At midnight there was a cry, “Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.” Matthew 25:6 ESV1
Read Matthew 25:1-13
A wise teacher introduces new subjects by reviewing what his/her students have previously learned. He/she increases the likelihood that learners will grasp new concepts by building upon what they already know. Jesus is the Good Teacher (see Luke 18:18). As Jesus instructed His audience, He often taught novel truths by connecting them with what was familiar. Several times, Jesus communicated the intricates of the Gospel by relating it to the ancient Jewish wedding ceremony.
Both the Old and New Testaments of The Bible include wedding imagery to explain the love relationship between God and His people. The Bible has been compared to a love letter and a marriage covenant detailing the intimacy individual believers can have with God. When we look at the Bible in this light, there is great value in modern, particularly non-Jewish Believers, familiarizing themselves with Jewish marriage practices. The ancient Jewish wedding progressed through several steps which, interestingly, parallel the aspects of Jesus’ relationship with His Bride, the Church.