32nd SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (A)

Therefore, stay awake, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

MT 25:1-13

The idea of separation which will be made at the Last Judgment was first in-troduced into this section of teaching at 24:37ff.: Noah and the rest; the two men and the two women; the faithful and wise servant and the wicked servant. This distinction dominates the remainder of the discourse - the parables of the bridesmaids, the servants, and the sheep and the goats. (Cf. the similar contrasts at the end of the first section of teaching, 7:13-27.)

The bridesmaids are waiting at night for the bridegroom to come so that they can go with him to the bride's house, and then go with them both to his house, where the ceremony will take place. Five are ready when he comes, but five are not ready and so they miss the marriage feast.

The point of the parable, in its present context, is that the disciples are to be prepared, and be ready when the Lord comes and thus enter the kingdom.

The parable as it stands has no parallel in the other Gospels, but there are sayings in Luke 12:35ff and 13:23ff which are similar.

Matthew has certainly adapted the parable for its present context: the state-ment in v. 5 (that they all slumbered and slept) does not go well with the conclu-sion of the parable (Cf. v. 13. Watch therefore ….). It may be that as in the case of other parables the original reference was to the crisis caused by the ministry of Jesus, and the Church or the Evangelist has applied it to the second coming.

v. 1. Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.

Then (tote): It refers to the last judgment, as also in 24:40, 25:31.

The kingdom of heaven shall be compared to ten maidens: The phrase does not mean that the kingdom is like the bridesmaids, but that the situation at the last judgment will be like the situation in which these maidens found themselves: some ready for it, some not ready.

To meet the bridegroom: The meeting place would be at his house. They would then accompany him to fetch the bride from her home.

v. 2. Five of them were foolish and five were wise.

For the distinction wise and foolish, compare the end of the first teaching sec-tion, 7:24ff (the parable of the wise man and the foolish man who each built a house).

vv. 3f. The foolish ones, when taking their lamps, brought no oil with them, but the wise brought flasks of oil with their lamps.

In the original parable, the emphasis may have been on those who had oil, and those who had none.

Oil is a symbol for repentance: cf. 6:17, “anoint your head”, i.e. repent of your sins.

v. 5. Since the bridegroom was long delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

See 24:48 and 2Pt 3:4.

v. 10. While they went off to buy it, the bridegroom came and those who were ready went into the wedding feast with him. Then the door was locked.

Those who were ready: Cf. 24:44.

Into the wedding feast: Cf. 22:2ff and Rev 19:7.

The door was shut: Cf. 7:7f. 13f.

v. 11. Afterwards the other virgins came and said, ‘Lord, Lord, open the door for us!’

Lord, Lord: Cf. 7:21f, and notice especially, “On that day many will say to me, Lord, Lord…”

v. 12. But he said in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, I do not know you.’

“I do not know you” is an Aramaic formula meaning “I will have nothing to do with you”; cf. 7:23. “I never knew you.”

v. 13. Therefore, stay awake, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

The verse repeats the refrain of 24:36. 42. 44. 50.