Ten Bride’s Maids – What Does This Mean?

Marriage customs during the earthly ministry of Jesus were much different than today. The bride waited for the bridegroom in her home, accompanied by her young companions. The groom would come with his own friends and pick her up to lead her to the ceremony. As he approached, the maidens would go out to meet him. A joyful procession would then wind its way through the streets and end up at the place where the marriage feast was prepared. The young women would enter the hall with the rest of the bridal company. Since weddings in those days were celebrated in the evening, the maidens would carry lamps to light their way in the darkness.

In Jesus’ Parable of the Ten Bride’s Maids, the bridegroom was on his way, and the bride’s maids assembled with their lamps. They seek. They wait. They get drowsy. They fall asleep as he is delayed. But then, there’s a clamor. The bridegroom approaches! The ten bride’s maids awake from their slumber. They grab their lamps, trim their wicks, and go to refill the oil which keeps the lamp burning bright. And that’s when the problems start. Five have plenty of oil. They are able to manage their lamps and have them brightly shine like designed. But five have no oil. They are able to prepare their lamps, but can’t use them. Their lights will not shine.

And so these foolish bride’s maids turn to the wise to ask for oil. But the wise bride’s maids brought an extra supply for themselves. They don’t have any to spare. And so the foolish bride’s maids are told to go to the market to buy more. And, despite being the middle of the night and having no merchant to buy from, they go off.

Unsurprisingly, the bridegroom comes while they are away. The wise bride’s maids meet him and process with him to the place the feast has been prepared. They go into the feast, the doors are shut, and the feast commences. Sometime later, the foolish bride’s maids return. They find the door locked and call out, “Lord. Lord, open to us.” But they hear a surprising response: We aren’t told their reaction, but I am sure it was one of total shock.

Jesus’ commentary after the parable should draw our attention today: “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.” This parable is spoken to those who are disciples of Jesus. He says, essentially, “Keep your eyes peeled.” We are to be aware of what’s going on around us.

When Christ returns, it will be a surprise. Even to those waiting on him. And this is why we are warned. How easy is it for us to think to ourselves that we have all the time in the world? That we will, without doubt, have next year or next decade? How easy it is to become complacent! And when we do, we present to ourselves a very real danger.

Remember that all ten bride’s maids knew about the bridegroom. They all came, seemingly prepared for the wedding. But as things were delayed and drug out, all ten also began to get tired. They did not stand watch or keep vigil. They all slept. And as they slept, the oil burned. As they awoke, some lacked what was essential for light to continue.

The oil of the wise bride’s maids is that of faith. A faith that is continually sustained by the Means of Grace. And with this faith being sustained by what God has given us, Word and Sacrament, the oil of faith endures. Even as we await the return of our Lord, so has every generation of Christians for over 2,000 years. All have waited. All have sat and heard the word and partook of the Sacraments. And each generation has fallen asleep.

But one day, whenever it is, there will be a cry. All who have fallen asleep will awake. And those with oil, those with faith, will trim their lamps and shine brightly as they process to the wedding banquet. But on the other hand, those who awake without the oil of faith will know what they lack and seek it.

But that’s the rub. One’s ‘oil’ is only useable by the one who has it. It cannot be loaned or transferred. Faith can’t be infused to another, no matter how much I would like it to be so. And so in this morning’s parable, we are warned against growing weary of waiting for the return of our Lord. We are warned against growing complacent and being distracted. We are warned against neglecting our faith and being endangered with the loss of our faith.

Jesus Christ, our bridegroom, is coming. We have all been invited to be a part of the wedding party. We gather in anticipation of his arrival. And while he comes soon, we do not know when that is. And so we strive to remain prepared. Being washed clean in Holy Baptism, we sit and hear his word. We eat and drink his body and blood. In doing so, our Lord fills our horn of oil. And we await his arrival, that we may walk with him along the way to the eternal marriage feast between our Lord and his bride: Us. The Church.

Rev. Brent Keller
Peace Lutheran Church
Alcester, SD