Watch! Be Prepared! Be Ready! These are words of warning that most of us have heard throughout our life from our parents and teachers. These are also important warnings in the parable that Jesus tells in today’s Scripture passage. Let’s take a look and see what we can learn from this parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins that Jesus told to instruct His disciples about the Kingdom of God.
Jesus told the crowds around Him this instructional story intended to teach a spiritual lesson. There were ten virgins at a wedding celebration. Wedding celebrations at the time this parable was given were different from the wedding ceremonies that most of us are familiar with. Weddings in the western world often take place in a church, home, garden, or other nice location. A reception dinner follows, with music and dancing, lasting several hours, and then it’s over, making it simply a one day affair. In the culture at the time of this parable, a wedding celebration was much more elaborate. The ceremony would usually start at the bride’s house, then there would be a grand procession to the groom’s residence, ending with a magnificent banquet and festivities which would last for many days, often as long as a week. Once the procession would arrive at the groom’s place, the doors were barred or locked so no uninvited guests could sneak in.
The ten young women in our parable were part of the wedding party, similar to today’s bridesmaids. They were to take part in the procession from the bride’s house to that of the groom’s. From the parable we can tell that this wedding was one that was late in the day, or in the evening, as oil lamps were needed.
As Jesus tells this story, He divides the ten virgins into two groups - those who had brought plenty of oil for their lamps and were prepared for any and all circumstances, and those who only brought a little oil for their lamps and were thus unprepared for what might happen (vs. 2-4). There is some reason that the wedding ceremony at the bride’s house took longer than usual. While the ten virgins were waiting they fell asleep (vs. 5). Finally they hear the shouts that the bridegroom was coming and they wake up. However, because of the long delay the unprepared or foolish virgins’ lamps had gone out, because they hadn’t brought enough oil with them. They asked the other women for some of their oil, but were told no, lest there not be enough. So off the foolish ones run to the market to get more, and miss the bridegroom. They are unable to take part in the procession and are locked out from the wedding ceremony (vs. 10-12).
Jesus is the Divine Bridegroom, and the Church, born-again Christians, are the Bride. Just like the bridegroom in our parable, Jesus will be coming for His Bride. Jesus is telling us that we need to be ready. We need to be watching for His return and be prepared. It was quite a while ago that Jesus returned to heaven. Many are like the foolish virgins, not alert or caring that our Bridegroom could come at any moment. We must be ready. Being spiritually prepared is not something we can buy or borrow at the last minute.
Scripture says no one knows the day or hour of Christ’s return (vs. 13). We must be continually watching for Jesus’s coming, and be in a continual state of readiness, living productively for Him. Jesus wants us actively doing His work, spreading the Gospel message right until the day of His return.
This parable Jesus spoke to us says how important it is for us to be ready for His return, even if the delay is longer than expected. There will be no second chance for the unprepared. Watch! Be prepared! Be ready!
Be prepared! Good advice!
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