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The understanding of this parable is dependent on the understanding of the Olivet Discourse in Matthew 24. If Jesus' teachings in that discourse are misunderstood, then this parable becomes confusing. Therefore, it is necessary that this parable be interpretated correctly in light of His teaching in Matthew 24.
A Bible teaching DVD is now available which will guide you into the correct understanding of this parable.
The seven Kingdom of Heaven Parables told by our Lord in Matthew chapter 13 describe the characteristics of the "Mystery Kingdom" (The Church) after our Lord returns to heaven. Although the Church is the "Body" of Christ, it will depart from the one "Body" of Faith and fracture into seven recognizable and distinguishable groups of Believers. These seven Churches are all included and make up the body of Christ even with their imperfections. Just as our own human body suffers from imperfections, the Body of Christ suffers from imperfection. Fortunately the Head of the Church, Jesus Christ, remains completely perfect and righteous, and holy. Because the Head is perfect, He is in a position to properly diagnosis the condition of HIS body, the Church. That is what the seven Churches of Revelation are all about.
Now we come to an overview of the Church represented as one group of virgins who await the return of the Bridegroom. The imperfections of the Church are set aside and now the focus is on the Church as one group made up of 10 virgins. We shall examine this particular passage and determine the message that our Lord has for us - - -
MATTHEW 25
1 "Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.
The Kingdom of Heaven that He is referring to here is the "Church". The Lamps they have in their possession refers to the "Word of God". All 10 virgins are in possession of the Word of God. Why are the ten Virgins paralleled with "Christians" in the Church? Actually, the number 5 and the number 10 are indicating two separate issues. But with respect to the lamps, ...
Ps 119:105
Thy WORD is a LAMP unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
Pr 6:23
For the COMMANDMENT is a LAMP; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:
The fact that they are going out to MEET the Bridegroom is talking about prophecy. The Church throughout history since the time our Lord left this earth has studied prophecy and particularly the events that preclude the coming again of Jesus.
1 Th 4
15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the COMING of the
Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump
of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to MEET the Lord in
the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord
2 "Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
Now, distinction is made between the Virgins. Notice that this distinction is both and OUTWARD and an INWARD distinction. The INWARD distinction here denotes that five are saved, and five are lost. Five Virgins are indeed "Born Again" while the other five are not. However, the OUTWARD distinction is generally the more obvious, but is not understood in this parable. Matthew 24 makes it clear as to what the OUTWARD distinction is.
The number "FIVE" is somewhat unique to the nation Israel and generally refers to the Jews. There were five loaves, fed the five thousand, five times Paul was beaten by the Jews, and the Samaritan woman had five husbands. Numbers in scripture have a significance but it is difficult to say that any particular number equals such and such, but generally a correlation can be made.
Although, Jesus is speaking of the Church, the parallel with the number five mentioned here is that Jesus is of course speaking to Jews only at this particular time.
Pr 3: 35
The WISE shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of FOOLS.
This is key to understanding the parable. The Church, the body of Christ, consists of both Believers and Unbelievers. We are not able to make a distinction between the two. Our judgment of fellow Believers is based purely on works and works alone. We are unable to judge the heart. However, Jesus makes the distinction and it is not revealed unto us who is saved and who is lost. The 10 Virgins all appear to be "Born Again" among themselves.
The Parable of the Wheat and Tares in Matthew 13 makes this point very clear.
The five Wise are "TRUE CHRISTIANS" and the five Foolish are "PROFESSING CHRISTIANS". The key is the word "Foolish" where it is used to refer to an Unsaved individual. The Old Testament uses the word extensively to refer to the "Unrighteous" (Unsaved).
Psalms 14:1
The FOOL has said in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, They have done abominable works, There is none who does good.
The New Testament also refers to the Unsaved as Fools - - -
Luke 12:20
"But God said to him, "FOOL! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?"
3 "Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them,
The unsaved have the "Word of God" abiding in themselves, but they do not have the "Spirit of God" to illuminate that Word.
The lack of oil refers to the Foolish Virgins who do not have the Holy Spirit. If you follow the parable closely, you will notice that although all 10 Virgins had lamps, the 5 Wise Virgins had OIL, while the five foolish Virgins -
- - - NEVER NEVER NEVER HAD OIL ! ! ! - - -
4 "but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
We can be assured that the Foolish Virgins took NO OIL in their vessels. The saved have both the Word of God abiding in themselves along with the Holy Spirit.
The wise also refers to the saved. The wise man built his house upon the rock, the foolish man built his house upon the sand. In the Old Testament - - -
5 "But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.
