Will You "Keep on the Watch"?

WHAT IS THE PARABLE'S MESSAGE?

In the previous article, we learned that in recent years, the faithful slave has adjusted  the way certain Bible accounts are explained.  The faithful slave now focuses more on practical lessons and less on possible symbolic or prophetic meanings. Take, for example, Jesus' parable of the ten virgins. Our literature used to say that the lamps, the oil, and the flasks represented something or someone. Is it possible that by focusing on small details, the simple, urgent message of the parables was lost? The answer to that question is important. 

Let us examine the basic message in Jesus' parable. First, think about the characters in the parable of the ten virgins.  Who is the bridegroom?  Jesus. We know this because earlier, Jesus referred to himself as the bridegroom.  (Luke 5:34, 35) Who are the virgins?  They are the "little flock" of anointed Christians. How do we know?  In the parable, the virgins must be ready with their lamps lit when the bridegroom comes. Now note what Jesus said to his anointed followers:  "Be dressed and ready and have your lamps burning, and you should be like men waiting for their master to return from the marriage." (Luke 12:32, 35, 36)  In addition, both the apostle Paul and the apostle John compared Christ's anointed followers to chaste virgins.  (2 Corinthians 11:2; Revelation 14:4) So we can see that the counsel and warning found at Matthew 25:1-13 is directed to Jesus'  anointed followers. 

Next, what time period does Jesus' counsel apply to?  What Jesus said near the end of the parable helps us to know. He said:  "The bridegroom came." (Matthew 25:10)  In the July 15, 2013, Watchtower, we learned that Jesus' prophecy in Matthew chapters 24 and 25 refers  eight times to Jesus' "coming." When Jesus refers to his "coming," he is referring to the time during the great tribulation when he comes to judge and destroy  this wicked world. So we can conclude  that Jesus' parable applies the last days, but he will "come" during the great tribulation.

What basic message do we learn from this parable? Remember the context of the Bible account.  In Matthew chapter 24, Jesus discussed "the faithful and discreet slave."  The slave would be a small group of anointed men who would take the lead among Christ's followers during the last days. Jesus warned those men  that they must remain faithful. In the next chapter, Jesus uses the parable of the ten virgins to counsel all his anointed followers in the last days.  The message was to "keep on the watch" so that they would not lose their heavenly  reward.  (Matthew 25:13)  Let us now examine the parable and see how the anointed have applied the counsel. 

Next time: Will You "Keep on the Watch"? - HOW HAVE THE ANOINTED APPLIED THE COUNSEL OF THE PARABLE?

From the Watchtower magazine, 2015