Yeshua on Heaven, Hell, and the Afterlife, Part 3 (For Parts 1 and 2, see below)

Parable of the Sheep and the Goats (Mattai 25:31-46)

Purpose of the Mashal (Parable)

In order to understand the Master’s use of the parable, we need to realize its Jewish historical context.

Within Palestinian Judaism, the mashal (parable) type of teaching, inherited from the Hebrew Bible, was “a common and well-understood method of illustration and the parables of [Yeshua] are similar in form to Rabbinic parables.”[1] Ignaz Ziegler was able to list some 937 rabbinic parables dealing with comparisons based on “a king” or “the kingdom.”[2]

Torah, for the Pharisaic Jew, was God’s revelation, and, as such, had to have a message for the present. To deduce the message for the present involved the process of midrash, which “denotes both the occupation, the expounding and searching of Scripture, and its result, the exposition arrived at.”[3] However, the fact that the Master and the rabbis spoke the same language and shared the same worldview must not, however, be taken to imply that a Yeshua, or a Hillel, or a Rabbi Akiba did not each have his own very specific emphases.[4]

The traditional church interpretation of Yeshua’s use of parables is so that people would not understand His message. However, if He did not want people to understand Him, all He needed to do was to say nothing. The Master used parables the same way the other Jewish sages used them and the rabbis after them: to illustrate, through the use of common daily life, a deep and significant teaching. Hence, as opposed to using parables to hide the meaning of His teachings, Yeshua used parables to illuminate the meaning through the use of common, ordinary, daily events in the lives of the people He was teaching.

Parable of the Sheep and the Goats (Mattai 25:31-33)

It will be that when the son of man comes in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, he will sit on the throne of his glory. All nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate between them like a shepherd separates between the sheep and the goats. He will stand the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

Unfortunately, in this passage we do not have the parable Yeshua told His disciples. All we have is some metaphoric language employing the symbolism of a shepherd separating his flock. It appears as if the Gospel of Matthew only gives us the Master’s explanation of the parable. If there was an original parable, it probably sounded similar to the parable of the wheat and the tares (Mattai 13:24-32).

The following is a suggested recreation of the parable of the sheep and the goats that the Master may have told His followers before He explained the parable to them:

The kingdom of heaven will be like a shepherd who kept both sheep and goats. While he pastured them in the day the sheep and the goats mingled with one another. When he returned to lead them home he wanted to separate the two flocks from one another. What did he do? First he gathered them all before him and then he separated them one from another, putting the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left.[5]

In Matthew, the Master explains the parable’s symbolism. The shepherd represents the Son of Man, who comes in His glory at the beginning of the Messianic Age and takes up His throne. Messianic pioneer Rabbi Lichtenstein interprets the sheep as the Jewish people and believers in Yeshua, and the goats as the wicked that hate the Jewish people and/or believers in the Master.

The Master’s imagery here is similar to the medieval Rosh Hashanah prayer Unetaneh Tokef:

And with a great shofar a blast will be sounded … and angels will hasten … and all the dwellers of the earth will cross before you like the members of a flock. Like a shepherd shepherding his flock, passing his sheep beneath his staff, thus you will pass and count and number and visit the souls of all flesh.

Alternatively, Yeshua may have based His imagery on Ezekiel’s extended discussion of the flock of God and the distinction made between one sheep and another and between rams and goats (Ezekiel 34:17-24, as discussed below).

In the rabbinic work Otiot deRabbi Akiva, Rabbi Akiva is credited with saying, “When Messiah comes to Israel, descending with him will be Michael and Gabriel, the captains of the hosts, and the holy and splendid captains of the angels.” In our passage, Yeshua says that the Son of Man will come with His angels, sit on the throne of David, and separate the sheep from the goats.

Traditional church interpretation of this passage understands the “sheep” as the Christians, and the “goats” as unbelievers. However, Yeshua says that all nations will be gathered before him, namely, Jews and Gentiles. By discussing “all nations,” this parable appears to be about the ingathering of Israel and the subjugation of the nations at the beginning of the Messianic Age. According to this “nationalistic” interpretation, while the “sheep,” Israel and believing Gentiles, will receive reward, unbelieving gentiles from all the nations will receive their due.

However, in this passage, the Master does not separate people based on their nationalities, but He separates individual people, dividing all of humanity into one of two groups, based on their deeds done during their lives: the righteous and the wicked. At this particular moment, many that believed they are sheep will find out they are goats, and many a goat will be found to actually be sheep.

