Parable Of The Ten Virgins Series

-Tuesday-

Mount of Olives

(13) Olivet Discourse

Scriptures: Matthew 25:1-13

Part 13.1: Parable of the Ten Virgins

Parable of the Ten Virgins

1 “Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.

2 “Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish.

3 “Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them,

4 “but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.

5 “But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.

6 “And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’

7 “Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps.

8 “And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’

9 “But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’

10 “And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.

11 “Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’

12 “But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’

13 “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.

Introduction

The Parable of the Ten Virgins explains the place of Israel’s true converts during the Tribulation Period in relation to the church. These virgins are the attendants at the wedding, not multiple brides. The one bride of Christ is the church, John the Baptist is the best man ([1]Jn 3:29, friend of the Bridegroom) and the prepared virgins are the saved of the Tribulation Period. The number five in each group does not necessarily indicate that half of humanity will be saved but that there are two types of people. The lamps seem to refer to their lives which are either prepared or unprepared. The oil refers to the One who prepares them to give forth light and may rightly be illustrative of the regeneration of the Holy Spirit. The fact that they all slept while the bridegroom tarried implies a period of Jewish inactivity during the Church Age, while the Bride is gathered. Foolish means “stupid,” and is the designation for those who are carelessly unprepared. They had no oil at all, not an insufficient amount. The refusal of the five prepared virgins to share with those who were unprepared must not be taken as cruelty. If the oil represents personal possession of the Holy Spirit, He cannot be shared but must regenerate each person individually. Thus, the Lord responds, “Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.” (vs. 12), which is indicative of Matthew 7:23--“And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!”. False profession will save no one and only brings the final judgment of Christ upon the unsaved. Note, this parable is found only in Matthew.

Commentary

1 “Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.

The first word, then, referring back to chapter 24, clearly places this parable in the time preceding and during the King’s return to earth. Jesus likens the kingdom of heaven at that time to ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom.

Some of Christ’s parables show us what it is like now in the present church age. This parable tells us what it will be like, when our Lord returns to establish His earthly kingdom. Christ’s attitude and actions, towards the ready and the unready on this great day, may be illustrated by this parable. Those who profess to be Christians at this time are likened to these ten virgins.

Here, our Lord uses a marriage ceremony for His illustration. It was a [TL1]custom among the Jews on the occasion of a wedding that the bridegroom accompanied by his friends came to the house of the bride, late in the night. She expected him, and when she saw him, she would tell her bride-maids to go out with lamps in their hands, to light the path to the house, where there was a joyful celebration for the couple uniting in marriage. And some think that on these occasions they usually had ten virgins; for the Jews never held a synagogue service, circumcised, kept the Passover, or contracted marriage, unless at least ten persons were always present. For example: Boaz, when he married Ruth, had ten witnesses, Ruth 4:2.

Now, in this parable:

1. The Bridegroom is our Lord Jesus Christ. The parable shows His great love for His spouse the church. Believers are now betrothed to Christ ([2]Hos. 2:19); but the formalizing of the marriage is reserved for the great day, when the bride, the Lamb’s wife, will have made herself completely ready, [3]Rev. 19:7, 9.