The Gospel of Matthew
The Wise and the Foolish Virgins: Mt 25,1-13
We can read this story unfolding in three scenes of the story beginning with the set-up (25,1-5). Then there is the contrast between actions of the wise and the foolish (25,6-9) before concluding with the coming of the bridegroom (25,10-13)
Theimage of the kingdom of heaven at the beginning recalls the previous parable of the wedding feast (22,1-14). That story was a parable and the same introduction here tells us that this story of the virgins is also primarily a parable. It is a story about the kingdom of heaven from which we need to learn lessons. That is clear from the concluding exhortation in verse 13.
However, there is some allegory to be found in the parable. The bridegroom can be none other than Christ (9,31). Midnight will be the time of his return in glory (25,31).
The modern tendency to translate "bridesmaids" seems a bit odd when there is no sign of the bride. We don't know much about wedding customs at the time of Jesus. As virgins, they could stand for the Church. What we are given here is the virgins waiting to provide an escort for the bridegroom.
Wise and foolish is the theme of the book of Proverbs especially from chapter 10 onwards. Proverbs 10,1 sets the scene nicely: a wise child gives joy to his father, a foolish child is a grief to his mother.
There is also wisdom in the parable which ends the Sermon on the Mount (7,24-27). We will be refering to the preceeding verses shortly.
The contrast therefore is that the wise are well prepared, ready and waiting even if they do fall asleep. That is the lesson of verse 13.
Sometime in the middle of the night therefore, the bridegroom finally makes his appearance. The wise take no nonsense from the foolish, their primary purpose is to attend the bridegroom, not to look after their foolish sisters.
The door therefore is shut. Yet the foolish can still cry out "Lord, Lord", as only Christians can.
The response though is a dreadful "I do not know you" as in the Sermon on the Mount (7,21-23) just before the final parable (see above). Here it is even more solemn with the added "Amen I say to you".
Verse 13 therefore reminds us of the lessons we must learn. There is more than allegory here. Awake or asleep, we must be ready and prepared at any time like the wise virgins.
We can now return to the main page and then see this theme taken further with the next parable, the talents.