THE TEN VIRGINS

“Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.  Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.  But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.  And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’  Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps.  And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’  But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’  And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.  Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’  Watch, therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.”

Matthew 25:1-14

Possible discussion questions:

1. What is the context of this parable? Its importance?
2. Why is this parable read on the Sunday of the Last Judgment?
3. Why virgins?
4. What might the oil represent?
5. Why did the unprepared virgins run out to buy oil? What might this represent?
6. Why couldn’t the wise virgins share with the others?
7. How can we prepare for Christ’s coming wedding feast?

THE SERVANTS WAITING FOR THE LORD

“Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning; and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately.  Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching.  Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them.  And if he should come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.  But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into.  Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”

Luke 12:35-40

Possible Discussion Questions:

1. In historical context, what is the girding of the loins and the lamp burning? Today?
2. Who might the master be? The servants?
3. Who’s the thief? What’s his role?
4. When is the master coming? Why not tell the servants?
5. Why the feast?
6. Compare and contrast with the parable of the 10 virgins.