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Sunday, November 9. 2008

From today's Lectionary: "I know you not."

Matthew 25: 1-13

1Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.

 2And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.

 3They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:

 4But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.

 5While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.

 6And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.

 7Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.

 8And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.

 9But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.

 10And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.

 11Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.

 12But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.

 13Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

Posted by Bird Dog at 05:12 | Comments (3) | Trackbacks (0)

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Powerful message, but the parable always confused/amused me. He gets how many wives on one wedding night?
#1 The B on 2008-11-09 07:04 (Reply)
He gets only 1. The girls in the story are guests/bridesmaids/relatives.

Rather a harsh story--they are just ditzy pretty girls. But, I think (no internet or Biblical reference works here in the woods with muzzle loaders going off all around the camp) supposed to symbolize the fools who are not prepared to see the light of Christ that the wise ones are prepared for and can keep the spark alight.

Under Obama, the wise ones will have their oil stolen and given to the foolish ones. And the wise ones will be castigated for making the foolish ones feel bad about themselves.
#2 randolph on 2008-11-09 14:17 (Reply)
As usual I am 180 degrees out of phase.

I have regarded this as one of the few parables easily interpreted. It also gives us a nice glimpse of the society and rites of marriage.

Only the arrival of the bridegroom at midnight puzzles.

Why midnight? Is that prescribed by the customs of the time? Or is it symbolic of the new, the moment when the Son Of Man comes?

Here I suspect midnight is both. Otherwise change 'and at midnight' to 'and in the night' and it makes more sense if no one knows the day or hour.

Call me No Scholar. Or Ishy for short.
#3 K on 2008-11-09 16:57 (Reply)

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