Foolish Bridesmaid or Wise Bridesmaid

A parable constitutes a genre, which means a literary form. To communicate a complex concept, the parable is employed. Jesus intends to elucidate the concept of Kingdom of God. Kingdom of human king is expressed in terms of space and time. Had the Kingdom of God been on par with the kingdom of human king, Jesus would have utilized the same parameters. When the concept transcends the realm of human experience, it compels one to have recourse to the parable. The parables do not depict historical reports, though the parables are constructed based on mundane matters of life, concrete conventions of society, and routine rituals of community. Therefore, the hearer/reader could associate herself/himself conveniently with one of the characters portrayed in the parable and, while pronouncing verdict on that character, she/he condones or condemns the self unknowingly or knowingly. In the process, the concept is comprehended and the befitting comportment of the hearer/reader is ascertained. In Matthew 25:1-13, Jesus offers the parable of the ten bridesmaids