(As per the usual, this will be easier to read if you cut and paste it to a word-processing program. This site badly compresses the lines.)

Virgins and Stewards, Part 1: Questions

Matthew 25:1 “Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. 2 Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 3 Those who were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them, 4 but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5 While the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. 6 Now in the midst of night a cry was heard, ‘Behold, the bridegroom comes; go out to meet him!’ 7 Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said unto the wise, ‘Give us some out of your oil, for our lamps are gone out.’ 9 But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ 10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. 11 Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ 12 But he answered and said, ‘Truly I say to you, I do not know you.’ 13 Watch/keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man comes.”

Luke 12:35 “Let your loins be girded and your lights burning; 36 and you yourselves be like men who wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he comes and knocks, they may open to him immediately. 37 Blessed are those servants whom the lord, when he comes, shall find watching/keeping awake. Assuredly, I say unto you that he shall gird himself, and have them sit down to eat, and will come forth and serve them. 38 And if he should come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. 39 But this know, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not allowed his house to be broken into. 40 Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man comes at an hour when ye think not.”

41 Then Peter said to him, “Lord, do You speak this parable only unto us, or also to all people?” 42 And the Lord said, “Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season? 43 Blessed is that servant whom his lord shall find so doing when he comes. 44 Truly I say to you that he will make him ruler over all that he has. 45 But if that servant says in his heart, ‘My lord delays his coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and be drunk, 46 the lord of that servant will come in a day when he is not looking for him, and in an hour that he does not know, and will cut him in two, and appoint him his portion with the unbelievers. … 48 …For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required, and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.”

Questions:  1) Why does Luke say “return from the wedding”? What happened to the virgins?

2) What is the difference between virgins and stewards? And what is the house and its household?

3) Why doesn’t Luke mention a first watch?

4) Why are three watches mentioned or implied?

5) Why didn’t Jesus directly answer Peter’s question?

6) How many times will Christ “come?

Index and summaries of all articles is here:

https://www.worthychristianforums.com/blogs/entry/1403-index-and-summaries-of-articles/