The Coming of God’s Kingdom Will Separate the Wise from the Foolish, by Gayle Somers

Jesus tells a parable to explain that the coming of God’s kingdom will separate the wise from the foolish.  What will bring that moment of truth?

Gospel (Read Mt 25:1-13)

Today’s parable about wise and foolish virgins presumes understanding of a Jewish wedding custom of Jesus’ day.  The betrothed bride and her entourage (family, bridesmaids, friends) waited in her home for the arrival of the bridegroom.  He came to her home to take her, as his wife, to their own new home, where a week-long celebration would be held.  The bride’s entourage joined in this procession, which took place after sunset.  Jesus tells us from the outset that the bridesmaids were an assortment of wise and foolish virgins.  What made some of them wise?  They realized that they would not know the precise time the bridegroom would appear, so they took along enough oil for their lamps to cover any delay that might occur.  They knew that a lamp was useless without oil to keep it lit.  A night-time procession would need light on the path.  In other words, they thought ahead about the purpose of the evening—the bridegroom’s arrival and the wedding procession—and went to the bride’s home prepared. ….