The Wise And The Foolish
Preaching
Preaching The Parables
Series III, Cycle A
1. Text
"Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. [2] Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. [3] When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; [4] but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. [5] As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept. [6] But at midnight there was a shout, 'Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.' [7] Then all those bridesmaids got up and trimmed their lamps. [8] The foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' [9] But the wise replied, 'No! there will not be enough for you and for us; you had better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.' [10] And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet; and the door was shut. [11] Later the other bridesmaids came also, saying, 'Lord, lord, open to us.' [12] But he replied, 'Truly I tell you, I do not know you.' [13] Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour."
2. What's Happening?
First Point Of Action
Jesus anchors the parable as an example of the kingdom of heaven.
Second Point Of Action
Ten bridesmaids - five foolish and five wise - took their lamps to meet the bridegroom.
Third Point Of Action
The foolish women took no oil with them. The wise women went prepared.
Fourth Point Of Action
They all slept until midnight when a shout told them the delayed bridegroom had arrived.
Fifth Point Of Action
The women trimmed their lamps. When the foolish ones asked for some of the others' oil, they refused saying there would not be enough for everyone. They sent the foolish ones off to a dealer to buy oil.
Sixth Point Of Action
While they were gone, the bridegroom arrived, those who were ready entered the wedding banquet, and the doors were shut.
Seventh Point Of Action
When the foolish bridesmaids returned, they were not recognized and were denied entry.
Eighth Point Of Action
All are admonished to keep awake because no one knows the day or the hour that the kingdom of heaven will come.
3. Spadework
Bridegroom
The image of bridegroom appears eighteen times. Use of the metaphor in the rejoicing connection of anticipation, emotional strength, and fulfillment plays in Psalm 19:5, Isaiah 61:10, and Isaiah 62:5 passages. In both Jeremiah and Revelation, "bridegroom" occurs as a metaphor of the extinguishing of such joy: "And I will bring to an end the sound of mirth and gladness, the voice of the bride and bridegroom in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem; for the land shall become a waste" (Jeremiah 7:34) and "... [A]nd the voice of bridegroom and bride will be heard in you no more" (Revelation 18:23). Note the use of the sense of hearing that summons the sounds of nuptial voices. See also Jeremiah 16:9 and Jeremiah 25:10. In Jeremiah 33:10--11, those voices are restored as God restores the land.
Jesus used "bridegroom" as a metaphor for himself when the disciples of John asked why Jesus' disciples did not fast: "And Jesus said to them, 'The wedding guests cannot mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them, can they? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast' " (Matthew 9:15). See also Mark 2:19--20 and Luke 5:34--35.
In the miracle at the wedding in Cana, the unknowing chief steward chastises the bridegroom for keeping the best wine until last. (See John 2:1ff.) John also uses the bridegroom metaphor when speaking of his changing role. John is only the friend of the bridegroom: "He who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice. For this reason my joy has been fulfilled. [Jesus] must increase, but I must decrease" (John 3:29--30).
Bridesmaid
The sole biblical use of "bridesmaid" is in the present text.
Delay
Delay is unproductive. Numerous Hebrew texts couple "delay" with "do not." Among them are Genesis 24:56, 34:19, 43:10, and 45:9; Exodus 22:29; Deuteronomy 7:10; and Ecclesiastes 5:4 and 8:3. Delay carries with it costs. See Judges 3:26, 2 Samuel 20:5, and Ezra 6:8.
The last thing one who is in trouble wants is the delay of help: "You are my help and my deliverer; do not delay, O my God" (Psalm 40:17 and 70:5). "And will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long in helping them? I tell you, he will quickly grant justice to them. And yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?" (Luke 18:7--8). While God does not delay when delay would yield further injustice, the prophet Ezekiel records that God did employ delay as a tactic to change a rebellious people. (See Ezekiel 12:25 and 12:28.)
Unexpected delay disrupts routine, awakening chaos and behavioral license. When Moses delayed returning from the mountain, the people crafted false images of God. (See Exodus 32:1.) As soon as Jesus says "but," we know trouble is coming: "But if that wicked slave says to himself, 'My master is delayed' " (Matthew 24:48). See also Luke 12:45. In the present text, delay yielded inattention: "As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept" (v. 5). A most interesting but productive delay was reported when the priest Zechariah, chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary and offer incense, received word that his wife Elizabeth would have a child. (See Luke 1:8ff.)
Foolish One
While the term "foolish man" is unique to the present passage, "foolish" and its derivatives appear on 49 occasions. Actions can be foolish (Genesis 31:28 and 2 Samuel 24:10). Commission of a sin can be foolish (Numbers 12:11 and 1 Chronicles 21:8) as can not keeping God's commandments (1 Samuel 13:13). Foolishness is related to being "senseless" (Deuteronomy 32:6) or "jealous" (Deuteronomy 32:21), "exalting" one's self or "devising evil" (Proverbs 30:32), being "quick--tempered" (Proverbs 14:17) or oppressive (Ecclesiastes 7:7).
