A Different Look at the Parable of the 10 Virgins
Matt. 25:1-13
A person inquired of me…”In the 10 virgin parable why are there 10 and why 5 who make it to the marriage supper, are they all betrothed? If the oil is the HS then 5 had none no HS. So not saved. What exactly is this kingdom of heaven?”
There are four topics in this loaded question. The last, “What exactly is the kingdom of heaven?” is too involved for this study. The first, “why are there ten?” I don’t believe there is any special significance other than to, at best, have easy to learn numbers, to remember this parable by or, at worst, to show that towards the end only half who consider themselves Christians will be considered worthy enough for the kingdom of heaven.
The second question, “are they all betrothed?” Is an easy one to answer, none of them are betrothed because they are attendants to the bride and in no way should be considered the bride. Which leads us to the fourth question, “If the oil is the HS then 5 had none no HS, so not saved??” This question will be the focal point of this study. First, we need to rid ourselves of the notion that the oil represents the Holy Spirit. The text itself shows that it is not. In vs.9 the wise virgins tell the foolish to go “buy” more oil. Can we buy ourselves some of the Holy Spirit? Nope! In vs.11 it is implied that they had bought their “oil/HS” and were prepared to enter but even with the supposed HS? they couldn’t get in! One of the main keys to understanding this parable is the last verse, imo. Vs. 13 - “Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.”
If the oil isn’t the HS, what is it? That’s the wrong question. I believe the question should be, is the oil the focal point of this object lesson or could it be something else? I believe we are looking in the wrong direction. Let’s look at vs. 7 - “Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.” The word “trimmed” here implies to “keep in order”. Another way it could be said is; that upon hearing that the bridegroom is coming the five wise virgins got themselves ready so they wouldn’t fall short. The five foolish virgins failed to adequately prepare themselves. What the main point here, is the “light” that the lamp full of oil represents. Consider Luke 12:35 (AMP) - “Be dressed and ready for active service, and keep your lamps continuously burning.”
The “light” that our burning lamps give out is the result of our FAITH! Consider these verses: Prov. 13:9 - “The light of the righteous rejoiceth: but the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.”Matt. 5:16 - “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Luke 11:35-36 - “Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness. 36 If thy whole body therefore be full of light, having no part dark, the whole shall be full of light, as when the bright shining of a candle doth give thee light.”
I think the parable of the soils could be in mind here. Matt. 13:19-23. The five wise virgins would be considered these: vs. 23 - “But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”
The five foolish virgins could be considered these: vs. 22 - “He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.”
Are there other verses which seem to agree w/ this view? I can think of some. Rom. 1:17 - “For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.” Heb. 10:37-38 - “For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. 38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.” 1Pet. 1:7 - “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.”
The 5 foolish virgins went to the wrong place to get what was needed to bolster their faith. Rev. 3:18 - “I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.”
The kingdom is offered to those who put God’s will before their own self interest. Unless we have child-like faith and a dependency on our Savior for every single minute aspect of our lives we risk losing out. Rom. 13:11-12 - “And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. 12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.”
We need to ask ourselves, in what effort of service will He find us on his return?
Lk. 12:35, 37a, 40 - “Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning;…Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching…Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.”
Matt. 25:1-13
A person inquired of me…”In the 10 virgin parable why are there 10 and why 5 who make it to the marriage supper, are they all betrothed? If the oil is the HS then 5 had none no HS. So not saved. What exactly is this kingdom of heaven?”
There are four topics in this loaded question. The last, “What exactly is the kingdom of heaven?” is too involved for this study. The first, “why are there ten?” I don’t believe there is any special significance other than to, at best, have easy to learn numbers, to remember this parable by or, at worst, to show that towards the end only half who consider themselves Christians will be considered worthy enough for the kingdom of heaven.
The second question, “are they all betrothed?” Is an easy one to answer, none of them are betrothed because they are attendants to the bride and in no way should be considered the bride. Which leads us to the fourth question, “If the oil is the HS then 5 had none no HS, so not saved??” This question will be the focal point of this study. First, we need to rid ourselves of the notion that the oil represents the Holy Spirit. The text itself shows that it is not. In vs.9 the wise virgins tell the foolish to go “buy” more oil. Can we buy ourselves some of the Holy Spirit? Nope! In vs.11 it is implied that they had bought their “oil/HS” and were prepared to enter but even with the supposed HS? they couldn’t get in! One of the main keys to understanding this parable is the last verse, imo. Vs. 13 - “Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.”
If the oil isn’t the HS, what is it? That’s the wrong question. I believe the question should be, is the oil the focal point of this object lesson or could it be something else? I believe we are looking in the wrong direction. Let’s look at vs. 7 - “Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.” The word “trimmed” here implies to “keep in order”. Another way it could be said is; that upon hearing that the bridegroom is coming the five wise virgins got themselves ready so they wouldn’t fall short. The five foolish virgins failed to adequately prepare themselves. What the main point here, is the “light” that the lamp full of oil represents. Consider Luke 12:35 (AMP) - “Be dressed and ready for active service, and keep your lamps continuously burning.”
The “light” that our burning lamps give out is the result of our FAITH! Consider these verses: Prov. 13:9 - “The light of the righteous rejoiceth: but the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.”Matt. 5:16 - “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Luke 11:35-36 - “Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness. 36 If thy whole body therefore be full of light, having no part dark, the whole shall be full of light, as when the bright shining of a candle doth give thee light.”
I think the parable of the soils could be in mind here. Matt. 13:19-23. The five wise virgins would be considered these: vs. 23 - “But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”
The five foolish virgins could be considered these: vs. 22 - “He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.”
Are there other verses which seem to agree w/ this view? I can think of some. Rom. 1:17 - “For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.” Heb. 10:37-38 - “For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. 38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.” 1Pet. 1:7 - “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.”
The 5 foolish virgins went to the wrong place to get what was needed to bolster their faith. Rev. 3:18 - “I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.”
The kingdom is offered to those who put God’s will before their own self interest. Unless we have child-like faith and a dependency on our Savior for every single minute aspect of our lives we risk losing out. Rom. 13:11-12 - “And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. 12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.”
We need to ask ourselves, in what effort of service will He find us on his return?
Lk. 12:35, 37a, 40 - “Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning;…Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching…Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.”
