Proper 27A Gospel
Matthew 25:1-13
Aimee Niles
“The Kingdom of Heaven will be like this…” Isn’t it wonderful when Jesus uses an incredibly clear and easy-to-understand illustrations to talk about important eschatological truths? Sarcasm fully intended because, as many of us are painfully aware, parables are far from clear and easy-to-understand. Pretty much every discussion of parables includes this disclaimer, but it is vitally important to remember that parables are not folksy, down-to-earth, rurally-infused stories meant to provide inarguable understanding to an agrarian audience. Parables are carefully crafted and nuanced stories that use allegory and metaphor to invite the listers to envision the seemingly impossible—such as a Kingdom ruled by a suffering servant.
Matthew 25:1-13 is such a story. It is settled amid several parables of eschatological importance. In chapter 24, Jesus foretells the destruction of the Temple, then sits upon the Mount of Olives and discusses the end of the age: war, persecution, famine, earthquakes, death and destruction: very apocalyptic (in the biblical sense, not so much the Left Behind sense). And amid these woes and heartaches in chapter 24, Jesus proclaims that all is not lost, for these times will also bring the coming of the Son of Man. Chapter 25 brings us to our passage for this week: The Parable of the Ten Bridesmaids.
Ten bridesmaids wait for the bridegroom, ready to light the path and accompany the bridegroom to the wedding feast. Five wise maids brought extra oil, five foolish ones did not. When the bridegroom is delayed, when the unexpected happens, the five foolish maids find they do not have enough fuel to fulfill their role. The wise maids decline to share their oil, knowing that everyone will be left in darkness if they part with their oil. By the time the fools get more oil, the wedding feast had begun, and they were kept out of the party—not just kept out, but unrecognized (“Truly I tell you, I do not know you.” [Matt. 25:12, NRSV]).
The Kingdom of Heaven will be like this… really? The Kingdom of Heaven will not share? Will exclude? Will not give a second chance? It’s uncomfortable to think in these terms. Yet, this is how the Church has traditionally interpreted this parable: sinners repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near, and you have one chance. DC Talk (or Larry Norman for the non-Millennial crowd) phrased it “I wish we’d all been ready.”
But is that the only interpretation?
If the point of the story is to be ready for the coming, then why are the bridesmaids allowed to sleep? When Jesus asks Peter, James, and John to keep watch in the Garden of Gethsemane, their drowsiness is marked as a failing. But both the wise and foolish maids are able to sleep without reproach. The crux of the story lies with the oil. So what does the oil represent?
This is not the first place Matthew uses light as a metaphor. He also uses light in the Sermon on the Mount extolling people to “let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven” (Matt. 5:16). Given the parallel in the illustration, it is not unreasonable to draw the connection between light and good works.
Taking the parable in the context of the entire encounter, this connection is made more evident. In verses 35-36, Jesus elucidates what good works include: feeding the hungry and thirsty, welcoming the stranger, clothing the poor, nursing the sick, and visiting the prisoner. The foolish bridesmaids’ mistake was not lacking faith in the coming of the bridegroom—they knew of his coming and thought their oil would be enough. It wasn’t. Their mistake was a lack of justice, mercy, and compassion—a darkness that not only engulfs an individual, but a community.
It is also absolutely essential to name the importance of including a story where the main characters are women. Chapter 24 tells us that Jesus is tells this story while sitting on the Mount of Olives with his disciples—history and tradition encourage an assumption that “disciples = male” but this assumption is not validated by scripture. It is more accurate to think that Jesus’ female disciples were also among the hearers, and understood the importance of including a story about them.
Jesus tells a story with fully fleshed-out female characters who act and think for themselves; the bridesmaids are not tools of a more-important male character, rather they are the driving force of the story. Moreover, the women in this story are held responsible for their actions and choices—they have self-determination and are not extensions of a male relative. This is another ray of light that Jesus uses to illuminate justice and equality in the Kingdom of Heaven.[1]
The Kingdom of Heaven is not yet. Powerful men still use their power to exploit, objectify, abuse, and intimidate others. Daily, women are subjected to narratives in which they are merely objects to be used in a manner that dehumanizes. Scripture, unfortunately, is often used to justify and excuse such behavior. Two thousand years ago, the way Jesus treated women (both in parables and life) was upside-down and counter-cultural. We cannot forget to continue to live out and champion this part of the Kingdom.
[1] Newsom, Carol Ann., and Sharon H. Ringe. The Women's Bible Commentary. Louisville: Westminster/John Knox Press, 1998, 261.
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