Ezekiel chapter 34 appears to be the basis for Yeshua’s symbolism here. Ezekiel 34 depicts the LORD as a shepherd seeking the lost sheep of the house of Israel, separating between sheep and goats, and appointing the Messiah as Shepherd over His flock:

“As for you, My flock, thus says the Lord GOD, ‘Behold, I will judge between one sheep and another, between the rams and the male goats. ‘Is it too slight a thing for you that you should feed in the good pasture, that you must tread down with your feet the rest of your pastures? Or that you should drink of the clear waters, that you must foul the rest with your feet? ‘As for My flock, they must eat what you tread down with your feet and drink what you foul with your feet!’” Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD to them, “Behold, I, even I, will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep. “Because you push with side and with shoulder, and thrust at all the weak with your horns until you have scattered them abroad, therefore, I will deliver My flock, and they will no longer be a prey; and I will judge between one sheep and another. “Then I will set over them one shepherd, My servant David, and he will feed them; he will feed them himself and be their shepherd. And I, the LORD, will be their God, and My servant David will be prince among them; I the LORD have spoken.” (Ez. 34:17-24)

The King in Disguise (Mattai 25:34-

There is a popular Jewish legend about King Solomon’s exile from his throne, which provides a possible tradition for the Master’s next teaching. In that story, the demon prince Asmodeus punishes Solomon for his arrogance and dabbling in the occults. Asmodeus takes Solomon from his throne, then proceeds to take on Solomon’s form and assumes the throne. The real Solomon finds himself reduced to poverty. He wanders through the earth, from city to city, begging for food. Although he complains to everyone that he actually the king and that the man seated on his throne is an imposter, nobody believes him.

At the same time, in Jerusalem, the Sanhedrin becomes concerned about the behavior of the king sitting on the throne, so they decided to investigate the situation. Finally realizing what had happened, they find the real Solomon, restore him to his throne, and banish the imposter. Once restored to his throne, Solomon now sat in a position to reward those that had shown him kindness and punish those that had mistreated him while he was in exile, reduced to begging for food, water, clothing, and shelter.

Once again, we appear to have the explanation of the Master’s parable, but we are lacking the actually parable. If Yeshua did start this next teaching with a parable, and if it was based on the legend of Solomon, it may have something like this:

The kingdom of heaven is like a king who was banished from his throne and wandered through his kingdom begging from place to place and from door to door. Though he cried out earnestly, none recognized him. When at last he was restored to his throne, he sent his servants to summon all his subjects before him. To those who had treated him well, he said, “Come and take your reward, for I was hungry and you gave me to eat …”

Then the king will say those standing on his right, “Come, those who are blessed of my Father, and possess the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was traveling, and you took me in; naked, and you covered me; sick, and you visited me. I was in prison, and you came to me.” (Mattai 25: 34-36)

Regardless of whether or not the Master gave a parable to the one suggested above, the meaning of His explanation is obvious. The criteria by which God will judge us will be based upon how we treated the vulnerable, defenseless, disenfranchised, and downtrodden among us. Feeding the hungry, giving a drink to the thirsty, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and the imprisoned are all examples of what the Talmud calls. “acts of [chesed] compassion/loving-kindness:

Our rabbis have taught on Tannaite authority: In three aspects are acts of loving kindness greater than an act of charity. An act of charity is done only with money, but an act of loving kindness someone carries out either with his own person or with his money. An act of charity is done only for the poor, while an act of loving kindness may be done either for the poor or for the rich. An act of charity is done only for the living. An act of loving kindness may be done either for the living or for the dead. (b. Sukk. 49B)

In fact, the sages consider “acts of chesed” higher than all sacrifices and more meritorious than all the mitzvot, the commandments (b. Shabbat 127a).

The Messianic Jewish pioneer Paul Philip Levertoff said, “As it is our duty to be hospitable to wayfarers and to receive them as our guests, so should we receive God in our hearts.”[6] Hospitality, “bringing in the guests,” is an important part of Jewish life. Genesis chapter 18 discusses how Avraham Aveinu, Father Abraham, received guests with incredible hospitality. Avraham’s generosity and hospitality are legendary in Jewish writings:

R. Isaac said: Abraham used to entertain wayfarers, and after they had eaten he would say to them, ' Say a blessing.’ 'What shall we say?' they asked. 'Blessed be the God of the Universe of Whose bounty we have eaten,’ replied he. Then the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: ‘My Name was not known among My creatures, and you have made it known among them: I will regard you as though you was associated with Me in the creation of the world.’ Hence it is written, AND HE BLESSED HIM, AND SAID: BLESSED BE ABRAM OF THE GOD MOST HIGH, WHO [sc. ABRAHAM] HAS ACQUIRED HEAVEN AND EARTH. (Genesis Rabbah 43:7)

As can be seen from this, “the host does everything in his power to insure that the guest is comfortable. He devotes his attention to his guest, ministers to his needs, and does not hesitate to inconvenience himself on account of his guest.”[7] Just as in the parable of the good Samaritan, those who practice acts of chesed, loving-kindness, live out the Torah’s commandment of loving one’s neighbor as oneself.

