains two talents, one gains nothing because he buried the talent.

Finally, we have the sheep and the goats. The sheep fed and clothed Jesus inasmuch they fed and clothed the least among us. The goats did not.

Let’s take the virgins. There are careful, watchful virgins and careless virgins, but there is an implied third group who go unmentioned. There is no mention of those who choose not to go to the wedding at all, who aren’t waiting, or who even are waiting just to heckle. This parable is about the wedding party and doesn’t mention the people who never even made friends with the groom. A third kingdom is implied.

Let’s take the servants with the talents. Same as with the virgins, there is an implied third group. Those who embezzled the talent, or who didn’t even get a talent because they refused to serve. Moreover, Luke’s version of this parable has the servants getting different rewards based on how much their investment yielded.

Finally, the sheep and the goats. The sin of the goats is omission or indifference. They didn’t help when they should have. Again, there is an implication by absence. Christ never mentions the ones who actually robbed or beat the least of these. Which would seem to be worse. A third kingdom is implied.