Living
the Kingdom way
Three memorable parables make up the whole of
Chapter 25 – the ‘Wise and Foolish Bridesmaids’, ‘The Talents’ and ‘The Sheep
and the Goats’. Each one is about what it is to be ‘ready’ for the Second
Coming and for Judgement. Each one also places Jesus in three different roles –
bridegroom, investor in people and suffering judge. These teaching sessions of
Jesus in the shadow of his trial and execution are a kind of boot camp for
Christian living after the Resurrection.
How might we be assured of readiness, preparedness,
for life in the eternal kingdom? Well, by doing the work of the kingdom – and this
work turns out to involve apparently small but significant details: having enough
oil for lamps, attending to wise investment of the master’s resources and
giving of water, food, shelter, clothing, comfort and courage to the lowest and
the least. And in addition, it seems, those involved are surprised by the
response of the Master, whether they have attended to these details or they
have not. But more of that shortly. Getting ready is not about living in fear,
but it is about exercising fearless love.
In the first parable, Jesus describes God’s kingdom (where
God’s rule is effective) as being like a group of bridesmaids waiting for the
bridegroom. Five are prepared to greet the arrival of the long-awaited groom
and five are not. And we know this because five have the extra oil to keep
their lamps lit while five do not. The ones prepared are focused on being
prepared. And they are not willing to share out their oil with those have not
been ready. This is a kingdom where being ready is so important it almost feels
like it is ‘every man for himself’. There is no sympathy from the five prepared
bridesmaids for the five unprepared ones. It is very tough-minded and
uncompromising. The five foolish bridesmaids are foolish because they do not
make proper provision for their role, their vocation, their calling. They don’t
think things through. They just leave things to chance. They are caught out by
the arrival not because it is unexpected but because they are not ready for it
when it comes. This teaching seems to be quite clear – the bridegroom will
return, of that there can be no doubt. But will we have thought through how to
be alert? What preparations do we need to make to be certain the Master will
include us in the wedding celebrations? What this teaching does seem to
strongly suggest is that there will be a time when, notwithstanding the inclusiveness
of God’s grace, some will be locked out of the banquet of the kingdom even
though they had partly been ready. Those locked out know the bridegroom is
coming. They are not ignorant about this fact. They just seem a bit casual
about it. Kingdom living, in this interpretation, is about thoughtful
faithfulness set against casual unpreparedness.
The second parable is a different take on the same
theme: the Master will return; the Master invests in you; what return will you
give on his investment when he does return? Three servants are given the Master’s
money to invest and the amount given depends upon their abilities. What the
Master is looking for is faithfulness not fear. Two are faithful. But one is
fearful. Two take risks. But one is cautious. Two go out on a limb. But one
plays safe. Kingdom living, in this interpretation, is about risk-taking
faithfulness set against cautious fearfulness.
The third parable completes the set and is the most
extraordinary of the lot. It is extraordinary because the Parable of the Sheep
and the Goats divides entry into the eternal kingdom not on belief in certain
doctrines but on behaviours in certain circumstances. And for those involved,
both the sheep and the goats, the measure used to determine which category each
are in comes as a complete surprise. In this parable, the returning Son of Man
is neither a late bridegroom or a soon-to-return master but a beautiful and
unmissable shepherd sorting out all the peoples and the nations. It is an epic
sight. The blazing beauty of the Son of Man, surrounded by all his angels,
takes centre stage on an incredible throne and all the nations are brought before
it. This shimmering vision is all about who gets the door code to the kingdom
and who is locked out. It is as if the whole of life has been an audition for
the real live show, and the X-factor turns out not to be faith or well-lived
doctrine or church-attendance: instead, those judged to have the
X-factor are those who have woven into their lives simple acts of kindness,
self-sacrifice and practical responses to very real and human needs. And the biggest
surprise of all is this: that every single hungry, thirsty, homeless, dispossessed,
sick and imprisoned person is in fact the suffering judge sitting on the
throne. The suffering servant king is seeking sisters and brothers with compassionate hearts and tough
minds. Kingdom living, in this interpretation, is all about faithful love
motivated not by any reward but by an instinctive attentiveness to the
vulnerable, those on the edge, without resources and silenced by their most
basic needs.
The Kingdom of the Great Reversal is open to all. But membership is measured by thoughtful, sacrificial, risk-taking and faithful love.
I googled the parable of the ten virgins, because I know that later today, when I read this chapter aloud to my family, my daughter will ask the obvious question,
ReplyDelete" Why were the five wise virgins so selfish? Jesus expects us to be generous."
I have paraphrased the explanation From Bible.org
The lamps are like bowls with wicks in them. The oil is not poured into the bowls until the light is required. Oil is therefore carried separately in containers. Matthew tells us
" The foolish ones took their lamp, but did not take any oil with them."
The lamps were not lit until the groom arrived. When the groom arrived, the oil was poured into the lamps and then the wicks lit. The foolish ones tried not to appear foolish by saying their lamps were going out, but they never had oil in the first place.
That oil is salvation. You either have it , or you don't. The time for salvation is now, not later.
2 Cor 6:2
For he says, "In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you." I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation.
There will be a time when it is too late to receive. Salvation is yours alone. Salvation cannot be shared with someone else if they have not accepted it. It is the foolish virgins that represent those who have not accepted salvation.
The parables of the talents and the sheep and goats go on to tell us that although we are saved by faith through grace, we were also created for good works.
Ephesians 2: 8-10
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
What I understand from this, is that salvation and good works go together, as James says ,
" Faith without works is dead."
Judgement as separation between people, between those in and those out, is a very hard concept when we believe in a merciful God of grace. I can quite understand self judgement, by which we separate ourselves from God's love. I can see how we can place ourselves outside of God's forgiving love, resistant to his mercy. So I find these parables are easier to understand if I see the foolish virgins, the man with one talent, and the goats as all placing themselves under judgement because of their chosen actions. Even though each week in the creed we state "he will come again to judge the living and the dead", what do we actually believe by that? And am I just trying to get round that difficult belief?
ReplyDeleteThe idea of there being eternal life and joy while others suffer eternal punishment is a dilemma for me. In this earthly life how can we have true joy when others suffer?
The parable of the sheep and goats roots us in the reality of life and faith in action. No credal statement needed here, no courses to complete, no fine exposition of the meaning of love. Just living out love and showing compassion for the weakest and vulnerable in whom Christ is present.
So I think about those in prison in Birmingham prison tonight and those who have visited them today. How does society, how do we, view prisoners? Do we see Christ in them?
It's all very well going to church, singing at carol services, writing biblical blogs but without compassionate service and loving attitudes we are like a clashing gong or noisy cymbal. And once again my prayer is:
Lord Jesus Christ, son of the living God, have mercy on me a sinner.