Jesus' Parable of the Virgins is an important teaching about Christians' behavior now and

a prophecy about their future. [Jesus said] "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." (Matthew 25:1-
13)
BACKGROUND: To understand this parable, learn some aspects of the First Century
Jewish wedding. Jesus would have known and would have celebrated this event, which
was the single-most important day in any Jewish couple's life (example: John 2:1-11).
Jesus' ministry mirrored (was prophesied in) the fourteen steps of the Jewish marriage
ceremony. Consider these steps in the ancient Jewish wedding ceremony:
• A man journeyed from his village to another village to find a young maiden (a virgin) to
marry. (Jesus journeyed from His "village" [Heaven] to our "village [Earth] to court us.
See John 15:16a and other Scriptures.)
• When he found a maiden, he purchased her with a price, called the mohar. (Jesus paid a
price for us, through His death by crucifixion. See 1 Corinthians 6:20a and 1 Peter 1:18-
19.)
• When he found a maiden to whom he was attracted and who agreed to consider his
proposal, he invited her to meet with him and his father. The next step was betrothal, a
legal agreement between the man and woman. He and she met with the man's father, and
sat at a table upon which rested a ketubah and a cup of wine. The ketubah was a small
scroll, upon which was written what each partner could expect of the other in a marriage.
(The Holy Bible is a Christian's ketubah. God has outlined in the Bible what He expects
of us and what we can expect from Him. See 2 Timothy 3:16-17.)
• After agreeing to the conditions of marriage, the maiden and her future husband sipped
wine from the cup on the table. This sharing of wine from a single cup signaled the
beginning of betrothal. A betrothal embraced all of the legal, societal, and moral
implications of marriage, except that consummation of the marriage (sexual intercourse)
did not occur. (We seal our betrothal to Jesus, when we drink the wine, or fruit of the
vine, during Communion. See Romans 3:25; 5:9, Ephesians 1:7, 2:13, Colossians 1:14,
20, Hebrews 9:12-14, 10:19, 29; 13:12 , 1 Peter 1:19, 1 John 1:7 and Revelation 1:5.)
• The bridegroom presented gifts to his bride to show her the high esteem that she was
regarded by him and his family and for her to remember him, while he was away from
her. (Jesus left the Comforter— the Holy Spirit— to be with us, while He is away. The
Holy Spirit gives every believer gifts from God. See John 14:16-17; 16:7, Ephesians
1:13-14 and 1 Corinthians, chapters 12 and 13.)
• The bride was expected to be free of spot (not to defile herself by adultery), holy
(inwardly pure), and free of blemish (outwardly pure) during her betrothal. She would
ceremonially bathe in running water contained in a large basin-like mikvot.
(Jesus expects us to remain free of spot or blemish and holy, during His absence. He
commanded us to be baptized in water, as a symbol of washing away our old sins and
arising as a reborn believer. See John 6:3-11 | 1 Corinthians 3:11-15 | Ephesians 5:27 | 1
Peter 1:18-19 | 2 Peter 3:14 | Revelation 1:5b; 19:7-8.)
• The bridegroom would leave his bride in her village, while he travelled to his father's
village to build and furnish a home for them. He likely told her something like, "I go to
prepare a place for you." He would not see her for approximately one year, as he built
their home. (Jesus promised to build us mansions in Heaven, while He is away from us,
but He promised to return for us. See John 14:2-4.)
• The bride was expected to be a virgin, when she entered betrothal, and to remain a
virgin until her marriage. She placed a veil across her face as a sign of betrothal. The only
time a woman wore a veil was when she was a betrothed virgin. This veil signified to
potential suitors not to even approach her, because she was promised to another. The
bride congregated with other virgins. They kept each other in good spirits, watched that
each virgin would remain chaste, and learned household skills for their future marriages.
(A Christian is expected to remain faithful while Jesus is away and to spurn any advances
of another suitor— Satan. A Christian needs to join a church [Greek: ekklesia— a
congregation of the "called out ones." Here, persons betrothed to Jesus must encourage
each other and prepare for our Bridegroom's return. See Romans 12:2, Ephesians 5:32
and other Scriptures.)
• After the bridegroom finished building and furnishing a home, four things transpired:
•• It was the bridegroom's father who determined whether the house was suitable and
when it was time to go for his bride.
