The Ten Bridesmaids
The Ten Bridesmaids
Matthew 25 New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
The Story of Ten Bridesmaids
"Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten virgins, who took their lamps, and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. Those who were foolish, when they took their lamps, took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. Now while the bridegroom delayed, they all slumbered and slept. But at midnight there was a cry, "Behold! The bridegroom is coming! Come out to meet him!" Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. The foolish said to the wise, "Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out." But the wise answered, saying, "What if there isn't enough for us and you? You go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves." While they went away to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. Afterward the other virgins also came, saying, "Lord, Lord, open to us." But he answered, "Most certainly I tell you, I don't know you." Watch therefore, for you don't know the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming. — Matthew 25:1-13
Jewish weddings in the first century often took place at the end of the harvest time fall. It was often a big gathering of people. There was usually lots of food and drink, music and dancing. Guests wore special clothes (Matthew 22:11-12).
The bride and her close friends would wait at her family home until the groom came and got her to take her to the place that would be their home. No one but the groom’s father knew the exact time that the groom would come. The “bridesmaids” had to plan ahead and be ready with their lamps whenever the bridegroom finally came.
When the groom arrived at the bride’s house he would ask to see her. When she came out he would lift her veil and proclaim his joy at seeing her. This joyful beginning would follow the whole wedding procession through the streets and on to the feast.
The lamps most commonly used in the first century were small, about the size a hand. Lamps were made from clay and were like shallow, covered dishes with two holes in the top. Olive oil was poured through the larger of the holes and a wick was placed in the smaller. Special care was taken to keep the wick trimmed. If it burned down too low then it would smoke and finally go out.
Five of the girls in today’s parable did not plan ahead for the wedding. They should have known that it might take a while for the bridegroom to come. This was the normal wedding procedure.
The wise girls had come prepared. They brought extra jars of oil with them. They were ready for the groom’s arrival.
The foolish girls had to go and find oil while the rest of the wedding party proceeded to the feast. Once the feast began, the groom’s family closed and locked the gate (probably to keep out strangers and uninvited guests). Once the foolish girls arrived, they were not allowed in.
Jesus concludes his parable by explaining its meaning (verse 13). None of us know the hour when Jesus will come. We should be wise and always be ready for that time.
Way to Introduce the Story:
Bring a suitcase to class today along with items you might use if going on a holiday. Ask the children where they have been for holidays or what kind of trips they have been on. Discuss the fact that before they left they had to pack some things to prepare for the trip. Show them some of the items that they might pack to get ready for a trip (actually pack the bag together). You might have warm clothes or an umbrella to prepare for the weather. “Before we could go on a trip we needed to be prepared. Jesus once told a parable about some girls that were supposed to be prepared for something. Let’s read about these girls.”
The Story:
The bible says that Jesus died on the cross and then he came back alive again. After that he went up to heaven to be with God. Before he went up to heaven he said that someday he would come back again. He would come back to the earth and get all of the people who loved and obeyed him. He would take them back with him so they could live in heaven too.
So Jesus will come back someday and take us to heaven. When do you think that will happen? Could it be today? Could it be tomorrow? Could it be 20 years from now? No one can answer that question. No one knows when Jesus will come back to the earth.
No one knows when Jesus is coming back but there is something we do know. Jesus said to get ready. How do we get ready for Jesus to come back? We get ready for Jesus by obeying God and by loving him. Are you ready?
In the bible we read about a time when Jesus was teaching people to get ready for when he comes back. To help them understand about getting ready, he told a parable. A parable is a story that helps people to understand something very important. Here is the parable:
Once there was a big wedding. The wedding was so big that there were 10 bridesmaids. The bridesmaids all helped the bride get ready for the wedding. Weddings back then started at night. Everyone knew that sometimes during the night the groom would come to the bride’s house and call out for her. The bridesmaids would hold up their oil lamps so that the bride and groom could see each other. The groom would be so happy to see his beautiful bride!
Everyone would keep holding up their lamps so that everyone could walk down the streets all the way to the groom’s house. Then there would be dancing and eating and lots of fun celebration of the wedding.
In Jesus’ parable he told what happened when the 10 bridesmaids helped the bride get ready for the wedding. Five of the bridesmaids were wise. They knew that sometimes the groom would wait a long time before he came to get the bride. So the wise bridesmaids brought extra oil for their lamps. They wanted to be ready even if the groom came very late in the night.
The five other bridesmaids were foolish. They did not think about bringing extra oil.
After the bridesmaids got the bride ready they waited and waited for the groom to come. They kept their lamps lit so they would be ready when he came. As time went by the bride and all of the bridesmaids got sleepy and fell asleep.
Then someone shouted “Here’s the bridegroom, come outside and meet him!”
The bride and all of the bridesmaids woke up. They fixed their lamps to make them nice and bright. The five foolish girls noticed that their lamps had run out of oil and had burned out. They asked the wise girls for oil but there was enough for them to have some too.
The foolish girls had to go and try to find more oil for the lamps. They did not get to go out with the bride to meet the bridegroom. They did not get to walk down the streets to the wedding feast with all of their friends. They were too busy trying to find oil.
When the wise bridesmaids and everyone else arrived at the groom’s house they went inside and began the celebrations. The groom shut the door and locked it so no strangers could get inside. When the foolish bridesmaids came to the door they were not allowed in. The groom didn’t even know who they were!
This parable explains how it will be when Jesus comes again. We do not know the day or the time when Jesus will come back. We should always love God and obey him so we will be ready whenever he comes. We want to be ready to go with Jesus to heaven.
Are you ready?