"The foolish woman is loud; she is ignorant and knows nothing" (Proverbs 9:13). "The wise woman builds her house, but the foolish tears it down with her own hands" (Proverbs 14:1). Foolish children "despise their mothers" (Proverbs 15:20).
A foolish person will no longer "take advice." (See Ecclesiastes 4:13.) The foolish give "stupid counsel" (Isaiah 19:11). Foolish people do not use their eyes to see or their ears to hear. (See Jeremiah 5:21.) Stupidity and foolishness go together. (See Jeremiah 10:8.) Those who lack knowledge of God, who lack understanding, and do not know how to do good are foolish people. (See Jeremiah 4:22.)
Keep Awake
Four of the seven references to "keep awake" are in the Gospel of Mark. The last week when Christ anticipated death, he needed company in his grief and asked his disciples to stay by him and keep awake as he prayed. When they fell asleep, he was disappointed. (See Mark 14:34--38.)
The "stay alert" message of "Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming" (Matthew 24:42); "Therefore, keep awake - for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or at dawn" (Mark 13:35); and "And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake" (Mark 13:37) mirrors that of the present text, "Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour" (v. 13).
Lord, Lord
See Parable 3, Cycle A for a discussion of "Lord, Lord."
Open To Us
This phrase occurs on two other occasions: "When once the owner of the house has got up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, 'Lord, open to us,' then in reply he will say to you, 'I do not know where you come from' " (Luke 13:25) and "At the same time pray for us as well that God will open to us a door for the word, that we may declare the mystery of Christ, for which I am in prison" (Colossians 4:3). (See also Luke 12:36.)
"Open" and its derivatives occur 312 times. Of them, the following lend further understanding of the present text. What happens when something is open or opened to an individual? "[F]or God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil" (Genesis 3:5). See also Genesis 3:7.
Opened eyes are alert, watchful, and observant eyes: "... that your eyes may be open night and day toward this house, the place of which you said, 'My name shall be there,' that you may heed the prayer that your servant prays toward this place' " (1 Kings 8:29).
"Open" suggests the capacity for oneness, fluidity, and movement beyond the physical: "Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, 'You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased' " (Luke 3:21--22). Further, "Jesus answered, 'I have spoken openly to the world; I have always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all the Jews come together. I have said nothing in secret' " (John 18:20).
Contrast attitudes of openness in Abram and Sarai's laughter at learning they would give birth in older age (Genesis 17:15ff) with Zechariah's refusal to be open to the angel's word that Elizabeth would have a child, his subsequent muteness until the child was born, and the reopening of his mouth when he named his son (Luke 1:12ff) and with the responses of Joseph and Mary to an equally bizarre happening.
God is the opener, the revealer, and the one who offers:
"The Lord will open for you his rich storehouse, the heavens, to give the rain of your land in its season and to bless all your undertakings. You will lend to many nations, but you will not borrow" (Deuteronomy 28:12);
"For who is God, but the Lord? And who is a rock, except our God? The God who has girded me with strength has opened wide my path" (2 Samuel 22:32--33); and
"I am the Lord your God, / who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. / Open your mouth wide and I will fill it" (Psalm 81:10).
"Open" prescribes another direction. We are to open ourselves for others as God has opened for us:
"If there is among you anyone in need, a member of your community in any of your towns within the land that the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hard--hearted or tight--fisted toward your needy neighbor. You should rather open your hand, willingly lending enough to meet the need, whatever it may be" (Deuteronomy 15:7--8);
"Since there will never cease to be some in need on the earth, I therefore command you, 'Open your hand to the poor and needy neighbor in your land' " (Deuteronomy 15:11); and
"Let your eyes be open to the plea of your servant, and to the plea of your people Israel, listening to them whenever they call to you" (1 Kings 8:52).
Among the compelling expressions of "open" is Job's empathy with affliction: "He delivers the afflicted by their affliction, and opens their ear by adversity" (Job 36:15). Job also points to the tension between contrasting open/shut metaphors: "... [I]f he shuts someone in, no one can open up" (Job 12:14) and "[T]he stranger has not lodged in the street; I have opened my doors to the traveler" (Job 31:32).
The opening and closing of the house door or the door to the "house of God" held its own ritual of curfew: "And they would spend the night near the house of God; for on them lay the duty of watching, and they had charge of opening it every morning" (1 Chronicles 9:27).
People who live with the oppression of obstructed doors, shut gates, and obstructed opportunity yearn for openness: "Your gates shall always be open; day and night they shall not be shut" (Isaiah 60:1--10); "Open to me the gates of righteousness, / that I may enter through them / and give thanks to the Lord" (Psalm 118:19); "Open the gates, so that the righteous nation that keeps faith may enter in" (Isaiah 26:2); and "I know your works. Look, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut" (Revelation 3:8).
Consider the contrast of the present passage with these verses: "Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened" (Matthew 7:7--8; see also Luke 11:9); and "Listen! I am standing at the door, knocking; if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to you and eat with you, and you with me" (Revelation 3:20).
"Open" is an element of Christ's healing ministry: "Then looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, 'Ephphatha,' that is, 'Be opened.'And immediately his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly" (Mark 7:34--35), and "Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue freed, and he began to speak, praising God" (Luke 1:64). Similarly, we can only receive when we are open: "Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures" (Luke 24:45). Consider the symbolism of the hands opened in prayer.
Ready
Eleven of the 81 references to "ready" appear in the Gospels. Similarly, 130 references use "prepare" and its derivatives. "Ready" appears twice in Parable 11, "The Wedding Banquet": "everything is ready" (Matthew 22:4) and "the wedding is ready" (Matthew 22:8). See also Luke 14:17. Jesus instructs others about practical readiness, once for a boat, again in preparation for what would be his last supper, and before entering the village of the Samaritans. (See Mark 14:15 and 3:9 and Luke 9:52.)
The angel who told Zechariah of the coming birth of his son John spoke also of John's calling to ready people for Christ: "With the spirit and power of Elijah he will go before him, to turn the hearts of parents to their children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord" (Luke 1:17). Jesus referred to the readiness of the present parable at other occasions: "Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour" (Matthew 24:44 and Luke 12:40). Before Peter succumbed to betray Jesus, Peter told him, "Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death!" (Luke 22:33).
In Hebrew Scripture, "make ready" as to prepare appears in Genesis 18:6, 43:16, 43:25, and 46:29; and Exodus 14:6. Also found are "get ready" (1 Samuel 6:7); "ready" as on the brink of an action (Exodus 17:4); "be ready" (Exodus 34:2); "are ready" (Deuteronomy 1:41and 2 Samuel 15:15); and "[God] was ready" (Deuteronomy 9:8 and 9:20).
The prophet Nehemiah refers to the recalcitrant Israelites in Egypt at the time of the Ten Commandments who nevertheless found God ready to treat them with kindness: "[T]hey refused to obey, and were not mindful of the wonders that you performed among them; but they stiffened their necks and determined to return to their slavery in Egypt. But you are a God ready to forgive, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and you did not forsake them" (Nehemiah 9:17).
Shut Doors
Of the 57 references to "shut," the following verse refers to a wondering if God has shut up his compassion: "Has God forgotten to be gracious? / Has he in anger shut up his compassion?" (Psalm 77:9). After all the animals had entered the ark, Noah entered and "the Lord shut him in" (Genesis 7:16). The shutting up of heaven refers to an absence of rain. (See Deuteronomy 11:17, 1 Kings 8:25, 2 Chronicles 6:26, 2 Chronicles 7:13, and Luke 4:25.)
"Shut" is a protective or blocking measure: "The gates of Jerusalem are shut" (Nehemiah 7:30). (See also Joshua 6:1, Judges 9:51, 2 Kings 6:32, Isaiah 26:20, and Nehemiah 13:19.)
"Shut" is a hiding from reality: "They do not know, nor do they comprehend; for their eyes are shut, so that they cannot see, and their minds as well, so that they cannot understand" (Isaiah 44:18). (See also Isaiah 33:15, Matthew 13:15, and Acts 28:27.)
"Shut" is also used as a deterrent (Leviticus 14:46), a punishment (Numbers 12:14), an element of secrecy, privacy, or focus (2 Chronicles 28:24, 2 Kings 4:4, and Matthew 6:6), and as a metaphor for barrenness or prevention of birth (Job 3:18 and Isaiah 66:9).
The most remarkable of the six references to "shut" in the Gospels is John's reporting that a shut door did not deter Christ from coming into the house of the disciples: "A week later [after his death] his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, 'Peace be with you' " (John 20:26).
Wise
Of 135 references to "wise," 58 are in Proverbs. The following passages clarify the requisites of wisdom: "Let the wise also hear and gain in learning, and the discerning acquire skill, to understand a proverb and a figure, the words of the wise and their riddles" (Proverbs 1:5--6); "The wise will inherit honor, but stubborn fools, disgrace" (Proverbs 3:35); "Go to the ant, you lazybones; consider its ways, and be wise" (Proverbs 6:6); "Hear instruction and be wise, and do not neglect it" (Proverbs 8:33); "The wise of heart will heed commandments, but a babbling fool will come to ruin" (Proverbs 10:8); and "The wise lay up knowledge, but the babbling of a fool brings ruin near" (Proverbs 10:14).
Among the most interesting adages is the following: "Four things on earth are small, yet they are exceedingly wise: the ants are a people without strength, yet they provide their food in the summer; the badgers are a people without power, yet they make their homes in the rocks; the locusts have no king, yet all of them march in rank; the lizard can be grasped in the hand, yet it is found in kings' palaces" (Proverbs 30:24--28).
How one manages one's life cast light on one's wisdom: "The wise woman builds her house, but the foolish tears it down with her own hands" (Proverbs 14:1); "Precious treasure remains in the house of the wise, but the fool devours it" (Proverbs 21:20); and "Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools suffers harm" (Proverbs 13:20).