(Jesus told us that only His Father knows the day and hour of Jesus' return— the
Resurrection. See Matthew 24:36.)
•• With the father's approval, the bridegroom would gather a group of his friends to
accompany him to the bride's village.
(Jesus will return for His Bride, the Church, as He left— descending to Earth
accompanied by a host of angels. See Acts 1:9-11.)
•• The bridegroom's party would arrive in the early morning hour, when the villagers
were asleep. The party would make a loud notice, and the bride's name would be called
out with the command to come out and meet her bridegroom. (When Jesus returns, there
will be a shout, the sounding of the trumpet of God, and the command to "Come up
here." Those who know Jesus' voice will be resurrected from the dead or translated from
life to be evermore with Jesus. See 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 | Revelation 4:1.)
•• The bride's party must ever be ready, because she did not know when her beloved
would come for her. The party traveled at night to the new village. The only illumination
would be from clay lamps. The lamps must be filled with fuel (olive oil), and the wicks
must be neatly trimmed to give light instead of smudgy smoke. (Jesus commanded His
followers to watch for His return. Upon Jesus' return, His followers will be caught up in
the air to be with Him. See Matthew 24:42-44; 25:1-13, Mark 13:33-36 and Luke 12:36-
40.)
• The bride and bridegroom must come together for the journey to their wedding and life
in their new home. (Believers will be changed in the twinkling of an eye to meet their
Bridegroom in the clouds and to be with Him forever. What is a twinkle? In 1
Corinthians 15:52, "twinkling" is less idiomatically translated "beat," so the phrase
literally means "in the blink of an eye, or literally translates "in an atom" (εν ατομω)
which is to say, an indivisible point of time. See 1 Corinthians 15:51b-52 and 1
Thessalonians 14:17.)
• A Jewish wedding was not legally binding until it was consummated. The newlyweds
were sheltered and lived in a chupah (a "bridal chamber") for seven days, during which
time consummation was expected to occur. (After the resurrection and rapture, believers
will be sheltered in Paradise for the seven years of the Tribulation. See passages in
Revelation, not re-printed here.)
• The rabbi quoted seven blessings over the newlywed couple. (Seven blessings are
recorded in Revelation, chapters 2 and 3 for over comers who are admitted to Heaven.)
• The final step in the marriage was an elaborate wedding banquet for the newlywed
couple. Friends and relatives rejoiced with the couple over a new life started together.
The couple shared a cup of wine. Thereafter, they were man and wife. (We will
participate in the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. We will likely each have a goblet of
wine, and we will drink it along with our Bridegroom Jesus. Thereafter, we will be
eternally wed to Him. This cup undoubtedly will be the Fourth Seder Cup (the Cup of
Hallel— the Cup of Praise) of wine that Jesus declined to drink at the Last Supper,
stating He would drink it with us in His Father's home. See Matthew 26:27-29.)
PARABLE'S TEXT: Verses are recorded in Matthew, chapter 25.
Remember as you read these verses: Jesus is our Bridegroom, and He has ascended to His
Father's home. He has promised to return for His bride (the Christian Church). During
this absence, His bride— those who believe in Him as Savior— are expected to remain
"virgins," without being seduced by another suitor (Satan). The brides, depicted as
virgins in this parable, are expected to remain busy, joyously awaiting that unknown day
and hour when the Bridegroom returns.
(v. 1) [Jesus said] "Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took
their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.
COMMENT 1: Among several Biblical uses, the number 10 signifies Divine perfection
or revelation. Also, Talmudic authorities indicated that ten lamps were usually used in a
bridal procession.
COMMENT 2: In the First Century, the bridegroom and his friends usually came for the
bride in the dark of night, when the villagers were asleep. He called out his bride to join
him because it was time to leave for the wedding. The bride did not know when he would
return. Lamps were kept ready for the nighttime journey. Our Bridegroom, Jesus, will
return for His bride (the Church) at a day and hour no one knows. He contracted for a
virgin, and she needed to remain chaste in the bridegroom's absence (as Christians are
expected to attempt to remain free of blemish, spot, wrinkle or any such thing).

