Keeping Watch - A Lesson from Foolish Virgins
Be watchful because the bridegroom is coming.
This past Sunday’s lectionary gospel reading was the Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins. While I did not preach on Sunday, I cannot let the opportunity pass to explore a parable. After all,
will not let me get by with not preaching/exegeting on Jesus’s stories. Taylor knows, and by now, I’m sure you do as well, that the parables are not my favorite parts of Jesus’s teachings. But (and you know what I say about big buts) the teachings are there, and I (we) cannot ignore them.
Rooted in the cultural context of Jesus's time, the parable draws a compelling analogy between the advent of God's reign and the preparedness of ten women with oil-filled lamps, contrasting with ten others who neglect this essential preparation. As the groom's arrival is announced, the unprepared ones, realizing their oil shortage, scramble to buy some. However, the groom arrives at the wedding party in their absence, leaving them excluded.
The image of the bridegroom was likely seen as a representation of God during Jesus's initial proclamation of this parable. In the Old Testament, God is occasionally depicted as the bridegroom of Israel. However, within the New Testament, particularly in Matthew's community, Jesus himself is understood as the bridegroom. As he queries in Matthew 9:15, "How can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them?" Wedding feasts and celebrations feature prominently in Jesus's parables, with his inaugural miracle at the Wedding Feast of Cana in John's Gospel.
For those unfamiliar with first-century Galilean or Judean culture, the parable remains accessible through the lens of contemporary experiences. Wedding receptions, often joyous occasions, parallel the anticipated joy of the reign of God. Today's emphasis on these celebrations reflects a desire to share happiness with friends and family—a sentiment echoing the parable's underlying message: why miss out on the joy? Think back to the last wedding you were invited to attend. You probably do not remember much of the worship service, but you remember if there was an open bar, buffet, or seated dinner and the dancing.
Despite the resonance of joyous celebrations, many find themselves unprepared and consequently miss out, emphasizing the parable's central theme—Jesus's call for vigilance,
Be watchful because the bridegroom is coming. We are preparing for this as the season of Advent approaches. Advent is a season of watching and waiting as we recall the inbreaking God’s grace in a manger.
The essence of the parable extends beyond its historical context, urging us to be vigilant. The reign of God manifests unexpectedly, and our readiness is crucial. The call to stay awake and prepared resounds as a timeless lesson that encourages us to be attentive to the signs of transformation, acknowledging that the divine unfolds in ways we may not anticipate.