How one speaks reflects one's level of wisdom: "The wise of heart is called perceptive, and pleasant speech increases persuasiveness" (Proverbs 16:21); "The mind of the wise makes their speech judicious, and adds persuasiveness to their lips" (Proverbs 16:23); "The tongue of the wise dispenses knowledge, but the mouths of fools pour out folly" (Proverbs 15:2); "The lips of the wise spread knowledge; not so the minds of fools" (Proverbs 15:7); and "The quiet words of the wise are more to be heeded than the shouting of a ruler among fools" (Ecclesiastes 9:17).
How one listens reflects one's capacity for wisdom: "An intelligent mind acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge" (Proverbs 18:15); "The ear that heeds wholesome admonition will lodge among the wise" (Proverbs 15:31); "Fools think their own way is right, but the wise listen to advice" (Proverbs 12:15).
"Scoffers do not like to be rebuked; they will not go to the wise" (Proverbs 15:12); "When a scoffer is punished, the simple become wiser; when the wise are instructed, they increase in knowledge" (Proverbs 21:11); "Fools think their own way is right, but the wise listen to advice" (Proverbs 12:15); and "The words of the wise: Incline your ear and hear my words, and apply your mind to my teaching" (Proverbs 22:17).
First mention of a yearning toward wisdom involves Eve. (See Genesis 3:6.) The wise "seek after God" (Psalm 14:2). "Wisdom gives strength to the wise more than ten rulers that are in a city" (Ecclesiastes 7:19). The capacity for discernment enters into a definition of wisdom: See Genesis 41:33 and 41:39; Deuteronomy 1:13, 1:15, 4:6, and 32:29; 1 Kings 3:12, Proverbs 1:5--6, and Hosea 14:9. Christ poses an interesting juxtaposition of wisdom and innocence: "See, I am sending you out like sheep into the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves" (Matthew 10:16).
Is wisdom a quality observed by others rather than striven for? These verses suggest that understanding what is right is not always I--driven, if ever: "All this I have tested by wisdom; I said, 'I will be wise,' but it was far from me" (Ecclesiastes 7:23); "It is not the old that are wise, nor the aged that understand what is right" (Job 32:9); "Who is like the wise man? And who knows the interpretation of a thing? Wisdom makes one's face shine, and the hardness of one's countenance is changed" (Ecclesiastes 8:1); and "[T]he wise mind will know the time and way" (Ecclesiastes 8:5).
4. Parallel Scripture
I Do Not Know You
Luke says "I do not know where you come from," but Matthew says "Truly I tell you, I do not know you." (See Luke 13:25 and Matthew 25:11.)
Lord, Lord, Open To Us
The writer of Luke says "Lord, open to us," while the writer of Matthew says "Lord, lord, open to us." (See Luke 13:25 and Matthew 25:11.)
Reply
Luke says "then in reply he will say to you" and Matthew says "But he replied." (See Luke 13:25 and Matthew 25:11.)
Readiness
Matthew says "Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour" (v. 13) while Luke says "Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit" (Luke 12:35).
5. Chat Room
April: Too late is too late. If you are not ready when the opportunity arrives, even if a wise friend advises you, too late is too late. If you are not there when the door opens, you miss out. Clear, simple.
Berta: But not all are wise. Wisdom takes time to acquire. Wisdom is not given to all, just as all do not inherit a sturdy common sense.
Frank: You are saying that we who are not astute enough from the beginning have little chance with God.
Berta: I don't want to say that about God. The God I believe in gives second and third chances, but this parable does suggest otherwise.
April: At least some of the bridesmaids knew how to prepare. Otherwise we might have had to point a finger of discrimination at Jesus.
Berta: Discriminator Jesus was not.
Frank: I do not much care about the five wise bridesmaids. Surely they could have spared enough oil for all to have some for a while, especially since the bridegroom finally had arrived.
Berta: Makes me think of competition. I could just see the snide looks, hear the deprecatory tone of voice.
April: So it may seem. I think not. Sharing from their supply would not have helped the foolish bridesmaids to become responsible.
Frank: Is there anything, then, about this parable that moves us into hope?
April: There is waiting on the other side of the door a feast, the wedding banquet.
Berta: It certainly was not the refusal of the lord to let them in. That amazes me because God says if we knock on the door it will be opened to us. What if God tells us God does not know us when we knock on the door? For me, this parable is rather dark, raising more questions of uncertainty than answers.
April: On the other hand, I find encouragement in that half of the bridesmaids were properly prepared for a possible extended wait. To me, this suggests they at least had received and attended to proper preparedness instruction. If we take the time to do the right things, there is little to worry about.
Berta: Reminds me of emergency preparedness today. Readiness pays. Letting in the prepared bridesmaids tells me that God's word is good. If we do our part, we can count on God to keep God's promise of reward.
Frank: Was the lack of lamp oil the real point here, or was it that everyone fell asleep? The parable tells us we are to keep awake, staying alert to the possibility of the realm of God.
