Pilda celor zece fecioareMatthew 25: 1-13IntroductionBriefly review the theme of this series (kingdom of God) and the specific subject of the Matthew 13 parables (the current “mystery” phase). By contrast, the three parables of Matthew 25 illustrate what will happen when Jesus returns at the end of the age to inaugurate the fullness of his kingdom (see preceding context of Matthew 24:1-31). Let's look at the parable in 25:1-13—the parable of the ten virgins.

ExplanationRead 25:1-13 (emphasize “then” in 25:1—preceding context). Jewish weddings were different than ours in several respects. “The celebration would begin when all was ready, and sometimes that could mean the guests having to wait. There was not only the food to be prepared, but even sometimes last-minute negotiations between the groom and his in-laws about the terms of the marriage. When everything was set, the groom would come to his bride's home to claim her, and to bring her in procession to his parental home for the wedding and the feast. Jesus' story is of a group of ten girls waiting for the bridegroom to come and for the wedding to begin. They were all equipped with oil lamps, and probably had a particular part to play . . . likely their job was to provide light for the feast: they would accompany the bridal party in procession into the feast and provide the much-needed illumination for the festivities.”1

What is the meaning of this parable? Remember that parables are not allegories. They are stories designed to make one main spiritual point. Some details are significant in that they help make that main point, while other details are merely local color. With this in mind, it seems clear that some details are symbolic (other biblical passages use this same imagery): the bridegroom stands for Jesus, the delay of the bridegroom stands for the period of time between his two comings, the bridegroom's arrival stands for Jesus' return at the end of the age, the wedding feast stands for his kingdom, and the virgins stand for humanity. Other details seem to be merely local color: the lamps, the oil, the dealers in the marketplace, the (absence of the) bride, etc.Jesus spells out the main point—re-read 25:13 (“be on the alert” can also be translated “be ready”). Just as only those virgins who were ready were admitted into the wedding feast (25:10), only those who are ready will be admitted into the kingdom.What does it mean to be ready? Drawing upon this parable and other scriptures, we can learn three important answers to this question . . . 

Application - 3 LessonsThe key to being ready is having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. At first glance, the problem with the five foolish virgins is that they didn't bring oil for their lamps. But the real reason for their exclusion from the wedding feast is that they didn't have a personal relationship with the bridegroom (25:12). In a small Jewish village, the bridegroom would almost certainly have known his bride's attendants. Jesus therefore seems to be going beyond the parable at this point (as he does in all three of these parables). This point is so important, and misconceptions on this are so common, that Jesus used this same picture in other non-parabolic passages to make this same point: Read Matthew 7:21-23. Calling Jesus “Lord,” preaching in his name, even doing miracles/good deeds in his name is no substitute for having a relationship with him.Read Luke 13:25b-27a. Familiarity with Jesus' teachings, even being in his physical presence is no substitute for having a relationship with him.We should add some other things people commonly substitute for this: church attendance & or membership, getting baptized, taking communion, etc.If you want to be admitted into Jesus' kingdom when he returns, you must have a personal relationship with him! “How can I have a personal relationship with Jesus when he's not even around any more?” Though he is physically absent, he is spiritually present. Listen to what he said to people who were living 60 years after he physically departed from the earth (read Revelation 3:20). If you want Jesus to open the door to you then, you must open the door to him now. And that leads us to the next lesson . . . There is a limited time to get ready. Re-read 25:10. This is the sobering part of the parable- “. . . the bridegroom came . . . and the door was shut.” There came a point in time when it was too late to get into the wedding feast.This is the way real life is. We have the freedom to choose, but not to dictate the consequences of our choices. (Some of us have a lot of “road rash” because we haven't learned this yet.) We have opportunities, but they don't last forever. We can choose for a period of time, but then we run out of time. If we don't choose “yes” during that time, then we chose “no” (TAKING A JOB; MAKING AN OFFER ON A HOUSE). That's why we (should) teach our kids this lesson before they leave home, instead of rescuing them from their procrastination.It's the same way with the opportunity to get into God's kingdom. Jesus wants you in God's kingdom so much that has he has paid your entrance fee with his death, he is issuing you a personal invitation, and he gives you the freedom to respond to his invitation. But there is a finite time for your response. If you wait too long to accept his invitation, then you lose the opportunity forever. (Otherwise, we hold God and his kingdom hostage to our ambivalence. It would no longer be God's kingdom; it would our kingdom with God as our Butler.)Jesus makes this same point in 24:37-39 (read). In the days of Noah, God gave people ample warning that he was going to judge the world. For 120 years, Noah and his family built the ark and told people what was coming

