Are you Wise or Foolish?

Matthew 25:1-13

In this parable Jesus is sharing about the ten virgins, He is comparing them and their preparation for the kingdom of heaven.  It was the custom in Jesus’ time on earth for these steps to enter into marriage:

1.     The ketubbah (plural is ketubboth) was a legally binding document whose primary purpose was to protect the bride, even though she did not even sign it. The father of the bride would use his wisdom to look out for the best interests of his daughter.

a.     The bride was seen as being completely under her father's control.

2.     The groom and the father of the bride would negotiate a legal document with conditions that clearly laid out:

a.     The "Dowry": money to be paid to the father by the groom: “Ask me ever so much bridal payment and gift, and I will give according as you say to me; but give me the girl in marriage.” (Genesis 34:12)

3.     The First stage of a Jewish marriage (the signing of the “ketubbah”) is the last stage of modern weddings (the signing of the marriage license that you buy at city hall).

a.     Since Jewish marriages were sealed when the father of the bride and the groom signed the “ketubbah”, with or without the consent or knowledge of the bride, the "dating" (get to know you stage) began after they were "married".

b.     Just like today's legal documents, the ketubah was signed in triplicate where the father, the groom each got a copy and a third one was "filed" with the court (synagogue) with a seal to be broken only by a judge.

The finial stage is where we find the parable of the ten virgins, for the couple may have been married for well over a year and the agreements have been met and this is what happens next.  When the father consented to the groom, he was allowed to come to the home of the bride and consummate the marriage in her own house. Afterwards, he would lead her in a ceremonial procession to a wedding feast at his house. (Stage 3) The parable of the ten virgins (Mt 25:1f) illustrates both stage 2 and stage 3 of the marriage. (By Steve Rudd)

Now we have more understanding of what Jesus is telling us in Matthew 25:1-13, the ten virgins are waiting, as we are for the Father to tell our groom Jesus that His bride is ready.  But only five of the ten were prepared and all ten of them had oil in their lamps, but they all became drowsy and slept.  Now it is the midnight hour and a cry awakens them and the bridegroom has come to take his bride.  The five virgins who were wise took the flasks of oil and added it to the lamps, but the five unwise virgin’s lamps were going out, and ask for oil from the wise, but they were told to go to the dealers and buy for yourselves.  While they were gone the groom came and they went into the marriage feast and the doors were shut. 

The other five return with oil, but it is too late, we have the account from Jesus in verse 11-13, “Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.”

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice