Reflective Bible Study

In one of the more popular parables Jesus shared, we can find reassurance in a very surprising place. While sharing the parable of the ten bridesmaids, when we look closer at what Jesus shared, a key detail of the parable might surprise you.

The parable opens by describing ten bridesmaids and it then divides these bridesmaids into two groups. One group consisted of 5 wise bridesmaids, and the other group consisted of 5 foolish bridesmaids.

Normally we would focus in on what separates the wise from the foolish, and in many ways, this is Jesus’ key point of the parable. But if we focus on how these two groups are similar, we begin to see a powerful truth.

The first similarity is a unified purpose. The parable opens in verse 1 by saying, “Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went out to meet the groom.” All ten bridesmaids had the same purpose; all the bridesmaids wanted to meet the groom.

We then learn about some differences before hitting another similarity, which is found in the second portion of verse 5, which says, “So the bridesmaids all grew tired and fell asleep.” All ten bridesmaids fell asleep when they were supposed to be awake and watching.

The next similarity comes after the call comes in the night about the bridegroom. Verse 7 tells us, “Then all the bridesmaids woke up and got their lamps ready.” When they had woken up, they all needed to prepare their lamps because they all had ignored their lamps while sleeping. Some flames may have gone out, while others may have been very faint.

This is where the similarities end. The foolish bridesmaids leave to get oil, and while they were gone, the bridegroom came and the door was shut.

Too often, we think of the wise follower of Jesus being the person who is always on fire for God and who always remains alert and awake. It is the person who has great habits and who always seems to have a vibrant spiritual walk.

With that picture in mind, we are left struggling to attain that idea, or we give up and admit that we must be among the foolish group since we don’t measure up to those we see around us.

But this picture of perfection is false. All ten bridesmaids fell asleep and all ten had their lamps either fade or go out. This tells me that every follower of Jesus will have a period of time where they fall asleep. If even those who are wise fall asleep, then sleeping is not sinning.

Nothing negative is said about the wise bridesmaids who fell asleep or about their flickering lamps. The focus seemed to be placed on the before sleep and the after sleep – and not on the period of sleep itself.

Knowing there will be times in our lives that we don’t feel close to God and times when we have let our spiritual habits slide, know that everyone faces these times. You are not wise or foolish for falling asleep. Instead, when you realize you have fallen asleep and are woken up, the decisions you make are what determine whether you are in the group of the wise or the group of the foolish.

When looking at the weekend of the crucifixion and specifically at the moment right after Jesus’ death, I was surprised to learn that one of the key individuals leading up to Jesus’ death was surprised when he learned the news.

Only Mark’s gospel includes this detail when he writes, “Pilate was surprised to hear that Jesus was already dead, and he called in the army officer to find out if Jesus had been dead very long.” (v. 44)

Typically crucifixions lasted longer than what Jesus experienced, and this detail is significant to us. Earlier in Jesus’ ministry, John’s gospel tells us that Jesus said, “No one takes my life from me. I give it up willingly! I have the power to give it up and the power to receive it back again, just as my Father commanded me to do.” (John 10:18)

These two details placed together help us understand one key reality: The cross did not kill Jesus; Jesus gave up His own life while hanging on the cross.

Following the conversation with the men hanging on the crosses next to Him and arranging for John (the disciple) to take care of His mother, Jesus knew He had fulfilled everything that God had asked Him to do. So He committed His Spirit into His Father’s hands and gave up His life.

This truth is powerful for us to remember. Jesus chose the death He received, and it happened to include a cross. But the cross was only a final location. The cross was always intended to be a symbol, but it was not the cause of Jesus’ death. The thing that led Jesus to give up His life was His love for you and me!

Pilate’s surprise is completely valid in this verse because crucifixion was a method that maximized the duration of pain a person was in while hanging on the cross. The goal behind this was to set a clear example for everyone who passed by about what would happen if they angered the Romans. The Jewish leaders attached themselves onto this death because they were the ones who initiated the series of events that lead Jesus to the cross.

However, the cross did not kill Jesus. Jesus gave up His own life while hanging on the cross – and Jesus chose this path for you and for me.