There was another case of a gentile who came before Shammai. He said to him, “Convert me on the stipulation that you teach me the entire Torah while I am standing on one foot.” He drove him off with the building cubit that he had in his hand. He came before Hillel: “Convert me.” He said to him, “‘What is hateful to you, to your fellow don’t do.’ That’s the entirety of the Torah; everything else is elaboration. So go, study.” (b. Shabbat 31a)

Therefore, in our passage, the Master says that those that show chesed through their acts of loving-kindness to the downtrodden are blessed by the Father and “[inherit] the kingdom prepared for [them] from the foundation of the world” (Mattai 25:34). As we have discussed before, “the kingdom” refers to the Messianic Age and the “World to Come.”

The righteous will answer and say, “Our master, when did we see you hungry and sustain you, or thirsty and give you a drink? When did we see you traveling and take you in, or naked and cover you? When did we see you sick or in prison and come to you?” (Mattai 25:37-39)

Rabbinic literature is filled with similar lists of acts of chesed:

And R. Hama b. R. Hanina said, “What is the meaning of the following verse of Scripture: ‘You shall walk after the Lord your God’ (Deut. 13:5). “Now is it possible for a person to walk after the Presence of God? And has it not been said, ‘For the Lord your God is a consuming fire’ (Deut. 4:24)?” “But the meaning is that one must walk after the traits of the Holy One, blessed be he. “Just as he clothes the naked, as it is written, ‘And the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife coats of skin and clothed them’ (Gen. 3:21), so should you clothe the naked. [Just as] the Holy One, blessed be he, visited the sick, as it is written, ‘And the Lord appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre’ (Gen. 18:1), so should you visit the sick. “[Just as] the Holy One, blessed be he, comforted the mourners, as it is written, ‘And it came to pass after the death of Abraham that God blessed Isaac his son’ (Gen. 25:11), so should you comfort the mourners. “[Just as] the Holy One, blessed be he, buried the dead, as it is written, ‘And he buried him in the valley’ (Deut. 34:6), so should you bury the dead.” (b. Sotah 14a)

A midrash on Psalm 118 also offers striking parallels with the Master’s teaching here:

“Open to me the gates of righteousness” (Psalm 118:19). When a man is asked in the world to come, “What was your work?” and he replies, “I fed the hungry,” they will say to him, “’This is the gate of the LORD’ (Psalm 118:20), enter into it, you who fed the hungry.” When a man replies, “I gave drink to the thirsty,” they will say to him, “’this is the gate of the LORD,’ enter into it, you who gave drink to the thirsty.” When a man replies, “I clothed the naked,” they will say to him, “’this is the gate of the LORD,’ enter into it, you who clothed the naked.” The same will be said to him who brought up the orphans, and to the one who gave alms, and to the one who preformed [any] deeds of loving-kindness. (Midrash Shochet Tov on Psalm 118:19)

Then the king will answer and say to them, “Amen, I say to you, what you have done for one of these young brothers of mine, you have done for me.” Then he will also say to those standing to his left, “Go away from me, those who are cursed, to the eternal fire prepared for the satan and his angels. For I was hungry, but you did not feed me. I was thirsty, but you did not give me a drink. I was traveling, but you did not take me in; naked, but you did not cover me; sick and in prison, but you did not visit me.”

These, too, will answer, “Our master, when did we see you hungry or thirsty ot traveling or naked or sick or in prison and did not attend to you?” Then he will answer them saying, “Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these young ones, you also did not do for me.” These will go to an eternal place of torment, but the righteous to eternal life. (Mattai 25:40-46)

Here we see that the king judges all of humanity based on how each one as responded to the needs of the desperate, the disenfranchised, the vulnerable, the defenseless, the downtrodden, and the poor in their midst. The king in this parable refers to this underclass of humanity as his brothers, intimately connecting himself with human suffering. Yeshua, here, elevates human dignity to a sacred level.

