The prospect of a wedding is exciting; joy is about to be unleashed on the happy couple, their families and all around them. Jesus used this picture to describe the Day when He will come again with His Bride, the church (Revelation 21:1-2). The scene is set at the bride's home. In those days the bridegroom would come from his home to collect his bride and they would then be escorted back to his home by bridesmaids.
This is the second part of Jesus' parable about the wise and foolish bridesmaids. They had waited a long time for the bridegroom who surprised them by his unexpected arrival, in the middle of the night. The wise ladies had prepared themselves with extra oil to fuel their lamps, just in case it was necessary. The foolish ones had to go out to buy oil but when they got back, the lamp-lit procession from the bride's house to the home of her new husband was over. The doors were locked. They were too late.
Jesus often used illustrations from business life. This one is about a man who gave money to trusted servants, expecting them to invest it profitably. He then went away but clearly expected a good return on his investment.
The investor had placed significant sums of money with his servants, before he went on his travels, trusting them to do good business and produce a profit. The servants were not given equal amounts to invest and trade with. Each had as much as his master knew they could handle. After a long time, the boss returned. He wanted to know what they had done with the money entrusted to them. They might have used it for themselves, squandered it on risky commercial ventures or gambled it in the hope of making quick and easy money.
This servant may have been the least talented of the three in the story. However, his master had entrusted him with a whole bag of gold (Matthew 25:14-18), knowing that he had the ability to make a profit from it over a period of time. However the trusted servant could not be bothered to buy and sell in the market place so that he could make a profit. He knew he would be in serious trouble if he stole it, so he kept it safe in a hole in the ground.
These verses describe the core of what will happen when Jesus comes again. The whole event will be cosmically awesome – the glorious presence of Jesus surrounded by every single angel. He will be seen to be the King of everything and everyone, and nobody will argue that He is not. Such obvious authority and power will make everybody come to Him. How, we do not know (just as we do not know how males and females of every type of animal came to Noah's Ark), but they will.
When Jesus returns, He will announce to some people that they will receive a share of His inheritance. The people on His right hand side are the people who agree with His right to rule: they are His sheep. All these believers have the blessing of Father God, because their faith in Jesus pleased Him. John 6:28-29 says, "Then they asked him, 'What must we do to do the works God requires?' Jesus answered, 'The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.'"
The popular image of Jesus is that He is a benign person who loves everybody and will not harm anybody. Certainly He is not in any way bad or malignant; and He does love all that He has made (Psalm 145:9). But He will also be a righteous judge: patient yes, but indulgent, no. All the people who do not love Him will be separated out and their destiny will be the same as that of the devil and the demons. If that seems like strong language, it is exactly what Jesus said in these verses.
The disciples had been briefed. Soon, Jesus would be gone: their job as His apostles was to tell the world about their God and Saviour (John 20:28) until He returned in glory as God the Judge (Matthew chs 24-25).
Even though the disciples had been with Jesus for almost three years, they still did not understand what was valuable. They applied their business values and thoughts about money, but forgot the value of relationship. Bethany was the home of Mary, Martha and Lazarus (who Jesus had raised from the dead – John 11:43-44). Simon, a neighbour, previously had leprosy and was hosting a dinner in Jesus' honour (John 12:2).
