The Parable of the Ten Virgins
Matthew 25:1-13
1"At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2Five of them were foolish and five were wise. 3The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. 4The wise, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. 5The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
6"At midnight the cry rang out: 'Here's the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!'
7"Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. 8The foolish ones said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.'
9" 'No,' they replied, 'there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.'
10"But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.
11"Later the others also came. 'Sir! Sir!' they said. 'Open the door for us!'
12"But he replied, 'I tell you the truth, I don't know you.'
13"Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.
(Message)
See v1.
1"At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.
Here, ‘ten virgins’ are bridesmaids. Bride does not appear in the parable but bridegroom and bridesmaids do.
The imagery of the parable accurately reflects typical customs of first-century Palestinian wedding festivities. A welcoming processional escorts the newly married couple from the bride’s home to a great banquet at the bridegroom’s home, some unspecified time after the legal nuptials have been exchanged. Torches light the way in the darkness, so all the bridesmaids have to take enough oil to keep them burning for as long as might be necessary. (Blomberg, 1992)
"took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom” supplies a key to the parable to illustrate the vigilant and expectant attitude of faith in respect of which believers are described as “those who are waiting for him” (Hebrew 9:28) and “all who have longed for his appearing” (2 Timothy 4:8). (Jamieson, R., Fausset, A.r., & Brown, D., 1997)
See v2.
2Five of them were foolish and five were wise.
Note that they are not distinguished into “good” and “bad” but into “wise” and “foolish” just as in Matthew 7:25-27 those who built their house for eternity are distinguished into “wise” and “foolish builders”; because in both cases a certain degree of goodwill towards the truth is assumed. It is not certain why the equal number of virgins are in both classes but it warns us how large a portion of those who, up to the last, so nearly resemble those that love Christ’s appearing will be disowned by Him when He comes. (Jamieson, R., Fausset, A.r., & Brown, D., 1997)
See v3 and v4.
3The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. 4The wise, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps.
These lighted lamps and this advance a certain way in company with the wise, must denote that Christian profession which is common to all who bear the Christian name; while the insufficiency of this without something else, of which they never possessed themselves, shows that “the foolish” mean those who, with all that is common to them with real Christians, lack the essential preparation for meeting Christ. Then, since the wisdom of “the wise” consisted in their taking with their lamps a supply of oil in their vessels, keeping their lamps burning till the Bridegroom came, and so fitting them to go in with Him to the marriage, this supply of oil must mean that inward reality of grace which alone will stand when He appears. This inward grace is here set forth by the familiar symbol of oil, by which the Spirit of all grace is so constantly represented in Scripture. This supply of oil, then, representing that inward grace which distinguishes the wise, must denote, more particularly, that “supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,” which, as it is the source of the new spiritual life at the first, is the secret of its enduring character. Everything short of this may be possessed by “the foolish”; while it is the possession of this that makes “the wise” to be “ready” when the Bridegroom appears, and fit to “go in with Him to the marriage.” (Jamieson, R., Fausset, A.r., & Brown, D., 1997)
See v5a.
The bridegroom was a long time in coming,
Peter said of the ascended Savior, “Heaven must receive him until the time comes for God to restore everything”(Acts 3:21). Christ is a long time in coming, among other reasons, to try the faith and patience of His people. (Jamieson, R., Fausset, A.r., & Brown, D., 1997)
See v5b.
and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
The wise as well as the foolish became drowsy and fell asleep. The world “drowsy” signifies, simply, “nodded,” or, “became sleepy”; while the word “fell asleep” is the usual word for lying down to sleep, denoting two stages of spiritual declension—first, that half-involuntary slowness or drowsiness which is apt to steal over one who falls into inactivity; and then a conscious, deliberate yielding to it, after a little vain resistance. Such was the state alike of the wise and the foolish virgins, even till the cry of the Bridegroom’s approach awoke them. (Jamieson, R., Fausset, A.r., & Brown, D., 1997)
See v6.
6"At midnight the cry rang out: 'Here's the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!'
The Bridegroom arrived at midnight. This is an unexpected time. 1 Thessalonians 5:2 says
2 for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.
See v7.
7"Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps.
The foolish and wise virgins seem the same, almost to the moment of decision! The foolish also had oil enough in their lamps to keep them burning up to this moment. Their folly consisted in not making provision against its exhaustion, by taking with their lamp an extra jar of oil to fill up the lamp again from time to time, and so have it burning until the Bridegroom should come. The difference in the wise virgins is interpreted as the possession of an enduring principle of spiritual life. (Jamieson, R., Fausset, A.r., & Brown, D., 1997)
See v8.
8The foolish ones said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.'
Now they have discovered not only their own folly but also the wisdom of the other class. (Jamieson, R., Fausset, A.r., & Brown, D., 1997)
See v9.
9" 'No,' they replied, 'there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.'
It teaches that men may get salvation even after they are supposed and required to have it already gotten. And the parable implies that the oil can’t be shared but it should be obtained only in the legitimate way by ‘buying’ from the sellers. (Jamieson, R., Fausset, A.r., & Brown, D., 1997)
If someone gives you something for free, you may ignore or lose it if you don’t recognize its value and necessity. But if you find it valuable and necessary, you will not ignore or lose it after getting it. So ‘buying’ means you get something with the acknowledgement that you need and value it even if it is free. So the following verses in the Bible mention ‘buying (for free)’ in this reason.
‘Come, all you who are thirsty,
come to the waters;
and you who have no money,
come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
without money and without cost. (Isaiah 55:1)
18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so that you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so that you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so that you can see. (Revelation 3:18)
23 Buy the truth and do not sell it—
wisdom, instruction and insight as well. (Proverbs 23:23)
44 ‘The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.
45 ‘Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. 46 When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it. (Matthew 13:44,45)
See v10.
10"But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.
They are sensible of their past folly; they have taken good advice: they are in the act of getting what alone they lacked: a very little more, and they also are ready. But the Bridegroom comes; the ready are admitted; “the door is shut,” and they are undone. How graphic and appalling this picture of one almost saved—but lost! (Jamieson, R., Fausset, A.r., & Brown, D., 1997)
See v11-12.
11"Later the others also came. 'Sir! Sir!' they said. 'Open the door for us!'
12"But he replied, 'I tell you the truth, I don't know you.'
Relevant verses are in Matthew 7:21-23 as below:
21 ‘Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?” 23 Then I will tell them plainly, “I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!”
See v13.
13"Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.
The admonition to be constantly watching should not mislead us to lay the final stress on v5 and to make that nodding and sleeping the fatal thing against which Jesus warns. The pivotal words of the parable are “foolish” and “sensible,” and these two center in the “oil” (grace). This verse is really an epilog. It emphasizes our utter ignorance of the day and of the hour of Christ’s final coming (Matthew 24:36). This is why we must constantly be watching. Our watching means that we must constantly look to ourselves, to be ever ready, to be ever rich in grace so that, when the day and the hour arrive, there may be no question as to our being received. (Lenski, 1961)
Bibliography
Blomberg, C. (1992). The New American Commentary: Matthew (Vol. 22, p. 369). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
Jamieson, R., Fausset, A.r., & Brown, D. (1997). Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (Vol. 2). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
Lenski, R. H. (1961). The Interpretation of St. Matthew's Gospel (pp. 970-971). Mineapolis MN: Augsburg Publishing House.
