This coming Sunday is the 32nd Sunday of Ordinary Time. Our gospel is the parable of the Ten Virgins. “…the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.” (Mt 25:1) As best we can know the scene is part of the procession returning to the bridegroom’s home. This story mentions only two parties, the bridegroom and the ten girls. The precise role of the young women in the ceremonies is not clear but most scholars assume that  Hellenistic-Roman marriage customs also apply in Jewish circles at the time, and thus the young women are servants from the bridegroom’s house, awaiting the return of the bridegroom with his bride.

The young women are described with the Greek term for “virgins” (parthenos). Parthenos occurs 15 times in the NT: 6 times in 1 Corinthians, 4 times in Matthew, twice in Luke, and once each in Acts, 2 Corinthians, and Revelation.

Occasionally parthenos refers just to a young woman of marriageable age. This is the case, e.g., in the parable of the ten parthenos (Matt 25:1, 7, 11), the young women who are waiting for the bridegroom and are as yet unmarried. The point of the parable does not depend on their “virginity” in the strict sense. Similarly, parthenos’ use seems unrelated to the point of verse. For example, in Acts 21:9 – “He had four virgin daughters gifted with prophecy.” The four daughters of Philip are described as “young” and  parthenos. Here the reference is likely that they had reached a marriageable age and presumably also virgins – but the description is apart from the main point of the verse: prophetic gifts. So too, in Matthew’s use of parthenos. The point of the pericope is about preparedness.  Perhaps “young” is a more germain aspect.  (Note: In Matthew and Luke, in reference to Mary, the intended meaning is “virgin” in the strict sense. St. Paul’s use is mixed) [Horst Robert Balz and Gerhard Schneider. Exegetical dictionary of the New Testament 1990, Vol 3:39]

The story tells us that their role included escorting the bridegroom in a torchlight procession to his house, but that they were not present at whatever part of the ceremonies immediately preceded this procession. There is an unexpected delay. The reasons for which do not matter. All that matters is the delay, and the effect it had on the readiness of the young women when the time for their part in the ceremonies eventually arrived. Their role seems to have been to be a formal escort into the wedding feast at the bridegroom’s house, the high point of the celebration.

Entering the celebration with the bride and bridegroom is the turning point of the parable. To miss that is to miss everything:  “the bridegroom came and those who were ready went into the wedding feast with him. Then the door was locked.” (Mt 25:10) The emphatic closure and locking of the door harkens to a scene of eschatological (end-times) judgment.

At this point it is good to remember an earlier Matthean scene when Jesus is teaching the followers what it means to be true disciples: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. Many will say to me on that day,o ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name? Did we not drive out demons in your name? Did we not do mighty deeds in your name?’ Then I will declare to them solemnly, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers.’ (Mt 7:21-23)

The earlier teaching is echoed here in the parable when the foolish young women address the bridegroom as “Lord, Lord, open the door for us” and his response is, “I do not know you.” Clearly the bridegroom knew his own wedding party, but that is not the point of the parable. The question that begs an answer is why then did the five foolish ones miss the feast?

Image credit: Greek Fresco, “Bridal Chamber”, iconreader.wordpress.com, CC-BY