While reading the gospels, occasionally I’ll run across an event where I could see myself responding in a similar way as one of the people present. As this event in Mark’s gospel opens, John brings an issue to Jesus that he thinks needs to be addressed. John describes to Jesus what he discovered by saying, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we tried to prevent him because he was not following us.” (v. 38)

In this event, John believes the right thing to do was stopping this other individual. After all, this other person was not a disciple or even a follower. Perhaps, they were someone who saw one of the disciples casting out demons using Jesus’ name and they realized that God wasn’t exclusively sharing this power with only Jesus. In many ways, I understand John’s perspective: If anyone and everyone knew that all they needed to do was use Jesus’ name and they would be given power, then there could be chaos.

However, to John’s surprise, Jesus responds by saying, “Do not hinder him, for there is no one who will perform a miracle in My name, and be able soon afterward to speak evil of Me. For he who is not against us is for us. For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because of your name as followers of Christ, truly I say to you, he will not lose his reward.” (v. 39-41)

In this response, Jesus shares a very profound line: “For he who is not against us is for us.” (v. 40)

Many times, we believe and/or think that it is the opposite way. We may have the impression that Jesus really meant to say that “the person who is not for us is against us”, but that is not the wording Jesus’ uses.

This distinction matters because there is a broad middle ground. Are we to understand that those who are in the middle ground (neither for, nor against Jesus) included with those who are for Jesus, or are they excluded with those who are against Jesus? While the answer is not as simple as drawing a line through the middle ground, or simply saying that everyone who hasn’t given their allegiance to Satan is safe, it is statements like these that prompt me to believe God (through Jesus) is more inclusive rather than exclusive.

This means that instead of looking for ways to keep us out of heaven (which is what many people believe), God is actively looking for ways and reasons for bringing us into Heaven. If God wanted to keep someone out of heaven, there would be ample evidence to do so for every single person who has ever lived – except Jesus.

Instead, God sent Jesus to make a way available to bring us back to Him. Jesus’ human existence proves God wants us with Him in heaven. God then looks for reasons to include us, starting with belief in His Son, before then looking for examples of kindness and sharing the gospel message with others.

In one of His most famous parables, Jesus teaches the crowd about different types of hearts and different ways people can accept Jesus’ message by comparing it to various types of soil that a plant could grow in. In this parable, Jesus describes four types of soil, and in many ways, these four types of soil represent the different ways we can apply Jesus’ message, and these four types of soil can also represent the different ways other people can apply God’s message when it is shared with them.

Matthew, Mark, and Luke all include this parable, and there is very little difference in how each gospel describes Jesus’ words. Looking at Mark’s gospel, we learn about soil that is on a path, soil that is rocky, soil that is thorny, and soil that is good for growth. Left on our own, we might come up with all sorts of ideas for what these types of soil represent, but Jesus shares the meaning with the disciples, and these four gospel writers all include Jesus’ explanation: “Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown.” (v. 15-20)

Mark describes Jesus’ explanation that there will be people who hear the gospel message, but who fall away. If these people immediately dismiss it, they are like the seed that landed on the path – Satan quickly causes them to dismiss it. The gospel message looks stupid to this group of people, so why should they even try it out.

If those who hear the gospel message receive it with joy, some might be pulled away because of pressure from the world. These people are like the seed that fell among the rocks, because the seed wasn’t able to grow with strong roots. Because following Jesus’ teachings can be difficult and counter cultural, this group of people determines that the cost of following is too high and they give up from external pressures to conform.

There are also people who hear the gospel message, and who let it take root and grow, but their own minds cause them to doubt, stumble, and struggle. These people are like the seed that fell among thorns, and the thorns choke the gospel out of them. Because Christians also face internal pressure as we grow our faith and trust in God, this group of people gives up because their minds, hearts, and desires are focused on other things and these other things do not line up with placing God first.

But there are those who successfully navigate the challenges of Satan, the culture of the world, and the pressure of the mind, and these people are like the seed that landed on good soil. Each seed that landed on good soil produced a great harvest, but each seed was still not equal.

This parable prompts me to be aware of the challenges and pressure that will come my way when hearing the gospel message and it helps me understand what others may experience when their faith is challenged. This parable pushes me to be more resolved in my commitment to God, because it shares that this is the only way to mature and be a spiritual success.