1 Then shall the kingdom of
heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to
meet the bridegroom. 2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 3 They that were
foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: 4 But the wise took
oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. 6 And at midnight
there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. 7 Then all those
virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our
lamps are gone out. 9 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. 10 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. 11 Afterward came also the
other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. 12 But he answered and
said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. 13 Watch therefore,
for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh. (Matt 25:1-13)
The Collect
Second Sunday after Trinity
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O
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LORD, who never
failest to help and govern those whom thou dost bring up in thy stedfast fear
and love; Keep us, we beseech thee, under the protection of thy good
providence, and make us to have a perpetual fear and love of thy holy Name;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
This
parable of the Ten Virgins is very closely related to the previous parable of
the wise and foolish servants (Matt 24:45-51); however, the Ten Virgins more
directly have application to the condition of the Church-in-Waiting. There are
some salient points that should be taken into consideration as we begin our
study of this wonderful parable: 1) all ten of the young ladies were virgins
and doubtless of good moral character, 2) each were prepared in appearance with
fine dresses for the occasion, 3) each spent weary hours watching and waiting
for the Bridegroom, 4) all ten slept in waiting for the moment of need, and, 5)
each had lamps with which to light the procession. Here their relative statuses
diverge. There was but one thing missing in the five rejected virgins which the
five accepted virgins had in abundance – OIL!
It is dismaying to see young, attractive girls who are morally pure, but
lacking in the wisdom and understanding that should have been inculcated into
their characters in early life. How many beautiful young ladies, and handsome
young men, walk about as empty shells of propriety due to the failure of the
parents to properly teach and admonish? These five foolish young virgins may
have been taught by their mothers, as are many today, to accentuate the
appearance to the neglect of the more important considerations of the soul. But
once the clay is set, the vessel can no longer be molded by the potter.
We may dress and live as Christians, attend to our duties at church in waiting
for the Lord, prepare everything needful for our `appearance,' be steadfast
with our fellow Christians in meeting and remaining together, and have our
lamps beside us at all times, but the very thing that is of greatest essence we
may lack – the Holy Ghost as the host and resident of our hearts. The Holy
Ghost is the Light of our Souls just as Love is the evidence of our sincerity: Though
I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am
become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of
prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have
all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am
nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I
give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. (1
Cor 13:1-3)
1 Then shall the
kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went
forth to meet the bridegroom. Christ has often spoken of what
the kingdom of heaven is likened to during the course of our daily lives; but
now He tells us what it shall be likened to "then.' The `then' to which he
refers is most probably the end-time judgment which the last verse in the
previous chapter describes. When the Bridegroom (Christ) comes for His Bride
(Church) will those whose duty it is to Light the way of His procession to the
Marriage Supper be found ready and waiting?
2 And five of them were
wise, and five were foolish. This
reflects the condition of those inside the church. There are no clearly
discernible distinctions between the wise and foolish virgins – they are all
properly attired (morally good), waiting in the same room (gathered together in
the church), patient (in waiting), alert (watching), and equipped with lamps
(the Word of God).
. 3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with
them: You may know the Bible so well that you can competently
recite entire books, but without the Light of the Holy Ghost to open the love
and mystery of it, your efforts are futile. On the other hand, you may be a
poor farmer in China whose access to the Bible is limited; however, knowing the
principles of the Gospel, you have responded with a true heart and teary eyes
to the call of Christ. Which of these two do you believe stands in favor of
God? The virgins were well accepted among their peers until the moment of truth
arrives. There are no apparent differences in outward appearance until
now – this moment of judgment. These five virgins have lamps, and the lamps
most likely had oil, but barely enough to get out of the door. The lamps
used in the procession were small with a spout on the front end and an opening
in the center to refill with oil. It was customary to carry a jug of oil to
refill the lamps when their small reservoir was empty. Though they may have had
oil enough for the present, they had failed to consider the future. They
believed that anything that would suffice for the present would suffice for the
future. They presumed too much on their privilege. How many pious seeming souls
sit in the pews at church as respectable Christians who are good in character but are as lost as a penny that has not been seen or
remembered in fifty years?
4 But the wise took oil in
their vessels with their lamps. Remember the Words of Christ to the Woman at Jacob's
Well over in Sychar? But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true
worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father
seeketh such to worship him (John
4:23) We may hold the truth in our hands but be totally devoid of that saving
Spirit of God that conveys Life. Do we proudly flaunt our Godliness for the
eyes of others, but lack any depth of Spirit at all in our hearts? Do we
anxiously await the soon appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, or is this simply
some old truth that has lost its savor for us? So Christ was once offered
to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear
the second time without sin unto salvation (Heb 9:28) Do we
LOOK for HIM? Do we relish the regalia of the wedding dress but abhor the
Bridegroom in whose honor we wear the same? Henceforth there is laid up
for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall
give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his
appearing. (2 Tim 4:8) The Wedding procession and feast should
not be the end of our desire, but only the function of achieving that eternally
lasting relationship with the Love of our Souls. Have we forgotten that, if we
are sons and daughters of the King of Kings, that we shall also be Princes and
Princesses of so great a royal family? Shall we appear as King David envisioned
long before Christ gave Himself a ransom for us: The king's
daughter is all glorious within: her clothing is of wrought gold. She shall be
brought unto the king in raiment of needlework: the virgins her companions that
follow her shall be brought unto thee. With gladness and rejoicing shall
they be brought: they shall enter into the king's palace. (Psalms
45:12-15)
. 5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
Christ does not concern Himself with our demands for times and schedules. He
knows His plan, He has shared His plan with us, and He will bide His time until
all things are ready. If the feast is not provisioned with delicious
delicacies, and the number of guests have not RSVP'd, He will wait until all
things are ready – usually at the moment we least expect, as with these ten
virgins. It is perfectly normal that we labor and sleep in the normal courses
of life until we hear that trumpet from the portal of Heaven.
6 And at midnight there was
a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. This `cry' was usually preceded by a clarion call
from a trumpet from a corner near the Brides home, then would follow the
announcement "Behold the Bridegroom cometh." It has been this call
for which the Bride has anxiously awaited these past months of at least a year
since betrothal. Now, the time is ready – the culmination of long desire
and dreams. This describes the Last Day when Christ shall come for His Bride –
the Church! On hearing the trumpet and call, the Bride immediately arises and
departs with her Bridesmaids for the wedding feast. The Ten Virgins had the
significant role of providing light for the procession to give it beauty and
majesty in the dark night. How descriptive and beautiful of the clarion call
that shall one day sound from Heaven: For the Lord himself shall descend from
heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of
God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 Then we which are alive
and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the
Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. (1 Thess 4:16-17) All
of our dreams, hopes, and expectations of the ages shall be made real at this
time – no more murder (for there shall be no more death), no more hunger (for
the Marriage Feast is at hand), no more child abuse (for those innocents will
gather around the feet of Jesus), and no more pain (for all such has passed
away for the faithful).
