November 8, 2020

Helen Jacobi

Ordinary 32     Amos 5:18-24     Matthew 25:1-13

Today’s parable of the waiting bridesmaids might bring to mind the waiting that has gone on this week. 

Our own politicians waiting for the final election count; 

a certain other country waiting for their votes to be counted; 

Cate is waiting to become a grandmother again.

Think of the waiting you did this week – in traffic; waiting for an answer to an email; for some news – good or not so good. 

The bridesmaids in Jesus’ parable were waiting for the bridegroom.

He will come when the dowry negotiations have been concluded with the bride’s father. 

Then the festivities can begin.

The bridesmaids needed lamps, oil lamps to light the way from the house of the bride to the bridegroom’s where the wedding banquet is held. 

(Notice the bride is not even mentioned…)

Five of the bridesmaids have spare oil, and five do not. 

The bridegroom is late; and when he arrives the five with the spare oil will not share with the five who have. 

And the procession leaves without them.

Doesn’t seem like a model of Christian behaviour does it? 

They are told to go and buy more oil, well obviously the oil merchant stores will not be open in the middle of the night, and when they finally get there the door is shut and the bridegroom says “I do not know you”. 

So what happened to “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, …but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven. (Mt 6:19), no hoarding of oil there.

and “Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you.” (Mt 7:7), here the door is shut. [1]

This parable seems the height of unfairness; what bridegroom arrives at midnight anyway, and the so called foolish bridesmaids had enough oil for a reasonable day of bridesmaid duties. 

And how could he say he did not know them, presumably, they are friends or relations of the bride. 

So we don’t get anywhere trying to sort out this parable in a logical kind of way.

Jesus’ parables are never logical, but this one is particularly frustrating. 

Let’s think for a moment about the oil. 

The bridesmaids needed to take extra oil; like trampers taking extra water for a tramp; students studying well ahead of exams; investors investing wisely. 

You could always take the risk, carry a little less water and know that another group will bail you out and share their water. 

You could borrow your friends’ notes and cram at the last minute. 

You could invest all your money in high risk investments, after all you get a better return that way. 

Until one day the other trampers don’t come, or won’t share; your friend’s notes aren’t as good as doing the work yourself; and there is a financial crisis across the world. 

The oil is something each person has to have and can’t borrow from others. 

We have to be ready, while we wait. 

Let’s pause a moment there and look wider.

This parable is told right at the end of Jesus’ ministry on the Mount of Olives where the disciples are gathered after a day of testing the Pharisees and other leaders in the Temple. 

Jesus has even promised that the Temple will not last. 

When he was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, ‘Tell us, when will (the destruction of the Temple) be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?’

So tension is high.

Going out to be with this bridegroom is going to take some courage.

What happens the next night when the disciples are in the Garden of Gethsemane? 

They fall asleep. 

So if these disciples are going to be ready, what do they need?

What is it that we need to take with us?

The prophet Amos is pretty clear, it will not be our burnt offerings, sacrifices, and religious rituals and songs; these will see the door slammed in our faces. 

Amos says instead “let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever flowing stream”. (5:24). 

Amos is a prophet in a very divided time for the people of Israel (8th C BC).

Amos names what he sees and berates the people.

One of my commentaries said this

“Amos comes from a world of sharp divisions … the people of Israel are divided into two groups: those who will be ruled only by a descendant of David (the former king) – no matter how corrupt – and those who will be ruled only by someone they hope is like David, or who at least shows the promise of who David was on his good days.” [2]

Sound familiar?!

The “day of the Lord”, the time of judgement, will be darkness unless justice rolls down like water. 

So let’s get back to the oil.

The commentaries I read said the oil was either our “deeds of love and mercy” [3]; or our faith [4] and so a life lived in faith means the bridegroom will open the door. 

The problem with that idea is that you end up measuring – have you done enough deeds of love and mercy, have you got enough faith. 

How full is your lamp? 

And I don’t think God is in the measuring business. 

I think God is in the desiring business.

How much do you want to go to the party?

Do you want to go enough to make sure there is oil in the lamp, so you can get there? 

Or what if, as Debie Thomas points out, the bridesmaids had decided to go anyway without any oil.

What if they took the risk and walked by the light of the others’ lamps.

What if they had trusted enough to arrive at the door on time but empty handed. [5]

I reckon the door would have stayed open. 

How is the oil in your lamp doing? 

Do you want to go to the party, to the banquet table? 

The bridegroom’s only question is how much do you want to be here? 

What might get in the way of our wanting to go to the party? 

Thinking we haven’t been invited? all are invited. 

Being busy, distracted, fearful, worrying about what to wear? all are invited.

Getting lost in duty and rituals as Amos describes? remember it’s a party we are invited to.

Bring the oil, bring the desire and then the door will be propped wide open.

If it feels like your oil has run dry, walk with someone whose lamp is burning and the door will be propped wide open.

Then we will see justice will roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever flowing stream.

[1] Sermon “Filling Stations” Dr Anna Carter Florence Nov 4 2007 https://day1.org/weekly-broadcast/5d9b820ef71918cdf2002671/view

[2] Wil Gafney in Feasting on the Word Year A vol 4, p226

[3] M Eugene Boring, “Matthew” in The Interpreter’s Bible volume 8, p449-451, Abingdon Press, Nashville 1995 

[4] Robert Farrar Capon The Parables of Judgement, ch12, Eerdmans Publishing Co, Grand Rapids, 1989

[5] https://www.journeywithjesus.net/lectionary-essays/current-essay  01 November 2020