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.
Commentary
Vs. 1 “Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.”
In preparing His people for His Return, the Lord Jesus Christ now likens the Kingdom of heaven to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet their bridegroom. Now this analogy needs some explaining, since in Jesus’ times it was a common practice that the bridegroom would take his bride to his own home, which often occurred at night, and so the bride’s friends upon hearing the announcement that the bridegroom was coming would go out and light the pathway that led to his home before entering it with them for the grand marriage supper meal. That is the backdrop to the Lord Jesus parable here. And so, the Lord Jesus likens His own return and marriage supper with His bride the church to this. Something that takes place at the end of the tribulation period, and so the ten virgins here likely represent those Jews of the Tribulation period, though like with all of Jesus’ parables only applying them to one people group, or one era, seems short-sighted since there are truths within each of them that are timeless and limitless.
Vs. 2-5 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.
Now as the Lord Jesus tells His parable five of the virgins were wise and five were foolish, the wise virgins took oil for their lamps, while the foolish ones did not. Now it is commonly held that the oil here symbolizes the Holy Spirit that each and every true believer receives at the time of their regeneration or rebirth which happens the moment one believes (Titus 3:4-7). Therefore, five of these virgins are truly people of God, while five are only professing believers, that is they have never come to the place of believing and receiving the Lord Jesus Christ for themselves (Rom. 10:9-10, 13). Now there can be many reasons for this, but it may be that they are still trying to earn God’s salvation for themselves, by doing good or trying to keep all of God’s commandments, which no one can do (Gal. 3:10-14). Therefore the only way to have God’s salvation is to first admit ones own helplessness to God; that one cannot save or redeem themselves, from all that they have done or not done; all which then opens the door of the grace of God to them, and thus salvation by in faith In the Lord Jesus Christ through God’s grace alone which brings the Holy Spirit, not by trying to emulate Him and His works, but by believing in the Lord Jesus Christ Crucified and Risen from the dead (Rom.4:4-5 10:3-4, 9-10, 13; Gal. 2:16, 19-21, 3:2-3; Eph. 2:8-9; Heb. 4:9-11, vs. 10). That is how one is saved from all their sins and transgressions, and thus receives the Holy Spirit, who not only regenerates them, but He also seals us for all eternity (Eph.1:13-14). Therefore, retuning to the parable, five of the virgins took oil for their lamps, that is they were prepared for the bridegroom’s arrival, while five did not, and so while the bridegroom was delayed they all slumbered and slept (which figuratively represents the time between the Lord’s first and second coming; gleaned from BBC).
Vs. 6-9 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.’
Now at midnight a cry was heard that the bridegroom was coming, and so immediately the ten virgins went out to meet him (vs. 6). Having done so they all trimmed their lamps (vs. 7). However, as the Lord Jesus notes in His parable the five foolish virgins’ lamps soon ran out of oil; which figuratively maybe indicating that their zeal and passion for the Lord was running out; because no one can sustain themselves in the faith apart from Holy Spirit regeneration, and thus by His gifting and enabling. Therefore, the foolish virgins seeing that their lamps were dimming and going out asked the wise virgins for some of their oil (vs. 8). However, as the Lord Jesus notes: 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.’ Vs. 9 Now what the wise said there is true in the Spiritual realm, for I cannot give you any of the Holy Spirit that was given by God’s grace to me, just as you cannot give any of your spirit to me. You must go to Him who has the Spirit and who gives freely to all who ask Him, while it is day, and not wait until it is night (Luke 11:13).
Vs. 10-13 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.
Scripture Quotations:
Commentary
Vs. 1 “Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.”
In preparing His people for His Return, the Lord Jesus Christ now likens the Kingdom of heaven to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet their bridegroom. Now this analogy needs some explaining, since in Jesus’ times it was a common practice that the bridegroom would take his bride to his own home, which often occurred at night, and so the bride’s friends upon hearing the announcement that the bridegroom was coming would go out and light the pathway that led to his home before entering it with them for the grand marriage supper meal. That is the backdrop to the Lord Jesus parable here. And so, the Lord Jesus likens His own return and marriage supper with His bride the church to this. Something that takes place at the end of the tribulation period, and so the ten virgins here likely represent those Jews of the Tribulation period, though like with all of Jesus’ parables only applying them to one people group, or one era, seems short-sighted since there are truths within each of them that are timeless and limitless.
Vs. 2-5 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.
Now as the Lord Jesus tells His parable five of the virgins were wise and five were foolish, the wise virgins took oil for their lamps, while the foolish ones did not. Now it is commonly held that the oil here symbolizes the Holy Spirit that each and every true believer receives at the time of their regeneration or rebirth which happens the moment one believes (Titus 3:4-7). Therefore, five of these virgins are truly people of God, while five are only professing believers, that is they have never come to the place of believing and receiving the Lord Jesus Christ for themselves (Rom. 10:9-10, 13). Now there can be many reasons for this, but it may be that they are still trying to earn God’s salvation for themselves, by doing good or trying to keep all of God’s commandments, which no one can do (Gal. 3:10-14). Therefore the only way to have God’s salvation is to first admit ones own helplessness to God; that one cannot save or redeem themselves, from all that they have done or not done; all which then opens the door of the grace of God to them, and thus salvation by in faith In the Lord Jesus Christ through God’s grace alone which brings the Holy Spirit, not by trying to emulate Him and His works, but by believing in the Lord Jesus Christ Crucified and Risen from the dead (Rom.4:4-5 10:3-4, 9-10, 13; Gal. 2:16, 19-21, 3:2-3; Eph. 2:8-9; Heb. 4:9-11, vs. 10). That is how one is saved from all their sins and transgressions, and thus receives the Holy Spirit, who not only regenerates them, but He also seals us for all eternity (Eph.1:13-14). Therefore, retuning to the parable, five of the virgins took oil for their lamps, that is they were prepared for the bridegroom’s arrival, while five did not, and so while the bridegroom was delayed they all slumbered and slept (which figuratively represents the time between the Lord’s first and second coming; gleaned from BBC).
Vs. 6-9 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.’
Now at midnight a cry was heard that the bridegroom was coming, and so immediately the ten virgins went out to meet him (vs. 6). Having done so they all trimmed their lamps (vs. 7). However, as the Lord Jesus notes in His parable the five foolish virgins’ lamps soon ran out of oil; which figuratively maybe indicating that their zeal and passion for the Lord was running out; because no one can sustain themselves in the faith apart from Holy Spirit regeneration, and thus by His gifting and enabling. Therefore, the foolish virgins seeing that their lamps were dimming and going out asked the wise virgins for some of their oil (vs. 8). However, as the Lord Jesus notes: 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.’ Vs. 9 Now what the wise said there is true in the Spiritual realm, for I cannot give you any of the Holy Spirit that was given by God’s grace to me, just as you cannot give any of your spirit to me. You must go to Him who has the Spirit and who gives freely to all who ask Him, while it is day, and not wait until it is night (Luke 11:13).
Vs. 10-13 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.
And so it is that while the five foolish
virgins went to buy oil for their lamps, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut (vs. 10). Which
means at that time of Christ’s Return the door of salvation and redemption will
be closed forever. Now those who went to buy oil also came saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to
us!’ 12 But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say
to you, I do not know you.’ Therefore, the Lord Jesus concludes His
parable by saying to us all, “Watch
therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is
coming.”
The New King James Version. (1982). Nashville: Thomas Nelson
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