The point that He is making here is that during the past 2000 years or so, the Church has studied Bible prophecy and proclaimed the coming again of our Lord. However, Prophecy has not been Top Priority within the Church. The concern has been more about living the Christian life, doing the work of ministry, preaching the Gospel, etc. The fact that they are sleeping is simply comparing the Prophetic message that the coming of the Lord is near in relation with other Church duties. Otherwise, the Church at large has been about the Lord's business of preaching the Gospel, equipping the Saints, etc.
This passage also carries the idea that all Christians have since passed away (slept) since the announcement was first made that Jesus is coming again.
6 "And at midnight a cry was heard: "Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!"
Who makes this cry? The saved or the unsaved? Is this cry appropriate? What is the significance of this cry?
Even the unsaved man on the street is asking question regarding the time of the end as he sees the things happening on the earth and is aware that man has for the first time in history, the capability to destroy ourselves with the Atomic bomb.
7 "Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps.
The trimming of the lamps has to do with rightly dividing the Word of God to place prophecy in proper perspective with today's events. Christians(both wheat and tares) in this time period are preaching of His impending return to earth because of Israel and Bible prophecy. Many old prophetic bible teachings which have been historically accepted by the Church over the past several hundred years are now being reviewed and revised accordingly. Just to cite one example - - -
Zech 14:12
And this shall be the plague with which the LORD will strike all the people who fought against Jerusalem: Their flesh shall dissolve while they stand on their feet, Their eyes shall dissolve in their sockets, And their tongues shall dissolve in their mouths. .
Only in the past 60 years has it been possible for this prophecy to be literally fulfilled with the advent of nuclear weapons. The neutron bomb could fulfill this prophecy to the letter as it destroys all flesh but does not harm material items. Even the average homeowners microwave oven of today can mechanically fulfill "the effect" of the above prophecy on a very small basis.
8 "And the foolish said to the wise, "Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out."
How do the foolish know that their lamps are going out and how do they know that they need oil? This is one of the great mysteries of this parable. The unsaved Foolish Virgins are void of the Holy Spirit and always have been. They are therefore incapable of rightly dividing scripture in any capacity, much more in the area of Bible prophecy which requires devoted study and prayer. Are the Foolish Virgins capitalizing on the work and message of the Wise Virgins to propagate prophetic teaching?
1 Cor 2:11
For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one KNOWS the things of God except the SPIRIT of GOD.
It is natural to assume from this verse that the 5 Foolish Virgins had Oil in their lamps to start with. However, the parable DOES NOT declare this.
The lamps refer to THE WORD OF GOD, The oil refers to the HOLY SPIRIT.
The light that the 5 Foolish Virgins had was only obtained by the LIGHT from the lamps of the 5 Wise Virgins. The 5 Foolish Virgins had lamps but no oil in their vessels at any time. As the Bridegroom approaches, the separation becomes greater between the two groups.
Luke 8:16
"No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a vessel or puts it under a bed, but sets it on a lampstand, that
THOSE WHO ENTER MAY SEE THE LIGHT.
The 5 Foolish Virgins were WALKING IN THE LIGHT of the 5 Wise Virgins ! ! !
The 5 Foolish Virgins now realize that darkness is overtaking them as the 5 Wise Virgins are departing to meet the Bridegroom. They can no longer partake and share in the LIGHT that was emanating from the lamps of the 5 Wise Virgins. It has happened to them according the scripture - - -
Luke 11
34 "The lamp of the body is the eye. Therefore, when your eye is good, your whole body also is full of light. But when your EYE IS BAD,
YOUR BODY ALSO IS FULL OF DARKNESS.
35 "Therefore take heed that the LIGHT WHICH IS IN YOU IS NOT DARKNESS. ! ! !
John 8:12
Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world.
HE WHO FOLLOWS ME SHALL NOT WALK IN DARKNESS, BUT HAVE THE
LIGHT OF LIFE."
This verse rounds out the parable and completes the sense. However, since their lamps are going out and they are requesting oil may refer to their confusion over the prophetic significance of God's Word. Since they have no oil or light of their own, the stage is being set for Christ's soon return. The tares are having difficulty discerning prophetic truths and now rely more on the wheat to provide the light (insight) into these meanings.
The Old Testament confirms this idea - - -
Ps 119:130
The ENTRANCE OF YOUR WORDS GIVES LIGHT; It gives UNDERSTANDING to the simple.
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."
The Wise are not being stingy here or unconcerned. The parallel is that the 5 Wise Virgins are stating that the way to obtain light is to "Believe the Gospel". They cannot do it for them. That is why the Wise cannot share their oil. Salvation cannot be shared from one Believer to another Unbeliever. All must accept the FREE GIFT of Salvation from Jesus Christ. No one but Jesus can offer this OIL.
