In today’s study, we shift from parables about lost things to a parable about being ready for Christ’s return. Please take a moment to read Matthew 25:1-13.

For context, understand there were three stages to a Jewish wedding in that day:

1.  Engagement – a formal agreement was made by the fathers. 

2. Betrothal – a ceremony was held in which mutual promises were made. This was analogous to what we consider an engagement, but even more so. It was a big deal—sealed the deal. It’s why Mary becoming pregnant while betrothed to Joseph was such a potential scandal.

3. Marriage – after betrothal, the man returned to his father’s house/family compound and spent about a year securing and preparing a room for him and his bride. Around then, he would return for his bride at an unexpected time and the marriage ceremony would begin. (This is why the language of John 14:2-3 would have resonated with the orginal hearers: “In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.” Jesus, the bridegroom, will one day return to claim the church, His bride.) 

Back to the Jewish wedding… When the bridegroom returned unannounced, the bridesmaids (aka virgins or maidens) who were attending the bride, would go out to meet the bridegroom, with lamps lighted. They would lead him, his companions, and the bride on a processional back to his house, where the wedding feast and other events would occur, including the consummation of their marriage.

So, that’s the basic sequence… engagement, betrothal, and marriage. This parable picks up in the period after step 2, the betrothal. 

The main characters are the 10 virgins. Who do they represent? In Revelation 10, a woman represents a church; so, it seems we’re talking about people who profess to be Christians, although there are a few different interpretations we’ll get to.

What’s the significance of them being virgins? This relates to purity. Back in Old Testament times, purity was a huge deal—as it should be today. If a woman claimed to be pure but wasn’t, she could be severely punished. Once again, there are parallels to Christ and His bride, the church. In 2 Corinthians 11:2, Paul writes, “I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him.” So, as Christians, we’re engaged to Christ, so to speak, and should strive to remain pure for Him until His return.

Why 10 virgins? Ten was a big number in Jewish society—it would have resonated with them. It takes…

• 10 men to hold a synagogue; 10 present to confirm a circumcision; 10 in a house to keep the Passover; 10 present at a marriage contract; common size of a wedding party; Boaz had 10 witnesses at his marriage (Ruth 4:2); God would spared the city for 10 righteous people (Gen. 18:32); 10 camels loaded down with gifts for Rebekah (Gen. 24:10); Rebekah stayed 10 days before leaving (Gen. 24:55); Joseph had 10 brothers that went to Egypt (Gen. 42:3); The Tabernacle had 10 curtains (Ex. 26:1); God gave 10 commandments (Deut. 4:13); Solomon had 10 tables in the temple, 10 lavers of water, 10 golden candlesticks (2 Chron. 4:6-8); Christ will return with 10,000 Saints (Jude 14)

Thus, 10 is significant to Jews in their religious life.

So, a couple got engaged and then the bride chose 10 bridesmaids. Their job?

• They saw to it that she remained faithful—no wandering eyes for another man. “Hey, you’re committed to someone already! He’s coming back. Knock it off!”
• They reassured her if she had doubts—“It’s been a year; do you think he still loves me?” (We do the same thing! “God, you haven’t answered my prayer. I just don’t know if you love me anymore.”)
• They kept her presentable, ready for the groom—not running around with “rollers in her hair”—“You’ve got to be ready!”
• Taken together, the virgins represent a pure woman or God’s pure church.

The Bridegroom? That’s Christ. From Luke 5:34: “And Jesus said to them, ‘Can you make wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them?’” (See also Ephesians 5:24-27, Isaiah 62:5, Matthew 9:15, Mark 2:19, & 2 Corinthians 11:2)

The Lamps? The Word of God. Psalm 119:105 states, “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.”

So, the first problem is that with the bridegroom away, all 10 virgins are sleeping. All of them. Christians, you may say you’re not asleep, that you’re anxiously waiting for Christ’s return. But is that actually the case? We say we believe that Jesus will return some day, right? But let’s be honest, we don’t really believe He’s coming any time soon. If we truly thought Jesus was returning by the end of the year, how would we spend the rest of the month? If you truly believed He was coming at midnight tonight, how would you spend your day? Would you make some phone calls or visits to loved ones? Would you make a last ditch effort to save someone? I wouldn’t clean house, I can assure you of that!