April: Well, even if you do fall asleep, there is still mercy if you are prepared. God is fair.
"Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. [2] Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. [3] When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; [4] but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. [5] As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept. [6] But at midnight there was a shout, 'Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.' [7] Then all those bridesmaids got up and trimmed their lamps. [8] The foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' [9] But the wise replied, 'No! there will not be enough for you and for us; you had better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.' [10] And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet; and the door was shut. [11] Later the other bridesmaids came also, saying, 'Lord, lord, open to us.' [12] But he replied, 'Truly I tell you, I do not know you.' [13] Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour."
2. What's Happening?
First Point Of Action
Jesus anchors the parable as an example of the kingdom of heaven.
Second Point Of Action
Ten bridesmaids - five foolish and five wise - took their lamps to meet the bridegroom.
Third Point Of Action
The foolish women took no oil with them. The wise women went prepared.
Fourth Point Of Action
They all slept until midnight when a shout told them the delayed bridegroom had arrived.
Fifth Point Of Action
The women trimmed their lamps. When the foolish ones asked for some of the others' oil, they refused saying there would not be enough for everyone. They sent the foolish ones off to a dealer to buy oil.
Sixth Point Of Action
While they were gone, the bridegroom arrived, those who were ready entered the wedding banquet, and the doors were shut.
Seventh Point Of Action
When the foolish bridesmaids returned, they were not recognized and were denied entry.
Eighth Point Of Action
All are admonished to keep awake because no one knows the day or the hour that the kingdom of heaven will come.
3. Spadework
Bridegroom
The image of bridegroom appears eighteen times. Use of the metaphor in the rejoicing connection of anticipation, emotional strength, and fulfillment plays in Psalm 19:5, Isaiah 61:10, and Isaiah 62:5 passages. In both Jeremiah and Revelation, "bridegroom" occurs as a metaphor of the extinguishing of such joy: "And I will bring to an end the sound of mirth and gladness, the voice of the bride and bridegroom in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem; for the land shall become a waste" (Jeremiah 7:34) and "... [A]nd the voice of bridegroom and bride will be heard in you no more" (Revelation 18:23). Note the use of the sense of hearing that summons the sounds of nuptial voices. See also Jeremiah 16:9 and Jeremiah 25:10. In Jeremiah 33:10--11, those voices are restored as God restores the land.
Jesus used "bridegroom" as a metaphor for himself when the disciples of John asked why Jesus' disciples did not fast: "And Jesus said to them, 'The wedding guests cannot mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them, can they? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast' " (Matthew 9:15). See also Mark 2:19--20 and Luke 5:34--35.
In the miracle at the wedding in Cana, the unknowing chief steward chastises the bridegroom for keeping the best wine until last. (See John 2:1ff.) John also uses the bridegroom metaphor when speaking of his changing role. John is only the friend of the bridegroom: "He who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice. For this reason my joy has been fulfilled. [Jesus] must increase, but I must decrease" (John 3:29--30).
Bridesmaid
The sole biblical use of "bridesmaid" is in the present text.
Delay
Delay is unproductive. Numerous Hebrew texts couple "delay" with "do not." Among them are Genesis 24:56, 34:19, 43:10, and 45:9; Exodus 22:29; Deuteronomy 7:10; and Ecclesiastes 5:4 and 8:3. Delay carries with it costs. See Judges 3:26, 2 Samuel 20:5, and Ezra 6:8.
The last thing one who is in trouble wants is the delay of help: "You are my help and my deliverer; do not delay, O my God" (Psalm 40:17 and 70:5). "And will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long in helping them? I tell you, he will quickly grant justice to them. And yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?" (Luke 18:7--8). While God does not delay when delay would yield further injustice, the prophet Ezekiel records that God did employ delay as a tactic to change a rebellious people. (See Ezekiel 12:25 and 12:28.)
Unexpected delay disrupts routine, awakening chaos and behavioral license. When Moses delayed returning from the mountain, the people crafted false images of God. (See Exodus 32:1.) As soon as Jesus says "but," we know trouble is coming: "But if that wicked slave says to himself, 'My master is delayed' " (Matthew 24:48). See also Luke 12:45. In the present text, delay yielded inattention: "As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept" (v. 5). A most interesting but productive delay was reported when the priest Zechariah, chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary and offer incense, received word that his wife Elizabeth would have a child. (See Luke 1:8ff.)
Foolish One
While the term "foolish man" is unique to the present passage, "foolish" and its derivatives appear on 49 occasions. Actions can be foolish (Genesis 31:28 and 2 Samuel 24:10). Commission of a sin can be foolish (Numbers 12:11 and 1 Chronicles 21:8) as can not keeping God's commandments (1 Samuel 13:13). Foolishness is related to being "senseless" (Deuteronomy 32:6) or "jealous" (Deuteronomy 32:21), "exalting" one's self or "devising evil" (Proverbs 30:32), being "quick--tempered" (Proverbs 14:17) or oppressive (Ecclesiastes 7:7).
