The parable continues the topic, staying vigilant, in the context of comparing the realm of the skies to dumb kids and sensible kids going to a party.
Matthew 25:11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
Matthew 25:11 “Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’
Later, however, they showed up also, those remaining teenage girls, saying, "Master, master, open for us."
Those who bring too little end up being too late.
This line is basically a set-up for the coming punch line, but it is entertaining in its own right, containing references to Jesus's Sermon on the Mount lessons. The "lord, lord" reference here goes back to Matthew 7:21, saying that not everyone who comes to him saying "Lord, Lord" will enter into the kingdom.
Jesus uses the word translated as "open" in Matthew 7:7, saying that he who knocks has it opened to him. Notice, these teens do not knock, but call "Lord, Lord."
Oddly, the NIV added the word "virgins" to the previous verse and drops it here. Age was not that relevant in the last verse because the age of the "ready" doesn't matter, but it is relevant here. The translators may have wanted to portray the vigins as the successful group rather than the failed ones as Jesus did.
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "afterward" is not the common word usually translated as "afterward."
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "other" is not the common word usually translated as "other."
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "other" is not the common word usually translated as "other."
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "virgins" is not shown in the English translation.
- WF - Wrong Form - The "said" is not an active verb but a participle, "saying."
- IP - Inserted Phrase-- The phrase "the door" doesn't exist in the source.
Afterward - (CW) This verse starts with an uncommon word translated as "afterward," which sounds pretty harmless, and it does mean both "after" and "inferior," but it is from a family of words where the verb form means "to lack" and the noun form means "shortcoming." It is not the two other common words that Jesus usually uses to say "after." The sense is something like we would say "later."
came -- The word translated as "come" primarily means "to start out" but Christ usually uses it to mean "come" but not always. It indicates movement, especially its beginning, without indicating a direction toward or away from anything, so it works either as "start," "come," or "go," but it is more like our phrase "being underway." Our English word "show up" captures both the "start" and "come" ideas. See this article for more.
also -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and," but it also is used to add emphasis ("also").
the -- The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article, without a noun, it has the sense of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those") than the English "the." See this article for more.
other - (CW) "Other" is from another uncommon word, an adjective which means "remaining over," "the remaining," "the rest," and "the remaining." The sense is "the left overs." It is not the Greek word that means "other."
virgins, - The Greek word translated as "virgins" means a "maiden" but today we would say "teenager." Today, we would say "teenage girls." The term relates more to age than sexual experience since it can describe a young woman who is not a virgin.
saying, - The word translated as "saying" is the most common word that means "to say," and "to speak," and it is in the form of an adjective, "saying."
Lord, Lord, - The Greek word translated as "lord," means "master," "having power," "being in authority" and "being in possession of."
open - "Open" is also an uncommon word that means "to open," "to throw open," and "to disclose."
to -- This word "to" comes from the dative case of the following word that requires the addition of a preposition in English. The most common is a "to" for the English indirect object. However, the translator can choose other prepositions: "with," "in," "of," "as," "by," "for," "at," or "on" depending on the context.
us. - "Us" is the first person plural pronoun, "we," "us" as an indirect object.
Later - This verse starts with an uncommon word translated as "afterward," which sounds pretty harmless, and it does mean both "after" and "inferior," but it is from a family of words where the verb form means "to lack" and the noun form means "shortcoming." It is not the two other common words that Jesus usually uses to say "after." The sense is something like we would say "later."
the -- The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article, without a noun, it has the sense of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those") than the English "the." See this article for more.
other - (CW) "Other" is from another uncommon word, an adjective which means "remaining over," "the remaining," "the rest," and "the remaining." The sense is "the left overs." It is not the Greek word that means "other."
missing "virgins" -- (MW) The untranslated word "virgins" means a "maiden" but today we would say "teenager." Today, we would say "teenage girls."
also -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and," but it also is used to add emphasis ("also").
came -- The word translated as "come" primarily means "to start out" but Christ usually uses it to mean "come" but not always. It indicates movement, especially its beginning, without indicating a direction toward or away from anything, so it works either as "start," "come," or "go," but it is more like our phrase "being underway." Our English word "show up" captures both the "start" and "come" ideas. See this article for more.
Lord, Lord, - The Greek word translated as "lord," means "master," "having power," "being in authority" and "being in possession of."
they -- This is from the third-person, plural form of the verb.
said, -- (WF) The untranslated word "said" is the most common word that means "to say," and "to speak," and it is in the form of an adjective, "saying."
open - "Open" is also an uncommon word that means "to open," "to throw open," and "to disclose."
the door -- (IP) There is nothing that can be translated as "the door" in the Greek source.
to -- This word "to" comes from the dative case of the following word that requires the addition of a preposition in English. The most common is a "to" for the English indirect object. However, the translator can choose other prepositions: "with," "in," "of," "as," "by," "for," "at," or "on" depending on the context.
us. - "Us" is the first person plural pronoun, "we," "us" as an indirect object.
ὕστερον [5 verses](adj sg masc acc) "Afterwards" is hysteros (husteros), which means "latter," "last," "coming after," "after" (in Time), "posterior," "inferior," and "extremely."
δὲ [446 verses](conj) "But" is from de which means "but" and "on the other hand." It is the particle that joins sentences in an adversarial way but can also be an explanation of cause ("so").
ἔρχονται [198 verses](verb 3rd pl pres ind mp) "Come" is from erchomai, which means "to start," "to set out," "to come," "to go," and any kind of motion. It means both "to go" on a journey and "to arrive" at a place.
καὶ [1089 verses](conj/adv) "Also" is from kai, which is the conjunction joining phrases and clauses, "and," or "also." After words implying sameness, "as" (the same opinion as you). Used in series, joins positive with negative "Not only...but also." Also used to give emphasis, "even," "also," and "just."
αἱ [821 verses](article pl fem nom) "The" is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the").
λοιπαὶ [6 verses] (adj pl fem nom) "Other" is loipos, which means "remaining over," "the remaining," "the rest,: "descendants," of Time, "the future," "henceforward," "hereafter," and "the remaining."
παρθένοι [3 verses](noun pl fem nom ) "Virgins" is from parthenos, which means a "maiden," "girl," "virgin," "unmarried woman who isn't a virgin," "unmarried man," and as an adjective, meaning "maiden," and "chaste."
λέγουσαι [264 verses](part pl pres act fem nom) "Saying" is from lego, which means "to recount," "to tell over," "to say," "to speak," "to teach," "to mean," "boast of," "tell of," "recite," nominate," and "command." It has a secondary meaning "pick out," "choose for oneself," "pick up," "gather," "count," and "recount." A less common word that is spelt the same means "to lay," "to lay asleep" and "to lull asleep."
Κύριε, κύριε, [92 verses](noun sg masc voc) "Lord" is from kyrios (kurios), which means "having power," "being in authority" and "being in possession of." It also means "lord," "master of the house," and "head of the family." --
ἄνοιξον [9 verses](verb 2nd sg aor imperat act) "Open" is anoigo, which means "to open," "to throw open," and "to disclose."
ἡμῖν [15 verses](pron 1st pl masc/fem dat) "Us" is from hemin, which is the first person plural dative pronoun, "to us."
"Too little, too late, however," he continued, signaling to the followers playing the foolish girls. "The left over teenage girls came."
His followers played along, approaching the imaginary door he had just pretended to close. He joined them outside the door.
"And called, 'Lord, Lord, open for us!" he pleaded in his best teenage girl voice.
All his followers laughed both at the voice and at the reference to some of the lines from the standard sermon.