And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. (Revelation 20:12)

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of [Messiah], so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. (2 Corinthians 5:10)

However, from another perspective, this passage in Matthew focuses upon the Messiah judging “the nations,” which refer to Gentiles. According to this view, He judges the Gentile nations based on their treatment (or mistreatment) of His brothers. Recalling the Master’s words in Mark 3:35, “For whoever does the will of God, he is My brother and sister and mother,” the Jewish people and His Gentile believers are His brothers. The Jewish people are His own flesh and blood; He is the King of the Jews.

The ungodly nations of the world have abused both the disci0ples of Yeshua and the Jewish people for a very long time. The King has been among the Gentile nations all these years, disguised as His brothers: the Jewish people and Gentile believers.

He was despised and forsaken of men, A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; And like one from whom men hide their face He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. (Isaiah 53:3)

At the conclusion of this passage in Matthew, the Master tells us that at the final judgment, when the Son of Man takes His seat on the glorious throne, He will call all of humanity before Him. As they gather and hope for mercy, many will be dismayed to find that they will be judged on the basis of how they treated or abused the King’s brothers: the Jewish people and Gentile believers in Yeshua. While those from the nations that treated them with loving-kindness will inherit the Messianic Age and the World to Come; those who did not observe the command to love their fellow human being through acts of chesed, loving-kindness, will be cursed by God and damned to eternal punishment.

Yeshua (Jesus) on Heaven, Hell, and the Afterlife, Part 2 (For Part 1, see below)

Last week, we looked at Yeshua’s parable of the rich man and Lazar. This week, before we go to Apostolic view of the afterlife, we will spend more time looking at more passages from the Master on this subject. In particular, in this week’s study we will be looking at the Parable of the Ten Virgins (Mattai 25:1-13). However, in order to more fully understand this text, we need to look at some background from the Messianic Jewish pioneer, Paul Philip Levertoff, as well as some other related accounts from Yeshua.

Oil for the Lamp

As stated by Levertoff in his work, “Love and the Messianic Age,”

Israel is symbolized by the seven-branched candlestick in the Tabernacle, the menorah, for through the possession of the Law [Torah] they are destined to be “divine light-carriers.”[1]

According to Chasidic understanding, a person’s “garments,” one’s sechel (“intellect”} is made up of thought, speech, and deed (action). Recall that in Judaism, especially in Chasidus, each person is made up of two souls: the Yetzer HaTov (the Godly soul, “good inclination”) and the Yetzer HaRah (the animal or human soul, “evil inclination”). In the hopes of eliminating the strangle-hold by the animal soul, Chasidus teaches that one must purify each of one’s “garments,” that is, one’s thought, speech, and deed. The way to purify one’s garments is through Torah study and observance and the performing of good deeds, mitzvot. This is why it can be said, “If Israel receives the spiritual food of Torah and good deeds, ‘God’s will embodies itself in their thoughts, words, and deeds.’”[2]

In order “for the fire of God’s holy love”[3] to burn, it needs fuel; that fuel of Torah. The menorah symbolizes Israel; they are the “divine light-carriers.”[4] In Revelation 2:5 we read, “Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works [of Torah] you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.” In Mattai (Matthew) 5:16 Yeshua tells His disciples, “Shine you light before sons of men, so that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father who is in heaven.”

Speaking of Herod, after he killed a number of rabbis, we read:

“You have put out the light of the world: ‘For the commandment is a light and the Torah is a lamp’ (Prov. 6:23). Now go and take up the work of the light of the world: ‘And all the nations shall become enlightened by it’ (Isa. 2:2).” (b. Baba Batra 4a)

Therefore, those who submit to God’s will through Torah study and the performance of mitzvot, “good deeds” or “commandments,” will become “the light of the world” (Matt. 5:14). This light shines before men “as to a lamp shining in a dark place” (2 Peter 1:19).

In the Chasidic work, Tanya, we read:

The Light of the Shechinah is compared to the flame of a lamp which produces no light or clings to the wick without oil, and likewise the Shechinah does not rest on a man’s body, which is likened to a wick, except through good deeds alone.[5]

Here we see that the Shechinah, God’s “Dwelling Presence,” is likened to a flame; the person’s body is the wick; and the person’s good deeds are the oil. What happens to a lit wick that has no oil? It burns up! Hence, in order to have God’s Shechinah dwell on one’s head, one needs to provide the fuel, the oil, through the performance of good deeds.

“The Supernal light that is kindled on one’s head, namely, the Shechinah, requires oil,” that is, to be clothed in wisdom … as is explained in the Zohar, that “these are the good deeds,” namely, the 613 commandments, which derive from His blessed wisdom. Thereby the light of the Shechinah can cling to the wick, i.e. the vivifying soul in the body, which is metaphorically called a “wick.”[6]

Light of the World (Mattai 5:14-16)

You are the light of the world. A city that sits on the mountain will not be hidden, nor do people kindle a lamp just to put it under the bushel measure, but on the menorah, to illuminate all who are in the house. So also, shine you light before sons of men, so that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father who is in heaven.

The Master had just told His disciples that they were the salt of the earth. As we know, this world is in need of repair. Judaism refers to this concept of preserving and repairing the world as tikkun olam (meaning, “Fixing the world”). Yeshua has just told the disciples that they are the force that preserves and repairs this world.

Now, the Master tells His talmidim, His disciples, that they are the light of the world. It must be understood that the term “light of the world” occurs frequently in rabbinic literature to describe a source of Godly wisdom, goodness, and holiness; namely, Torah, the rabbis, Israel, Jerusalem, the Temple, and the menorah.

Jewish writings consistently use the term “good works” to mean the commandments of Torah.

Our rabbis have taught on Tannaite authority: Four require strengthening, and these are they: study of Torah, practice of good deeds, praying, and doing one’s daily work. How do we know that that is the case for Torah and good deeds? As it is said, “Only be strong and very courageous to observe to do according to all the Torah” (Jos. 1:7). “Be strong” in Torah, and “be courageous” in good deeds. (b. Berachot 32b)

In this passage, the Master links “Let your light shine” with “see your good works.” ‘For the commandment is a light and the Torah is a lamp’ (Prov. 6:23). Yeshua is telling His disciples that if they keep the commandments of Torah, they will be lights before men. As they keep the mitzvot, they produce fuel, “oil,” for their lamps. As their lamps shine forth the light of Torah, people will see their light and praise your Father who is in heaven.

Parable of the Ten Maidens (Mattai 25:1-13)

Then the kingdom of Heaven can be compared to ten alamot [young women] who took their lamps and went forth to meet the groom. Five of them were wise and five were foolish. The foolish ones took the lamps, but they did not take oil with them. But the wise ones took oil in their vessels along with their lamps. When the groom delayed in coming, they all became drowsy and fell asleep. At midnight, a blasting voice was heard” “here is the groom! Go forth to meet him!” Then all of the alamot woke up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish told the wise, “Give us some of your oil, because our lamps are going out!” But the wise ones answered, saying, “No, or else there will not be enough for us. Therefore go to the merchants instead and buy for yourselves.” As they were going to buy, the groom came, and the ones who were ready entered with him to the wedding celebration, and the door was closed. Afterward, the rest of the alamot came and said, “Our master, our master, open for us!” But he answered and said, “Amen, I say to you, I do not know you.” Therefore stay alert, for you do not know the day or the hour [when the son of man will come.]

The parable uses imagery of an ancient, Jewish wedding custom. Apparently, the groom would enter the banquet after dark, accompanied by the bridesmaids, unmarried young women, bearing torches or lamps to illuminate the groom’s entrance. While scholars debate whether the women carried lamps or torches, the Mishnah describes a type of oil lamp that was set on a pole, acting as a torch.

It must be recalled that in rabbinic literature, a wedding banquet and a groom are often symbolic of the Messianic Banquet. Hence, the marriage celebration represents the banquet of the tzaddikim, the righteous, in the Messianic Era. This is why the Master begins this parable by saying, “the kingdom of Heaven can be compared to …”

This parable contains the Master’s absence, an unexpected delay, an uncertain time of arrival, and diligence (or its lack) in the unsupervised, interim period. While many Christian scholars want to explore the meaning of falling asleep during this interval, recall that both the wise and the foolish maidens fell asleep; so, sleep does not symbolize negligence or foolishness.