Rom 14
11 For it is written: "As I live, says the LORD, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God."
12 So then - - - EACH OF US SHALL GIVE ACCOUNT OF HIMSELF TO GOD
Now the contrast here is that Believers are not going to adopt ANY prophetic teaching which the unsaved are generating. The Unbelievers can only sell their unsound prophetic messages to other unsaved individuals in the Church.
Similarly, the wheat are not able to communicate or share the prophetic truths of God's Word with the tares. Near the end of the age, a FEW prophetic truths are being fulfilled, but the PRE-REQUISITES for many yet to be fulfilled prophecies are in place. In terms of understanding God's Word the gap between wheat and tares is appearing more obvious as the Coming of the Lord (The Bridegroom) draws near.
The end time prophetic "Pre-requisites" which are happening in the world and to the world are actually confusing to the Unsaved Professing Christians (the Foolish). The Wise have the light of life inside to illuminate their way, and although concerned about impending judgment of God upon all the unsaved inhabitants of the earth,, they have clarity of thought and faith without fear. The Foolish are actually trembling on the inside over these events.
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.
Now the parable is describing that the 5 Wise Virgins are ready to meet the Lord, while the 5 foolish Virgins are ABSENT at the coming of the Lord. This event in the parable more closely describes the Rapture which occurs to end the "Church Age". The destruction of the wicked (unsaved) does not occur at this time but will occur later. There is no mention of the destruction of the foolish Virgins here, only that they are ABSENT at the coming of the Lord.
The foolish virgins, the tares, were not ready. They had no oil to start with and they have no oil when the Bridegroom returns.
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."
The conclusion of this parable is a one-for-one parallel to what Jesus said in the Gospel of Luke - -
Luke 13
25 "When once the Master of the house has risen up and SHUT THE DOOR, and you begin to stand outside and
knock at the door, saying, "Lord, Lord, open for us," and He will answer and say to you, "I DO NOT KNOW
YOU, where you are from,"
26 "then you will begin to say, "We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets."
27 "But He will say, "I tell you I DO NOT KNOW YOU, where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of
iniquity."
28 "There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets
in the kingdom of God, and yourselves thrust out.
This passage in Luke is applicable to every Unsaved Professing Christian. It clarifies that the wheat and tares were both "EATING and DRINKING" that is, partaking of God's Word and following works of righteousness. This conduct is based on the Word of God, which is portrayed in the parable as the "Lamps".
The remainder of the parable is a picture showing that the five foolish virgins were NOT READY for the coming of the Lord just as the tares in the Church will not be ready when He comes again. The parable is simple because the analogy between the wheat and tares is told upfront at the very beginning of the parable. On earth, it is not obvious in the Church who the "tares" are and who the "wheat" are.
The above passage is speaking to Believers who are in the Church and reveals the overall scenario of the situation that will exist near the completion of this age. The above passage also speaks and warns Unbelievers in the Church characterized by the 5 foolish Virgins that they are NOT READY.
(Comment: The above passage in Luke must not be mixed with the passage in Matthew 7:21-23 where Jesus is speaking to Unbelievers who have committed Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit (The Unpardonable Sin).)
13 "Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.
The word "Watch" simply means "HEAR and BE SAVED" You will find this to be true throughout the Gospel accounts in Matthew, Mark, and Luke.
The appeal is made to the five foolish Virgins who exist in the Church to come to repentance and be saved and thus be transformed into Wise Virgins by the "New Birth".. This appeal is found in ALL seven messages to the Seven Churches of Revelation Chapters 2 and 3, for example - - -
Rev 2:7
"He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him (Foolish Virgin) who overcomes (Wise Virgin-Now Watching) I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God."
This particular parable teaches many things, but most notably - - -
Our Lord said in the Gospel of John - - -
John 3:5
Jesus answered, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of WATER and the SPIRIT, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
The foolish Virgins in the Church are immersed in Water, that is the Word of God, but are not born of the Spirit. They have simply come out of the land of Egypt so to speak, but had not entered the promised land. Peter speaks of false teachers in a similar manner - -
2 Pet 2:20
For if, after they (UNSAVED) have escaped the pollutions of the world through the KNOWLEDGE of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning.
Many parables are confusing to Bible Students because they fail to take into account that some characters who are called by the same name, e.g. Servants, address BOTH Believers and Unbelievers. The same is true in the Church while it remains on earth where ALL are called "Christians". The Unbelievers, Hypocrites, False Teachers, and Foolish Virgins in the Church have contaminated the name "CHRISTIAN" which the Believers wear. However, this problem will be resolved after His coming, for we shall ALL be called by a "New Name".
Rev 2:17
"He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a NEW NAME written which no one knows except him who receives it."
The Five Foolish Virgins Were Not Ready _ _ _ ARE YOU READY ?
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