Luther Seminary “Moved by the Promise
‘God Pause’” - Wednesday, 4 December 2013 – Matthew 25: The Parable of the Ten Bridesmaids
1 “Then the kingdom of heaven will be
like this. Ten bridesmaids[a] took their lamps and went to meet the
bridegroom.[b] 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[c] 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[d] 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.[e]
Footnotes:
Matthew 25:1 Gk virgins
Matthew 25:1 Other ancient authorities
add and the bride
Matthew 25:7 Gk virgins
Matthew 25:11 Gk virgins
Matthew 25:13 Other ancient authorities
add in which the Son of Man is coming(NRSV)
In waiting for Christ's Advent, it is
easy to get caught up in foolishness and find ourselves lost in the night. In
this parable, the five ill-prepared bridesmaids are shut out from the wedding
feast and abandoned to the dark because they fail to keep their lamps of faith
trimmed and burning, ready for Christ's return.
It is a sobering story, but it is not the
final word. For it is the nature of the Bridegroom to come to his own people
who are lost in the darkness in order to bring them into the light of God's
presence, even if it means his undergoing the utter darkness of death. As we
await, whether foolishly or wisely, Christ's coming again, we look to the light
from his cross that shines its power, truth and love into every darkened corner
of our world and into the recesses of every human heart. In faith and hope we
join our voices to the ancient Advent prayer, "Come, Lord Jesus:"
"Come, our crucified and risen Bridegroom. Come and save us soon."
Laura Thelander
Seminary Pastor, Luther Seminary
Master of Divinity , 1997
Matthew 25:1 "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.(NRSV)
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Luther Seminary
2481 Como Avenue
St. Paul, MN 55108 United States
(651)641-3456
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