(v. 2) Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
(v. 3) Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them,
(v. 4) but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
COMMENT 1: Oil has a double meaning (practical and symbolic) in this parable:
• A lamp at that time needed fuel to burn and produce light. Olive oil was the only
practical lamp fuel available to the Jews.
• Oil symbolizes the Holy Spirit. Oil was used to anoint God's chosen priests and kings.
Jesus bears the title of the "Anointed One [of God]," which interprets the Hebrew
HaMashiach (the Messiah) and the Greek Christos (the Christ).
COMMENT 2: The virgins symbolize Christians (believers) in the Church. Some are
wise, watching earnestly for the return of Jesus. They fill their lives with oil (the Holy
Spirit). Others are foolish, living worldly lives rather than Godly lives. The oil (Holy
Spirit) originally given to them has dried up and/or is no longer effective.

(v. 5) But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.
COMMENT 1: Our Bridegroom Jesus has been away from us for nearly two millennia.
Only the truly faithful believe He will return. Many "Christians" (even including pastors)
have lost belief in His return. They slumber, unaware of the tasks God wants them to
accomplish and fail to warn others around them about the need to accept God's grace and
attain eternal life.

(v. 6) And at midnight a cry was heard: 'Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to
meet him!'
(v. 7) Then all virgins arose and trimmed their lamps.
COMMENT 1: The bridegroom's party returned at midnight, with a shout. Our
Bridegroom Jesus will return as "a thief in the night." The trumpet of God will sound,
along with the shout "Come up here!" I personally believe that only the redeemed will
hear this command. Jesus said (John 10:27) that His sheep know His voice, and they will
follow Him.

(v. 8) And the foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going
out.'
COMMENT 1: The foolish, lazy virgins sought oil for their lamps from the wise, active
virgins. The lazy virgins could not borrow or buy oil, and their lamps remained unlit
(dark). Salvation is a personal thing. Paul taught each of us to work out his or her own
salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12b). I can follow in Jesus' footsteps by
myself and for myself, but I cannot follow in these footsteps for any other person. The
Day of Judgment will be a lonely event. Each person will stand before the Divine Judge
to give and account for his or her life. No excuses can be offered. Our Judge will ask:
what did you do with your life? No oil can be borrowed and no help can be obtained from
any person at this time. The Divine Judge will look at each person's life and works, which
must stand on their own merits.

(v. 9) But the wise answered, saying, 'No, lest there should not be enough for us and you;
but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.'
COMMENT 1: This verse could be misleading. We are told to work with others to spread
the Gospel, while there is time. When the Bridegroom Jesus comes, there is no additional
time to work for God's Kingdom. Words, deeds, and sins are sealed at that moment.

(v. 10) And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready
went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.
(v. 11) Afterward, the other virgins came also, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open to us!'
(v. 12) But he answered and said, 'Assuredly. I say to you, I do not know you.'
COMMENT 1: These verses contain a dire warning. How sad and frightening this
passage is. People cry out to be admitted to the wedding (Heaven), but the door was shut
against them. The Master will say, "I do not know you." Not everyone who thinks he or
she will go to Heaven will go (for example, see: Matthew 7:21-23).

(v. 13) Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of
Man is coming."
COMMENT 1: Jesus' command for the Christian is to watch and be ready at any moment
for His return. Non-believers laugh at Christians, saying "they" still believe Jesus will
return, but it has been nearly nineteen centuries and there is no Jesus. Peter prophesied
that non-believers would come in the last days to scoff at Christians' belief of Jesus'
return (2 Peter 3:3-4). If the Son of Man, Jesus the Christ, never returns, the Old and New
Testaments are fraudulent works of fiction. Prophetic signs of His return are appearing
daily, and we should confidently approach our future. To the person who believes in and
longs for Jesus' return, he or she will be awarded The Crown of Righteousness for Those
Who Love His Return (2 Timothy 4:8).

WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM THIS PARABLE? A Christian is betrothed to his or

her Bridegroom, Jesus. Jesus is away, preparing a place for us in New Jerusalem
(Heaven). He left behind the Holy Spirit (Oil). The oil quite typically represents the
anointing of the Holy Spirit. The scriptures tell of the oil of gladness and the oil of
anointing of God's Presence. Each Christian is filled with it after their baptism by belief
in His name. The “virgins” represent those in the kingdom, or the church (Purity). The
coming of the bridegroom represents the Second Coming of Christ. The “lamps”
represent the faith of Christians. The “extra oil” symbolizes good works that accompany
our faith. Jesus proclaims this parable to teach us the urgent need to always be prepared
for His Second Coming. The prepared believer can go to the wedding (Heaven). Arise,
shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. For, behold,
the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall
arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. (Isaiah 60:1-2) The unprepared
believer cannot go. When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the
door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open
unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are: Then shall
ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our
streets. But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye
workers of iniquity. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see
Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you
yourselves thrust out. (Luke 13:25-28)

In closing, I am inspired and moved by the Holy Spirit to leave this important
information from Matthew 7:21-27. [Jesus said] "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord,
Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father
which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied
in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many
wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me,
ye that work iniquity. Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth
them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain
descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell
not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine,
and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the
sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon
that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it." Here it mentions the name of the Lord
Jesus being used for many things but not in baptism. These ones failed to apply the name
of Jesus everywhere and in all things, thus were denied access to God. They were not
baptized in His name and were none of His. "And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do
all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him."
(Colossians 3:17) And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS:
for he shall save his people from their sins. (Matthew 1:21) Jesus saith unto him, I am the
way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:6) Be it
known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of
Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this
man stand here before you whole. This is the stone which was set at nought of you
builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other:
for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
(Acts 4:10-12) Tradition is moved by every sleight of wind, but Christ is the only
foundational name given to survive the storms of this life. And are built upon the
foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
(Ephesians 2:20-22) For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as
many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew
nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all
one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:26-28) Let us draw near to our God in devotion to Him.
Let us trim our lamps for the coming night. And let us seek the oil, and the fullness of His
Holy Spirit now. Grace and peace to all who love His appearing.