The Parable of the Ten Virgins

By Nick Bibile

25 “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. ² Five of them were foolish and five were wise. ³ The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. ⁴ The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. ⁵ The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

⁶ “At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’

⁷ “Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. ⁸ The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’

⁹ “‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’

¹⁰ “But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.

¹¹ “Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’

¹² “But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’

¹³ “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.

I was meditating of the above, and this is the meaning I found in summary.

Ten virgins both call themselves Christians, however the wise ones were the true born again Christians who had an intimate personal relationship with the Lord. Bible speaks a lot on foolish and the wise. Wise are the one who believe, obey and follow the Lord, foolish ones does not obey and follow the Lord.

Matthew 7:24-26 Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. ²⁵ The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. ²⁶ But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand

What is the oil and the lamps?

Exodus 27:20 Command the Israelites to bring you clear oil of pressed olives for the light so that the lamps may be kept burning

Exodus 31:11 and the anointing oil and fragrant incense for the Holy Place. They are to make them just as I commanded you.”

In the Old Testament the Priests and Kings were anointed with oil, also the there was oil burning in the lamp-stand in the tabernacle. Oil is a symbol of the Holy Spirit, once we are true Christians we are baptized by the Holy Spirit, anointed by the Holy Spirit. The five wise virgins were filled with the Holy Spirit and the foolish ones did not have the Holy Spirit.

The lamp is the light, it is the word of God.

Psalms 18:28 You, Lord, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light.

Psalm 119;105 Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.

The wise were always reading, studying and obeying the word of God, foolish the word of God did not become part of their lives.

Here we see both claimed to be Christians, the foolish ones also called Jesus Lord, meaning they attended church, they were baptized, took communion, had a Bible at home, they had a religion, they were Christians only on outwardly. Only by name they were Christians. They had other priorities, those priorities came first and the Lord last. They fell drowsy and fell asleep, the world and the pleasures of the world is exciting to them but the word of God is boring to them as they fall asleep when they read the word. They thought they knew the Lord but the Lord did not know them.

The wise were genuinely born again true Christians, their religion was inside, out of the heart comes their true behavior, they not only read, studied and meditated God’s word, they obeyed and followed God’s word. They were excited for the Lord, they had an intimacy with the Lord in prayer and in the walk, their outward Christian behavior was the light to the world. The Lord is coming to those who are excited and looking forward to Him