"The foolish woman is loud; she is ignorant and knows nothing" (Proverbs 9:13). "The wise woman builds her house, but the foolish tears it down with her own hands" (Proverbs 14:1). Foolish children "despise their mothers" (Proverbs 15:20).
A foolish person will no longer "take advice." (See Ecclesiastes 4:13.) The foolish give "stupid counsel" (Isaiah 19:11). Foolish people do not use their eyes to see or their ears to hear. (See Jeremiah 5:21.) Stupidity and foolishness go together. (See Jeremiah 10:8.) Those who lack knowledge of God, who lack understanding, and do not know how to do good are foolish people. (See Jeremiah 4:22.)
Keep Awake
Four of the seven references to "keep awake" are in the Gospel of Mark. The last week when Christ anticipated death, he needed company in his grief and asked his disciples to stay by him and keep awake as he prayed. When they fell asleep, he was disappointed. (See Mark 14:34--38.)
The "stay alert" message of "Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming" (Matthew 24:42); "Therefore, keep awake - for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or at dawn" (Mark 13:35); and "And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake" (Mark 13:37) mirrors that of the present text, "Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour" (v. 13).
Lord, Lord
See Parable 3, Cycle A for a discussion of "Lord, Lord."
Open To Us
This phrase occurs on two other occasions: "When once the owner of the house has got up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, 'Lord, open to us,' then in reply he will say to you, 'I do not know where you come from' " (Luke 13:25) and "At the same time pray for us as well that God will open to us a door for the word, that we may declare the mystery of Christ, for which I am in prison" (Colossians 4:3). (See also Luke 12:36.)
"Open" and its derivatives occur 312 times. Of them, the following lend further understanding of the present text. What happens when something is open or opened to an individual? "[F]or God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil" (Genesis 3:5). See also Genesis 3:7.
Opened eyes are alert, watchful, and observant eyes: "... that your eyes may be open night and day toward this house, the place of which you said, 'My name shall be there,' that you may heed the prayer that your servant prays toward this place' " (1 Kings 8:29).
"Open" suggests the capacity for oneness, fluidity, and movement beyond the physical: "Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, 'You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased' " (Luke 3:21--22). Further, "Jesus answered, 'I have spoken openly to the world; I have always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all the Jews come together. I have said nothing in secret' " (John 18:20).
Contrast attitudes of openness in Abram and Sarai's laughter at learning they would give birth in older age (Genesis 17:15ff) with Zechariah's refusal to be open to the angel's word that Elizabeth would have a child, his subsequent muteness until the child was born, and the reopening of his mouth when he named his son (Luke 1:12ff) and with the responses of Joseph and Mary to an equally bizarre happening.
God is the opener, the revealer, and the one who offers:
"The Lord will open for you his rich storehouse, the heavens, to give the rain of your land in its season and to bless all your undertakings. You will lend to many nations, but you will not borrow" (Deuteronomy 28:12);
"For who is God, but the Lord? And who is a rock, except our God? The God who has girded me with strength has opened wide my path" (2 Samuel 22:32--33); and
"I am the Lord your God, / who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. / Open your mouth wide and I will fill it" (Psalm 81:10).
"Open" prescribes another direction. We are to open ourselves for others as God has opened for us:
"If there is among you anyone in need, a member of your community in any of your towns within the land that the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hard--hearted or tight--fisted toward your needy neighbor. You should rather open your hand, willingly lending enough to meet the need, whatever it may be" (Deuteronomy 15:7--8);
"Since there will never cease to be some in need on the earth, I therefore command you, 'Open your hand to the poor and needy neighbor in your land' " (Deuteronomy 15:11); and
"Let your eyes be open to the plea of your servant, and to the plea of your people Israel, listening to them whenever they call to you" (1 Kings 8:52).
Among the compelling expressions of "open" is Job's empathy with affliction: "He delivers the afflicted by their affliction, and opens their ear by adversity" (Job 36:15). Job also points to the tension between contrasting open/shut metaphors: "... [I]f he shuts someone in, no one can open up" (Job 12:14) and "[T]he stranger has not lodged in the street; I have opened my doors to the traveler" (Job 31:32).
The opening and closing of the house door or the door to the "house of God" held its own ritual of curfew: "And they would spend the night near the house of God; for on them lay the duty of watching, and they had charge of opening it every morning" (1 Chronicles 9:27).
People who live with the oppression of obstructed doors, shut gates, and obstructed opportunity yearn for openness: "Your gates shall always be open; day and night they shall not be shut" (Isaiah 60:1--10); "Open to me the gates of righteousness, / that I may enter through them / and give thanks to the Lord" (Psalm 118:19); "Open the gates, so that the righteous nation that keeps faith may enter in" (Isaiah 26:2); and "I know your works. Look, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut" (Revelation 3:8).
Consider the contrast of the present passage with these verses: "Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened" (Matthew 7:7--8; see also Luke 11:9); and "Listen! I am standing at the door, knocking; if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to you and eat with you, and you with me" (Revelation 3:20).
