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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
The Parable of the Ten Virgins.
The delay of the bridegroom:
v. 1. Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.
v. 2. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
v. 3. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them;
v. 4. but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
v. 5. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
This parable is connected very closely with the preceding admonitions of the Lord, urging watchfulness and faithfulness, faith and love. The nearer the time of His departure, the more earnestly He strove to impress upon His disciples the need of the Christian virtues which are necessary for a living, active Christianity. "Therefore this parable, to summarize, does not indicate anything else than that we should watch and not be too secure, since we do not know when the day of the Lord is coming. For all of it is spoken against our carelessness, the accusation being that we are far too secure, and always think; There is no danger, the last day is not coming for a long time. Against this Christ and the apostles cry out, bidding us take heed for that day, watch, and be in lasting fear, lest it find us unprepared. Therefore those that watch will receive the Lord with His grace, those that are secure will find Him a merciless Judge. " Ten virgins are mentioned in the parable, not with any special significance, but as a round number. The number of virgins of the bride-chamber varied in Oriental weddings, being largely determined by the wealth of the parents. The wedding-feast evidently was to be held at the home of the bride, late in the evening, according to Jewish custom, and the bridegroom was expected any minute with his friends. So the ten virgins fared forth in festal array to meet the bridegroom and to accompany him to his destination. All of them took their lamps, small, saucer-shaped vessels with a cover; in the middle of which was a small hole for pouring in the oil and for providing air; at one side a spout protruded and the wick came out through this. Such a lamp would not contain enough oil to burn all night, so that to carry it to a prolonged wedding-feast without an extra supply of oil was a strong example of improvidence. The wise virgins, that were thoughtful and used foresight, took an additional supply of oil with them in vessels provided for that purpose; the foolish and improvident, that refused to heed the necessity, took their lamps only. "When the Kingdom is preached, these are the results: Some receive it with all their heart and are serious about it, believe the Word, make the most strenuous efforts to practice good works, let their lamps shine before the world; for they are well provided with lamps and oil, that is, with faith and love: these are represented by the wise virgins. Then there are some that also accept the Gospel, but are sleepy, are not serious about it, think they can succeed with their works, are secure, and believe it can be paid for with works; those are indicated in the foolish virgins. In Scripture those are called foolish that do not obey the Word of God, but follow their own mind, will not be taught, accept no opinion but their own. But it will happen to them at last as it here happened to the foolish virgins. These two kinds of people are in this Kingdom, namely, where the Gospel and the Word of God is preached and there should be exercise of faith: some follow, some do not follow. Remember, then, in this Gospel that the lamps without oil signify a mere external thing and a bodily exercise without faith in the heart; but the lamps with oil are the internal riches, also the external works with true faith. " The bridegroom was delayed, and so the virgins, sitting down in convenient places, began to nod, and finally they all slept, the wise with the foolish. There is danger at all times that a false sense of security lulls the spiritual senses to sleep.