The reality is that most of us believe He’s coming one day, just not “soon”—not today. And that will also be the case tomorrow. So, whether we’re saved or not, this parable has a message for all of us. Again, all of the virgins were sleeping.

So, today, let’s do some soul-searching, some introspection. Can we do that? Is that okay?

Here’s the question: Are you preparing for Jesus’ return? Or are you sleeping? Be honest—this is between you (and me) and God.

How can you know? Are you studying your Bible regularly, earnestly seeking to know God’s will? Are you praying fervently, wanting to talk to God as you make final preparations? Are you evangelizing in any way, knowing that time is running out? When’s the last time you shared your faith in any way with a non-Christian? Is attending your congregation’s worship services/Bible studies (whenever they occur) a priority–must do events? Or, are we just too busy with other activities to congregate with the people we claim to want to spend eternity with?

Christians, are we actively preparing for His return—in a constant state of readiness—or are we sleeping like these virgins? How would we really act if we knew Jesus was coming soon, even tonight?

When the 10 virgins went to meet the bridegroom, what did they all take with them? Lamps. There were two types of lamps: a small one you’d carry and a larger one on a pole that you’d take to the processional. So, figuratively, these Bible-believing, Bible-toting people believe that the bridegroom (Christ) is coming—that it’s time for the big event—and go to meet him. If the story stopped here, all good! Pure, Bible-believing, lamp-carrying followers of Christ have gone to meet Him and will then head off together for the wedding, to then live happily ever after. 

But… verse 2 says 5 are wise and 5 are foolish. What happened? What went wrong?

The Greek word “moros”—where we get the word moron—means “dull in thinking; unprepared; not anticipating” vs. “wise, alert, ready, thinking ahead”. A wise bridesmaid would think ahead—“What if the groom is delayed? I’ve got to make sure I have enough oil!” Their torches consisted of a wooden staff held in their hand, with a dish at the top, in which was a piece of cloth or rope dipped in oil or pitch. The foolish maidens had the lamp, the Word of God, but were missing the oil. (This would be like going on a camping trip with a flashlight but no batteries.)

So, is it possible to have the lamp (the Bible) but miss the oil? Is that what this is referring to? Maybe. Oil is often used in Scripture to represent the Holy Spirit—an anointing. See Zechariah 4:1-7. The following chart compares oil to the Holy Spirit:

OLIVE OIL	HOLY SPIRIT
Oil lubricates when used for that purpose.	There is little friction and wear among those who are lubricated by the Spirit of God.
Oil heals and was used as a medicinal treatment in Biblical times (See Luke 10:34).	The Spirit of God brings healing and restoration.
Oil lights when it is burned in a lamp.	Where the Spirit of God is, there is light.
Oil warms when it is used as fuel for a flame.	Where the Spirit of God is, there is warmth and comfort.
Oil invigorates when used to massage.	The Holy Spirit invigorates us for His service.
Oil adorns when applied as a perfume.	The Holy Spirit adorns us and makes us more pleasant to be around.
Oil polishes when used to shine metal.	The Holy Spirit wipes away our grime and smooths out our rough edges.

Thus, it seems all the maidens have lamps (their Bibles) but only some (half) have the subduing, softening grace of the Holy Spirit—the oil. That’s a problem. Ephesians 5:18 states, “And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit.” In John 3:5, Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit.” Christians, God’s Spirit is to shine through us—it’s part of our new birth in Christ. As one commentator put it, “Much of the weakness, defeat and lethargy in our spiritual lives can be explained if we are not constantly being filled with the Holy Spirit.”

Without oil half the wedding party was not ready for the bridegroom. And without the Holy Spirit, no one is ready for the return of Jesus. Put another way, no one can be a true Christian without the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Romans 8:9 states, “Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.” High stakes, for sure.

With that in mind, consider this: Is it possible for us to “have a Bible” (the lamp) but not really be into it? We’re just going through the motions. We carry it but we don’t read it. Or we read it but neither meditate on it nor apply it. If God’s Word is some sort of joke to me—I don’t take it seriously—then how can God’s Spirit be in me? Is it possible God would say to us what He said to the church in Laodicea in Revelation 3:14-15: “I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.”

What happened while the bridegroom was away? They all slumbered and slept—they got tired and weary from waiting. Your preachers, parents, grandparents, Bible class teachers, even your song leaders, have been telling you “Jesus is coming soon! Morning or night or noon!” You may respond, “Well, how long do I have to wait?! He hasn’t come yet!”

