Will Kynes, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Biblical Studies, Samford University
STAY PREPARED AND READY
Matthew 25:1–13
Jesus spends most of Matthew 24 instructing His disciples about what to expect as His return approaches.
They will encounter suffering, but His return is sure, and it will not be missed.
Matthew 25 continues with the theme that ends the previous chapter: How should we live now as we await Jesus’ return?
In this passage, Jesus tells a parable of virgins preparing to meet a bridegroom. The parable teaches that being ready for Jesus to return involves intentional action.
Prepare for Christ’s return. (1–5)
The virgins in Jesus’ parable are like bridesmaids in contemporary weddings. Just as in modern-day weddings, they have important scripted roles to carry out.
They represent those awaiting the return of Jesus, the “bridegroom” (Matt. 9:15; John 3:29).
Jesus distinguishes between two groups of virgins, the wise and the foolish, just as He contrasts the wise man who builds his house on the rock with the foolish man who builds on sand (Matt. 7:24, 26).
The wise virgins have brought extra oil for their lamps, so they are prepared when the bridegroom is delayed in coming.
In the ancient context, this delay was likely due to negotiations with the father of the bride.
All the virgins, wise and foolish, fall asleep. Sleep is not bad here, as it might have appeared in Jesus’ earlier comparison of His coming to a thief in the night (Matt. 24:43–44).
Preparing for Christ’s return is every person’s responsibility. (6–9)
When the bridegroom finally arrives, all the virgins wake and trim their lamps by cleaning and oiling them so they will burn brightly.
But the foolish virgins who were unprepared for the bridegroom’s delay are now unprepared for his appearance.
Their lamps are going out, a fate associated with the wicked (Prov. 13:9; Job 18:5).
They request oil from their wise companions, but there is not enough oil to go around so they must go buy their own.
Jesus is not teaching ethics here, but He is telling us the importance of preparing for His return. While we can, and should, encourage others to prepare for Christ’s return, we cannot prepare for them.
The time for our preparation is limited. (10–13)
While the unprepared virgins are gone, those who were ready (Matt. 24:44) meet the bridegroom and enter with him into the wedding banquet.
When the others return the door is shut, and they cannot enter. It is too late, for when Christ shuts the door none shall open it (Rev. 3:7; Isa. 22:22).
During the Sermon on the Mount Jesus taught, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of My Father who is in heaven” (Matt. 7:21–22).
Echoing His earlier words, Jesus says the bridegroom responds to the virgins’ entreaty, “Lord, Lord … open the door for us!” with “Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.”
Jesus then drives home the point of the parable: “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.”
The parable makes clear that “keep watch” does not mean being constantly alert, but it does mean being prepared. The parallel in the Sermon on the Mount associates preparation with doing the will of the Father.
Practically this will mean something different for each of us, depending on where the Lord has placed us.
In our joyful anticipation of the Bridegroom’s arrival, all of us must keep the oil of our obedience well stocked and not rely on others to provide it for us.
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