Week 1: Chp 1 “The of Scope of the Parable”

 “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’ And while they were going 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 came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’  But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.  (Matthew 25: 1-13)

As Shepard opens his exposition he takes the first Chapter to look at the general scope of our parable.  Shepard paraphrases Christ’s words this way.

“… but if you desire further to know the day and hour when this shall be, it is such a secret as my Father revealeth not to any, no, not to the very angels of heaven, and therefore you need not know it, nor yet should seek to know it; it is sufficient for you to know that, before my coming, there shall be lamentable and sad times, and that when they are at their worst… it is time for me to come and set all in order again…”

It is an important point that what The Father has hidden from us, He has hidden for a reason. It is clear that the Father has hidden the moment of Christ’s return in order to keep us watchful and diligent. Knowing the time of His return would only promote procrastination and thus change our motives for obedience to Christ. Shepard says it this way, “the scope of the parable… is to persuade not simply to watchfulness, but to continuance and perserverance in it from a prudent foresight of the coming of Christ.”

As chapter 25 of The Gospel of Matthew opens, we find ourselves in the midst of what is referred to as the “Olivet Discourse.” Named after the location where it is given, the Olivet Discourse answers Jesus’ disciples questions about the context of the destruction of the temple and the signs of the end of the age. It is filled with references to Christ’s second advent and the end of our present world.The parable we will be studying with Shepard is the first of two given by our Lord to illustrate the lessons was giving his disciples about the end of the age. Our parable contains some solemn and important teachings about both the “visible” and “invisible” church. When we finish our study we will, hopefully, be able to answer the question: Are we ready for Christ’s return?

 ”… but if you desire further to know the day and hour when this shall be, it is such a secret as my Father revealeth not to any, no, not to the very angels of heaven, and therefore you need not know it, nor yet should seek to know it; it is sufficient for you to know that, before my coming, there shall be lamentable and sad times, and that when they are at their worst… it is time for me to come and set all in order again…”

Now on to the parable itself…
In the time of Christ, marriages were usually celebrated at night. The bride was attended by a plurality of virgins who using their lamps led the bride to meet the bridegroom. If any of the attendants was late they would not be let in. This custom was surely known to Jesus’ jewish followers. Therefore, this image must have been very vivid to them.

This parable is separated into two parts. 1.) The Church’s preparation to meet Christ [vs. 1-5]. 2.) Christ’s coming forth to meet His church. [vs. 5-12].

It is here where Shepard outlines the 1st part ofhis exposition.

1 The place where this preparation is made viz in “the kingdom of heaven”  (verse 1)

2 The time when it shall be made set down in the first word “Then” (verse 1)

3 The persons that shall make this preparation they shall not he corrupted members of degenerate churches where men’s profession is grown foul through length of wearing but they are professors of some eminent strain some whereof arc truly sincere others secretly unsound and there is a double description of them

1 From some things wherein they all agree
2 From some other particulars wherein they manifestly differ

I echo the sentiments of  Jonathan Mitchell,  the author of the forward who says:

“Reader if thou comest hither to carp and cavil or to criticise upon each circumstantial imperfection this work is not for thy turn but if thou bringest with thee a serious and humble heart desirous to have thy soul searched to the quick the sores thereof lanced thy spiritual work and way directed and the interest of thy eternal peace furthered if thou desirest to walk with God in good earnest and escaping all the snares of a slight and slumbering generation to stand before the Son of man with comfort in the day of his glory then mayst thou here find that that will suit thee and which thou wilt bless the Lord for even words that are as goads and nails fastened by this master of assemblies from that one and chief Shepherd The Lord fix and lasten them in all our hearts that abiding and being ingrafted there they may be instrumental to further our salvation that neither deficiency in the main nor slothful security may hinder us from our desired end but when that chief Shepherd and that heavenly Bridegroom who now sends to us by so many servants and messages of his both in word and writing shall appear himself ‘in the glory of his Father and of all his holy angels’ we also may ‘receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away’ and for the last consummation of this happy marriage may go home with him to his Father’s house there to abide in his rest in the ‘fullness of his joy’ and drink down his ‘pleasures forever more.’”  

I hope you’ll comeback next week as we examine the place where preparation for our bridegroom is made and what is meant by “the kingdom of heaven.”

MT