Here’s the thing: we just don’t know when! Christ could return at midnight tonight, or before you finish reading this lesson, or 1000 years from now. We just don’t know. It’s easy to get discouraged. Even sincere, legit Christians who are filled with the Holy Spirit get discouraged and sleep; again, all 10 virgins—those with and without oil—were asleep.

The reality is, a day is coming when the Bridegroom is going to return and wake us all up. Those who haven’t been born again, who don’t have the Spirit, can’t suddenly turn to those who do and borrow some oil. That’s based on the interpretation (which I align with) that all 10 maidens are professing Christians, since they all have lamps, but only five have the Holy Spirit. Alternatively, some scholars believe the 5 & 5 virgins represent Christians and non-Christians. Still others think the 5 wise virgins represent Gentile Christians who accepted Christ and were full of the Spirit (lamp + oil) and the 5 foolish ones were the Jews who were originally God’s chosen people and had the Word (lamp) but not the Spirit (oil).

Regardless of your interpretation, the point is the same: We must be ready for Christ’s return! Even though all 10 bridesmaids expected to go to the wedding feast (heaven), 5 of them aren’t ready for the bridegroom’s return and the other 5 can’t save them. My friend David is a solid, Christian friend. As best I can tell, he’s filled with the Spirit—plenty of oil in his lamp. But when Christ returns, I can’t say, “Hey, Bro, can you hook me up? I forgot my oil. I’m not ready. I’ve been coasting in my faith.” As much as he might want to, it will be too late. Each of us have to have our own conversion story.

Ellen White puts it this way: “The class represented by the foolish virgins are not hypocrites. They have a regard for the truth, they have advocated the truth, they are attracted to those who believe the truth; but they have not yielded themselves to the Holy Spirit’s working. They have not fallen upon the Rock, Christ Jesus, and permitted their old nature to be broken up. This class are represented also by the stony-ground hearers. They receive the word with readiness, but they fail of assimilating its principles. Its influence is not abiding. The Spirit works upon man’s heart, according to his desire and consent implanting in him a new nature; but the class represented by the foolish virgins have been content with a superficial work. They do not know God. They have not studied His character; they have not held communion with Him; therefore, they do not know how to trust, how to look and live. Their service to God degenerates into a form.”

These foolish virgins try at the last minute to buy oil but it’s too late— “I know ye not.” That’s a severe penalty for the foolish maidens. The door was shut, never to be opened again. 1 John 4:8 states, “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” In Matthew 7:23, Jesus says, “Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’”

These foolish virgins had their lamps—carried their Bibles around—but they were missing the Spirit. The Bible was just words on a page, like studying Geometry. And they were missing love. They weren’t ready.

Among the several thoughtful comments shared by students in my Bible class yesterday, I’d like to summarize three of them:

1. it possible the 5 wise virgins were asleep when the bridegroom returned because they were, in fact, ready? They had their lamp and sufficient oil–they were good to go. When we’re Christians, washed by the blood of the lamb, we should be confident of our salvation. We should be able to sleep soundly knowing that whenever Christ returns, even in the middle of the night, we’re ready for Him. (Does it bother me when my wife, on the fly, makes an insightful, contrarian point which is probably more accurate than my conclusion after two weeks of study? Of course not! Being married to someone who knows and loves the Word is one of life’s greatest blessings.)

2. Perhaps the foolish virgins tried to borrow oil from the wise ones because borrowing from others is what they had been doing all their lives. Maybe they had “borrowed” their parents’ or grandparents’ faith but had never made it their own. They never owned it–made it personal. So, at crunch time, when they needed it most, they didn’t have it and, sadly, were unable to borrow it.

3. While we don’t know when the bridegroom (Christ) will return, we also don’t know when we’ll die. People die unexpectedly all the time–car accidents, heart attacks, mass shootings, etc. So, another reason to be in a constant state of readiness is that we don’t know when our time will be up. We may die instantly and not have an opportunity to get ready.

Christians, Jesus should be a dear friend—someone we have a relationship with; someone we’re close to. Not just some historical figure. The message of the parable? Be ready. Love God and be filled with the Spirit. Because when Jesus, the Bridegroom, comes back, He’s coming for those who love him. He’s coming for his bride—the church. And the price for failing to be ready is too high.

Homework: The Great Supper, read Luke 14:15-24