and (evidently) invited them on board. But when the time came, God shut the door to the ark—and then it was too late to decide.Jesus makes the same point in Luke 13:24,25,28 (read). The “weeping” evidently refers to the agony of regret over not making this decision during the appropriate time. The “gnashing of teeth” may indicate anger over being turned away—but that won't change God's mind. C. S. Lewis describes it this way: “We can understand hell in its act of privation. All your life an unattainable ecstasy has hovered just beyond the grasp of your consciousness. The day is coming when you will wake to find, beyond hope, that you have attained it, or else, that it was within your reach and you have lost it forever.”2

When is it too late? These passages teach that it is too late when Jesus returns. But other passages teach that it is also too late when you die (read Hebrews 9:27)—whichever comes first. This means that all “second-chance” theologies are false hopes. Jesus doesn't give everyone another chance to receive him after he returns. You don't keep coming back again and again (reincarnation) until you get it right. You don't go to purgatory to work off your sins. The prayers and gifts of the living will not change the fate of the dead. These are all spiritually fatal misconceptions.This sobering lesson obviously implies a third one—the time to get ready is now. This is the point of 25:13 (“be ready now!”). Since it will be too late when that time comes, and since you don't know when Jesus will return (or when you will die), you should get ready now.This is just logic/common sense. You don't have control over when God will end human history, nor do you have control over when you will die (James 4:14). Some of us here will not be alive this time next year—in spite of our plans. So there is a sense of urgency that is at the heart of this parable. You can hear that same sense of urgency from Paul in 2 Corinthians 6:2 (explain context and read).So here is the question you need to answer: Is there any good reason why you should not receive Christ today?I know that saying this may make many of you uncomfortable. And in posing this question, let me say that there may be a good reason. You may not have enough understanding of Jesus' offer; you may not have enough evidence that this is true. You may have had well-meaning people push you so there is a bad taste in your mouth . . . Two summers ago, I got a visit from a replacement window salesman. About 15 minutes into the visit, I began to feel uncomfortable. I had told the guy that I was interested only in getting information and figures from him at this time. But he was determined to get a sale that day. He wouldn't answer most of my questions. He tried to shame me out of being aghast that his price was half the price of my house. He pressured me relentlessly to sign a contract. When I refused and asked him to leave, he asked to call his boss to get his next appointment—but that was a ruse to try to trick me by having his boss offer a substantial reduction if I signed today. I was so furious that I finally picked up his suitcase and demanded that he leave immediately or I would call the police.What do you call my discomfort? This was valid discomfort. After I got him out of my house, I kept thinking about how many people have been treated that way by “Christians”—pressured to make a decision before they had time to process the information, manipulated by guilt and fear and shame, hit up over and over again by someone who was more interested in getting a "spiritual scalp" than in helping another person come to an informed, voluntary decision.We're not into that around here. If you are investigating Jesus Christ, we hope you will receive him—but we're not going to use inappropriate pressure. Getting ready means having the room and time to gain understanding of the gospel, ask your questions, consider the evidence, etc.But this may not be the reason why you're uncomfortable. It may that your “reason” for delaying this decision is invalid.Your reason may be “I don't like making big decisions.” You may be like a friend of mine who was remodeling my kitchen several years ago. He had been attending this Bible study for some time. He had come to understand that salvation was a free gift instead of something he had to earn (as he had been taught growing up). He had received solid answers to his questions and objections. He acknowledged that Christ had changed the lives (for good) of many family members and friends. He even admitted that he sensed within his heart that God was urging him to receive Christ. When I asked him why he was delaying he said, “I just don't like making big decisions.” I asked him this question, and urged him not to put off this decision. Several days later he told me he had received Christ. And he thanked me for challenging him.Your reason may be “I'm afraid of what X may think.” Is that a good reason? Is it really more important to worry about what X may think than it is to know what God thinks?Your reason may be “I'm waiting for an overwhelming experience that will compel me.” God won't do this, because he wants you to make a voluntary decision.Your reason may be, “I don't want to have to admit I was wrong.” Wouldn't you rather admit you were wrong about this now than to have to admit that you were wrong about this then?Why not “close the deal” today? If you do, the first thing you'll ask yourself afterward is “Why didn't I do this before?”

Footnotes1 David Wenham, The Parables of Jesus (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1989), p. 80.2 C. S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain (New York: Macmillan Press, 1962), p. 148.