Are we ready?

“At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.” (Matthew 25:1-5 NIV)

The stories Jesus told had their basis in reality, usually the everyday life of those living in Judea and Galilee at that time. Although the details of this story may be foreign to us, this was something that those at that time could relate to it – they may have even been in this situation at some point.

It was the custom at that time when a couple was getting married for there to be a great parade through the village from the home of the bride to the couples’ new home. At the couples’ new home there would be the wedding feast. They would be joined in the procession by virtually everyone in the village. There was a problem, though: no one knew exactly when they would be making their journey. This parable finds ten young women with their lamps waiting for the coming of the bridegroom. Five of the young women were prepared for a long wait, having brought extra oil with them, while the other five had no extra oil. They all ended up falling asleep, the wait was so long.

“At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’ ‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’ But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.” (Matthew 25:6-10)

In the middle of the night the announcement came that the bridegroom was coming! – all should go out to meet him. The ten young women began to trim their oil lamps, in preparation for the bridegroom’s arrival (keep in mind that there were no street lights, so they would be lighting the way). The foolish ones, the ones without extra oil, asked the wise ones to share their oil. The problem was, the wise ones only had enough for themselves. So the foolish ones needed to go and purchase more oil (apparently they found an oil seller open at midnight). While they were away, the bridegroom arrived. All that were prepared went in with him to the wedding feast, the door then being shut (indicating that no one else would be allowed in).

“‘Later the others also came. “Lord, Lord,” they said, “open the door for us!” But he replied, “Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.”’ Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.” (Matthew 25:11-13)

Later, apparently after finding oil, the five unprepared maidens arrived at the door, asking to be let in. They were refused entry, stating that they were not known – the word “know” here is used in the sense of favourable knowledge: because of their unpreparedness they were out of favour with the bridegroom. The lesson of this parable: “Watch therefore, because you do not know the day or the hour.” 

This has an obvious application for our lives: are we ready for the arrival of Jesus, the ultimate bridegroom? Like the young women, we know he is coming but we don’t know exactly when it will be. We learn that there will be no time to make our final preparations once he arrives. All preparation needs to be done now.

Are we ready?

Image from Wikimedia Commons: The Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins by William Blake. Royalty Free.

Readings for next week: Matthew 23-27