Personal interpretation for Parable of the Ten Virgins

[alaric]

Matthew 25:1-13 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them. But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

Representation for pictures used in parable

Lamp = Word of God (Psalm 119:105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.)

Oil = Holy Spirit (Oil in the Bible usually represent the Holy Spirit)

Virgins = Church or Bride of Christ

Bridegroom = Jesus Christ (Revelation 19:7-10 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.)

The bridegroom coming for his bride is a picture of Jesus coming for his church (the rapture of the church) followed by the marriage supper of the Lamb (Revelation 19:9)

Facts

Who is this parable spoken to? It is spoken by Jesus to the Jews.

All 10 virgins have the lamp (Word of God or bible). However, there are foolish 5 virgins who did NOT bring any oil (Holy Spirit). (Matthew 25:3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took NO oil with them.)

The foolish virgins brought the lamp, trimmed their lamp and lighted their lamp. But their fire gone out (Matthew 25:8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out) because there is no oil in the lamp to sustain the fire. That is why they wanted to borrow oil from the wise virgins.

Who are the people that have the Word of God but do not have the Holy Spirit? Answer: Jews or Israel. The entire bible during Jesus’ time is written through the Jews.

When Jesus is telling them of this parable, he is hinting that a new baptism is coming which is the baptism with the Holy Spirit. However, the Jews rejected Jesus and killed him. (Acts 1:5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.)

This parable speaks of salvation and condemnation. Those who have the lamp and oil went into the marriage supper of the lamp. While those who have the lamp WITHOUT oil were shut outside and the bridegroom said “I do not know you.” (Matthew 25:12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.)

Basically, Jesus is saying that true salvation is coming and only those who have the Holy Spirit can be saved (Romans 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.)

This parable is spoken to the Jews. However, it can be applied to Gentiles as well. There are Gentiles who go church, follow all the traditions and rituals, "donate" to the church, do a lot of good works and depended on their OWN SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS to buy a ticket into heaven. These are self-professed Christians know the bible (Lamp or Word of God) but were never born again and without the Holy Spirit (Oil). An example of such people is Judas Iscariot who walked with Jesus, saw all his miracles and Judas Iscariot even performed miracles himself. But even after all these, Judas Iscariot did not believe in Jesus.

 

[ViaCrucis]

Matthew 25:1-13 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them. But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

Representation for pictures used in parable

Lamp = Word of God (Psalm 119:105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.)

Oil = Holy Spirit (Oil in the Bible usually represent the Holy Spirit)

Virgins = Church or Bride of Christ

Bridegroom = Jesus Christ (Revelation 19:7-10 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.)

The bridegroom coming for his bride is a picture of Jesus coming for his church (the rapture of the church) followed by the marriage supper of the Lamb (Revelation 19:9)

Facts

Who is this parable spoken to? It is spoken by Jesus to the Jews.

All 10 virgins have the lamp (Word of God or bible). However, there are foolish 5 virgins who did NOT bring any oil (Holy Spirit). (Matthew 25:3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took NO oil with them.)

The foolish virgins brought the lamp, trimmed their lamp and lighted their lamp. But their fire gone out (Matthew 25:8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out) because there is no oil in the lamp to sustain the fire. That is why they wanted to borrow oil from the wise virgins.

Who are the people that have the Word of God but do not have the Holy Spirit? Answer: Jews or Israel. The entire bible during Jesus’ time is written through the Jews.

When Jesus is telling them of this parable, he is hinting that a new baptism is coming which is the baptism with the Holy Spirit. However, the Jews rejected Jesus and killed him. (Acts 1:5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.)

This parable speaks of salvation and condemnation. Those who have the lamp and oil went into the marriage supper of the lamp. While those who have the lamp WITHOUT oil were shut outside and the bridegroom said “I do not know you.” (Matthew 25:12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.)

Basically, Jesus is saying that true salvation is coming and only those who have the Holy Spirit can be saved (Romans 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.)

This parable is spoken to the Jews. However, it can be applied to Gentiles as well. There are Gentiles who go church, follow all the traditions and rituals, "donate" to the church, do a lot of good works and depended on their OWN SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS to buy a ticket into heaven. These are self-professed Christians know the bible (Lamp or Word of God) but were never born again and without the Holy Spirit (Oil). An example of such people is Judas Iscariot who walked with Jesus, saw all his miracles and Judas Iscariot even performed miracles himself. But even after all these, Judas Iscariot did not believe in Jesus.

I think it needs to be said that parables aren't the same thing as allegories. A parable can contain some allegory, but it isn't itself allegory. A parable is a teaching-story, what matters in a parable is the lesson being taught.

We will work ourselves crazy if we had to try take each detail in Christ's parables and find some 1:1 comparison with something else.

The Parable of the Ten Virgins isn't about identifying what the oil is, or what the lamps might mean allegorically. It's about being faithful and watchful. This is one of two parables Jesus tells as part of the Olivet Discourse, the other being the Parable of the Talents. What do these both have in common? They further Jesus' point that He makes preceding: That no one knows when Christ will return, it will be sudden and without warning, and since we do not know when our Lord returns, we must stay vigilent. To be like the wise virgins who brought extra oil as they stood watch for the bridegroom; to be like the faithful servant who uses his talents for good. And conversely to not be like the foolish virgins who had to leave their watch because they ran out of oil; to not be like the servant who buried his talent in the ground and simply waited for his master to come back.

So should it be with us. To be His disciples and servants in this world, proclaiming His Gospel, loving our neighbor, worshiping God. To not sit around idly by trying to figure out when He comes, letting ourselves be complacent and lazy. There is a world to which we have been called to be salt and light, to bear the light of Jesus Christ, with His Gospel on our lips, with hands and feet ready to serve our fellow man in love. To lay down our lives as a living sacrifice, continually offering the sacrifice of praise with our words and actions.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[1watchman]

One of the things we can clearly see in this parable, is that the ones who came were happy to be there, but were not prepared to ENTER IN. That speaks of a type of professing Christians today who speak of God, and of Jesus as a teacher come from God, but FAIL to enter in to who He truly is. They had not the fullness of oil ---a type of the Holy Spirit. Their lamps of a little light of understanding went out and was not adequate for entering in. We need the fullness of the Holy Spirit in us ---which comes through being "born again" by faith in Christ, to enter into the marriage supper and be with Christ. Without the new birth (as John 3) we will not enter in to the Kingdom of God.

 

[Behold]

Wise Virgins = Born again

Unwise Virgins = Unbelievers

This verse is similar to one that speaks about "branches" being in Christ, and some branches were broken off, and burned, etc.

Branches that are in Him, are born again.
Branches that are broken off, are unbelievers.

Abiding means to be IN The Vine. Born again, "IN CHRIST".

Not Abiding, means you are not in Christ, you are an unbeliever, similar to the unwise Virgins