Christian scholars have been puzzled by the symbolism of the oil for the lamps for centuries. Many have posited that the oil represents the Holy Spirit. However, in discussing oil and proper wedding garments, there is a Talmudic parable similar to the Master’s:

[“Let your garments be always white and don’t let your head lack ointment” ([Eccl.] 9:8)]—said R. Yohanan b. Zakkai, “The matter may be compared to the case of a king who invited his courtiers to a banquet, but he didn’t set a time. The smart ones among them got themselves fixed up and waited at the gate of the palace, saying, ‘Does the palace lack anything?’ [They can do it any time.] The stupid ones among them went about their work, saying, ‘So is there a banquet without a whole lot of preparation?’ Suddenly the king demanded the presence of his courtiers. The smart ones went right before him, all fixed up, but the fools went before him filthy from their work. The king received the smart ones pleasantly, but showed anger to the fools. He said, ‘These, who fixed themselves up for the banquet, will sit and eat and drink. Those, who didn’t fix themselves up for the banquet, will stand and look on.’ “ (b. Shabbat 153a)

In this Talmudic parable, we see that the oil and proper wedding attire represent repentance (Torah and good deeds). Also, recall that in Matthew 5:14-16, lamps represent Torah and good deeds. Hence, in this parable of the ten maidens, the oil supply for the lams represents one’s state of preparedness for the return of the Messiah through the performance of good deeds, by observing the Torah commandments.

The final verses of this parable, the conversation between the foolish maidens and the groom, are reminiscent of two other passages, Matthew 7:21-23 and Luke 13:25-27. We will briefly examine those passages before concluding this study.

The Ban

Afterward, the rest of the alamot came and said, “Our master, our master, open for us!” But he answered and said, “Amen, I say to you, I do not know you.”(Mattai 25:10-12)

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘My master! My master!’ will enter the kingdom of Heaven, but rather the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. It will be on that day many will say to me, ‘My master, my master, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons, and in your name do many wonders?’ Then I will answer them, saying, ‘I have never known you. Depart from me, workers of evil!’ (Mattai 7:21-23)

From the day that the owner of the house arises and closes the door, you will begin to stand outside and knock on the door, saying, ‘Our master, open for us!’ But he will answer and say to you, ‘I do not know you. Where are you from?’ Then you will begin to say, ‘Did we not eat and drink in your presence, did you not teach in our streets?’ But he will say, ‘I say to you, I do not know you.  Where are you from? Depart from me, all workers of evil!’ (Luke 13:25-27)

Most Christian scholars derail in their interpretation of these passages, as well. They understand that in these texts the Master is permanently removing these people, sending them to hell for eternal damnation and punishment. However, this is due to not understanding the Jewish writings.

In rabbinic literature, the phrase “I do not know you” or ”I never knew you” is always found within the context of a teacher-disciple relationship. The rabbis used these expressions of rejection as a way for a rabbi to place a disciple on the ban. If a disciple had erred and needed to be disciplined, his rabbi would disavow his relationship with his disciple for the duration of the ban—usually from seven to thirty days.

No decree of excommunication may be for a spell of less than thirty days, and no rebuke takes effect for a spell of less than seven days … Said Bar Qappara to R. Simeon, “So what does Rabbi say in this matter?” He went and told his father, who took offense. Bar Qappara went to appear before Rabbi, who said to him, “Bar Qappara, [who is it that you say you are?] I have never known you.” He knew that Rabbi had taken the matter seriously and treated himself as subject to rebuke for thirty days. (b. Moed Katan 16a)

Referring to the interpretation by the rabbis that the Pharaoh had placed Joseph on the ban, we read:

As to the position of the one who said, “He issued new orders”—what about the verse, “… who knew not Joseph” (Ex. 1:8)? Why would he not have known him? It is because it was as though he had never known Joseph at all. (b. Erub. 53a)

Understanding the rabbinic use of a temporary ban by declaring “I do not know you” or ”I never knew you,” helps us understand these three rather difficult sayings of the Master. According to the common use of these phrases, the Master was not consigning the people to eternal punishment in hell; He was placing His errant disciples on the ban. However, in this case, the ban was not seven or thirty days; the ban was for the duration of the Messianic Era.

The Meaning of the Parable of the Ten Maidens

Although the groom, the Messiah, may be unexpectedly delayed in coming, His disciples are commanded to remain in a state of readiness for His return through the study of Torah, repentance, and the performance of good deeds. This provides the oil for one’s lamp. The wise maidens in this account were the disciples that continued faithful in their Torah study, repentance, and performance of good deeds. The foolish maidens were His disciples that, during His delay in returning, fell away from Torah study, repentance, and good deeds. Hence, when the Messiah returns, if one is found to be faithful, one enters the Messianic Era. If, upon His return, one is found to have fallen away, in lack of “oil,” one faces being placed under the ban for the entire duration of the Messianic Era. May we be found faithful upon the return of our Master, Yeshua the Messiah!