"Open" is an element of Christ's healing ministry: "Then looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, 'Ephphatha,' that is, 'Be opened.'And immediately his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly" (Mark 7:34--35), and "Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue freed, and he began to speak, praising God" (Luke 1:64). Similarly, we can only receive when we are open: "Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures" (Luke 24:45). Consider the symbolism of the hands opened in prayer.
Ready
Eleven of the 81 references to "ready" appear in the Gospels. Similarly, 130 references use "prepare" and its derivatives. "Ready" appears twice in Parable 11, "The Wedding Banquet": "everything is ready" (Matthew 22:4) and "the wedding is ready" (Matthew 22:8). See also Luke 14:17. Jesus instructs others about practical readiness, once for a boat, again in preparation for what would be his last supper, and before entering the village of the Samaritans. (See Mark 14:15 and 3:9 and Luke 9:52.)
The angel who told Zechariah of the coming birth of his son John spoke also of John's calling to ready people for Christ: "With the spirit and power of Elijah he will go before him, to turn the hearts of parents to their children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord" (Luke 1:17). Jesus referred to the readiness of the present parable at other occasions: "Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour" (Matthew 24:44 and Luke 12:40). Before Peter succumbed to betray Jesus, Peter told him, "Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death!" (Luke 22:33).
In Hebrew Scripture, "make ready" as to prepare appears in Genesis 18:6, 43:16, 43:25, and 46:29; and Exodus 14:6. Also found are "get ready" (1 Samuel 6:7); "ready" as on the brink of an action (Exodus 17:4); "be ready" (Exodus 34:2); "are ready" (Deuteronomy 1:41and 2 Samuel 15:15); and "[God] was ready" (Deuteronomy 9:8 and 9:20).
The prophet Nehemiah refers to the recalcitrant Israelites in Egypt at the time of the Ten Commandments who nevertheless found God ready to treat them with kindness: "[T]hey refused to obey, and were not mindful of the wonders that you performed among them; but they stiffened their necks and determined to return to their slavery in Egypt. But you are a God ready to forgive, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and you did not forsake them" (Nehemiah 9:17).
Shut Doors
Of the 57 references to "shut," the following verse refers to a wondering if God has shut up his compassion: "Has God forgotten to be gracious? / Has he in anger shut up his compassion?" (Psalm 77:9). After all the animals had entered the ark, Noah entered and "the Lord shut him in" (Genesis 7:16). The shutting up of heaven refers to an absence of rain. (See Deuteronomy 11:17, 1 Kings 8:25, 2 Chronicles 6:26, 2 Chronicles 7:13, and Luke 4:25.)
"Shut" is a protective or blocking measure: "The gates of Jerusalem are shut" (Nehemiah 7:30). (See also Joshua 6:1, Judges 9:51, 2 Kings 6:32, Isaiah 26:20, and Nehemiah 13:19.)
"Shut" is a hiding from reality: "They do not know, nor do they comprehend; for their eyes are shut, so that they cannot see, and their minds as well, so that they cannot understand" (Isaiah 44:18). (See also Isaiah 33:15, Matthew 13:15, and Acts 28:27.)
"Shut" is also used as a deterrent (Leviticus 14:46), a punishment (Numbers 12:14), an element of secrecy, privacy, or focus (2 Chronicles 28:24, 2 Kings 4:4, and Matthew 6:6), and as a metaphor for barrenness or prevention of birth (Job 3:18 and Isaiah 66:9).
The most remarkable of the six references to "shut" in the Gospels is John's reporting that a shut door did not deter Christ from coming into the house of the disciples: "A week later [after his death] his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, 'Peace be with you' " (John 20:26).
Wise
Of 135 references to "wise," 58 are in Proverbs. The following passages clarify the requisites of wisdom: "Let the wise also hear and gain in learning, and the discerning acquire skill, to understand a proverb and a figure, the words of the wise and their riddles" (Proverbs 1:5--6); "The wise will inherit honor, but stubborn fools, disgrace" (Proverbs 3:35); "Go to the ant, you lazybones; consider its ways, and be wise" (Proverbs 6:6); "Hear instruction and be wise, and do not neglect it" (Proverbs 8:33); "The wise of heart will heed commandments, but a babbling fool will come to ruin" (Proverbs 10:8); and "The wise lay up knowledge, but the babbling of a fool brings ruin near" (Proverbs 10:14).
Among the most interesting adages is the following: "Four things on earth are small, yet they are exceedingly wise: the ants are a people without strength, yet they provide their food in the summer; the badgers are a people without power, yet they make their homes in the rocks; the locusts have no king, yet all of them march in rank; the lizard can be grasped in the hand, yet it is found in kings' palaces" (Proverbs 30:24--28).
How one manages one's life cast light on one's wisdom: "The wise woman builds her house, but the foolish tears it down with her own hands" (Proverbs 14:1); "Precious treasure remains in the house of the wise, but the fool devours it" (Proverbs 21:20); and "Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools suffers harm" (Proverbs 13:20).
