A great obstacle to unlocking the meaning of Biblical scripture is us limiting our access to its many conflicting interpretations. Now this is not to mean encouraging new heresies regarding problems of theology, and questioning the foundation of particular doctrinal beliefs. Its actually much deeper than that.

Biblical exegesis is more than just uncovering which Church is ‘right’ or ‘more justified’, but about opening ourselves to new ways of seeing scripture. By only taking the pastor’s view, or the Church’s view of what a particular verse means, we are never going to appreciate it as much as when we see conflicting - which is how it may seem at first - or even complementary views to a reading.

Why do we limit creativity in engaging with texts? The Church fathers such as John Chrysostom, Isaac the Syrian, Basil the Great, are valuable sources for understanding scripture, but its just that - a valuable interpretation. Why do we canonise views of the church as though it were heretical to interpret scripture differently? Where is the net benefit, apart from thinking nothing else? This restricts our method of interpretation and limits our ability to engage with the text - leading to disinterest, disengagement, and even resentment towards the text.

So this means learning about the bible with all humility from athiests as well as Christians. Would you not consider it a matter of pride and egoism to only seek interpretations of the bible from one’s own parish, or from one’s own ‘Church’? It’s not a matter of consulting the doctor over the cobbler for matters concerning health, for biblical exegsis is a matter in which both Christians and non-Christians are equal in their knowledge and experience. Neither the parish nor the athiest have an unfair advantage when it comes to finding the ‘better’ interpretation.

Now, this may seem quite strange, and it almost sounds as if I encourage people to learn about the bible from anyone at all! But its not exactly that. Having a foundation in one’s own parish, one listens with discernment, detecting earnestness in others when it comes to sharing wisdom - at such a stage filtering out the Pharisees will not be an issue. However, even if we see a fool trying to teach us the meaning of scripture - it only signifies to us that we have much to learn, for no wise man will ever see another man as a fool, but that everyone small and great is a teacher of life.

On the Parable of the Five Foolish and Wise Virgins

Most Christians know the story, but I will recount it just for reference:

There were five foolish and five wise virgins awaiting the announcement of the Wedding from the Bridegroom. The five wise virgins trimmed their lamps with oil and the five foolish, thinking they had enough oil, did not trim their lamps. When the bridegroom announced the wedding and called in all guests, the five foolish were kicked out because they did not have any oil in their lamps, where the five wise were welcomed and there entered joyfully.

Now of course this is a warning against being unprepared for when the Lord comes. But what does the oil mean? We have heard all the time that it signifies all the love and good works which one has amassed over their life, where the wedding is the afterlife. But is it really just saying to be “be good, for you don’t know when you’re going to die” type message? Is is really just pointing at the mystery of death? But that’s quite shallow, because it removes the meaning of the present life.

What makes us think that the afterlife would be so different from what we experience right now? What arrogance must one have to just neglect how one treats the present moment, thinking that its all just nothingness in comparison to eternity with Christ! If we do not find satisfaction for what we have and who we are right now, what makes us think that we will suddenly be ecstatic after we die? The idea that all the ‘pain’ will end after we die, and all the misfortunes will dissipate is nothing but an illusive mindset we have trapped ourselves in. I am sure, if we take one of the unhappy ones in the greatest pain with all the cards of misfortune played against them; if we remove all those things that are causing them pain, they would be so uncomfortable. The ones who complain about their situation do not want a better life! If anything was solved for them, these unhappy ones will find a way back to their old situation, for it has become a comfortable world for them. They thrive off unhappiness, and that is the truth of it.

So the oil in the lamps cannot just mean the amount of good that we accomplish, or the amount of ‘love that we share’, or even how much we ‘suffer’! Its nonsense! It must mean how much each of us have chosen to cherish the moments which God has given to us! Every drop of oil is a moment in our life, and it is our choice to live through every moment without worrying about what the future might be, or what is past. Being like the wise virgins is about realising that each moment we have is a drop - and that is all. You cannot fill a drop on tomorrows behalf, and the past won’t fill your lamp either. Every drop you put is an active choice. The foolish virgins were dwelling on the future when they thought they ‘had enough’ oil in their lamps, but they were foolish because they didn’t fill their lamp. In other words, they were ungrateful for the opportune present moment they were given to fill their lamps.

Its quite naive to think the foolish virgins felt surprised when the Lord told them at the gate to the wedding: “I do not know you.”

Even if the virgins were to be admitted in the wedding, they wouldn’t enjoy it at all. Of course, one naturally would rejoice more at the wedding of two close friends as opposed to the wedding of two strangers. It would unlikely be the case aswell that Christ would say He didn’t know the foolish virgins where the foolish virgins knew Him. No, Christ would have been speaking on behalf of both parties. The foolish virgins didn’t know whose wedding they were going to - and thus they were certainly expecting the outcome.

This is just an example of how deep the parable really can go, and how much truth we can extract from it by just keeping an open mind. All the parables offer so much rich meaning, but it’s impossible to access it when we reject the possibility of multiple interpretations arising from reading the Bible.