How one speaks reflects one's level of wisdom: "The wise of heart is called perceptive, and pleasant speech increases persuasiveness" (Proverbs 16:21); "The mind of the wise makes their speech judicious, and adds persuasiveness to their lips" (Proverbs 16:23); "The tongue of the wise dispenses knowledge, but the mouths of fools pour out folly" (Proverbs 15:2); "The lips of the wise spread knowledge; not so the minds of fools" (Proverbs 15:7); and "The quiet words of the wise are more to be heeded than the shouting of a ruler among fools" (Ecclesiastes 9:17).
How one listens reflects one's capacity for wisdom: "An intelligent mind acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge" (Proverbs 18:15); "The ear that heeds wholesome admonition will lodge among the wise" (Proverbs 15:31); "Fools think their own way is right, but the wise listen to advice" (Proverbs 12:15).
"Scoffers do not like to be rebuked; they will not go to the wise" (Proverbs 15:12); "When a scoffer is punished, the simple become wiser; when the wise are instructed, they increase in knowledge" (Proverbs 21:11); "Fools think their own way is right, but the wise listen to advice" (Proverbs 12:15); and "The words of the wise: Incline your ear and hear my words, and apply your mind to my teaching" (Proverbs 22:17).
First mention of a yearning toward wisdom involves Eve. (See Genesis 3:6.) The wise "seek after God" (Psalm 14:2). "Wisdom gives strength to the wise more than ten rulers that are in a city" (Ecclesiastes 7:19). The capacity for discernment enters into a definition of wisdom: See Genesis 41:33 and 41:39; Deuteronomy 1:13, 1:15, 4:6, and 32:29; 1 Kings 3:12, Proverbs 1:5--6, and Hosea 14:9. Christ poses an interesting juxtaposition of wisdom and innocence: "See, I am sending you out like sheep into the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves" (Matthew 10:16).
Is wisdom a quality observed by others rather than striven for? These verses suggest that understanding what is right is not always I--driven, if ever: "All this I have tested by wisdom; I said, 'I will be wise,' but it was far from me" (Ecclesiastes 7:23); "It is not the old that are wise, nor the aged that understand what is right" (Job 32:9); "Who is like the wise man? And who knows the interpretation of a thing? Wisdom makes one's face shine, and the hardness of one's countenance is changed" (Ecclesiastes 8:1); and "[T]he wise mind will know the time and way" (Ecclesiastes 8:5).
4. Parallel Scripture
I Do Not Know You
Luke says "I do not know where you come from," but Matthew says "Truly I tell you, I do not know you." (See Luke 13:25 and Matthew 25:11.)
Lord, Lord, Open To Us
The writer of Luke says "Lord, open to us," while the writer of Matthew says "Lord, lord, open to us." (See Luke 13:25 and Matthew 25:11.)
Reply
Luke says "then in reply he will say to you" and Matthew says "But he replied." (See Luke 13:25 and Matthew 25:11.)
Readiness
Matthew says "Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour" (v. 13) while Luke says "Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit" (Luke 12:35).
5. Chat Room
April: Too late is too late. If you are not ready when the opportunity arrives, even if a wise friend advises you, too late is too late. If you are not there when the door opens, you miss out. Clear, simple.
Berta: But not all are wise. Wisdom takes time to acquire. Wisdom is not given to all, just as all do not inherit a sturdy common sense.
Frank: You are saying that we who are not astute enough from the beginning have little chance with God.
Berta: I don't want to say that about God. The God I believe in gives second and third chances, but this parable does suggest otherwise.
April: At least some of the bridesmaids knew how to prepare. Otherwise we might have had to point a finger of discrimination at Jesus.
Berta: Discriminator Jesus was not.
Frank: I do not much care about the five wise bridesmaids. Surely they could have spared enough oil for all to have some for a while, especially since the bridegroom finally had arrived.
Berta: Makes me think of competition. I could just see the snide looks, hear the deprecatory tone of voice.
April: So it may seem. I think not. Sharing from their supply would not have helped the foolish bridesmaids to become responsible.
Frank: Is there anything, then, about this parable that moves us into hope?
April: There is waiting on the other side of the door a feast, the wedding banquet.
Berta: It certainly was not the refusal of the lord to let them in. That amazes me because God says if we knock on the door it will be opened to us. What if God tells us God does not know us when we knock on the door? For me, this parable is rather dark, raising more questions of uncertainty than answers.
April: On the other hand, I find encouragement in that half of the bridesmaids were properly prepared for a possible extended wait. To me, this suggests they at least had received and attended to proper preparedness instruction. If we take the time to do the right things, there is little to worry about.
Berta: Reminds me of emergency preparedness today. Readiness pays. Letting in the prepared bridesmaids tells me that God's word is good. If we do our part, we can count on God to keep God's promise of reward.
Frank: Was the lack of lamp oil the real point here, or was it that everyone fell asleep? The parable tells us we are to keep awake, staying alert to the possibility of the realm of God.
April: Well, even if you do fall asleep, there is still mercy if you are prepared. God is fair.
