Biblical Logos Blog

There are about as many interpretations for the Parable of the 10 Virgins as there are readers of the text. When studying any Biblical text, the most important rule for study is to determine the context of the passage before trying to interpret the meaning. Context includes the the placement of the passage relative to the rest of the Bible, the book and chapter it is in, the author of the passage, the audience of the passage, the historical context of the passage etc.. In this post, we will look a little deeper into the context of this parable and hopefully get closer to the intended meaning.

Mat 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. 

Context for these passages in the Bible

Let’s take a look at the context of this passage starting in the broadest sense, being the section of the Bible it is found in. Matthew’s gospel is the first writing after the close of the old testament, The last chapter in the Old Testament is the book of Malachi. Malachi is warning that many in Israel have been faithless in their covenant with God. The Temple and sacrifices have been profaned. Then, after Malachi states the issues God has with his people, he then gives a warning about his return as the Great King:

Mal 1:14  Cursed be the cheat who has a male in his flock, and vows it, and yet sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished. For I am a great King, says the LORD of hosts, and my name will be feared among the nations. 

Mal 3:1-5  “Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts. But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the LORD.  Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the LORD as in the days of old and as in former years.  “Then I will draw near to you for judgment. I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hired worker in his wages, the widow and the fatherless, against those who thrust aside the sojourner, and do not fear me, says the LORD of hosts. 

Malachi is warning that the LORD will come swiftly and upon his return, there will be judgment of his people the Jews. Those who are engaged in sorcery or oppression of others will be judged. In the judgment, those that were found to be faithful will be remembered

Mal 3:16-18  Then those who feared the LORD spoke with one another. The LORD paid attention and heard them, and a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the LORD and esteemed his name.  “They shall be mine, says the LORD of hosts, in the day when I make up my treasured possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him.  Then once more you shall see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve him. 

Mal 4:1-5  “For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble. The day that is coming shall set them ablaze, says the LORD of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch. But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall.  And you shall tread down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet, on the day when I act, says the LORD of hosts.  “Remember the law of my servant Moses, the statutes and rules that I commanded him at Horeb for all Israel.  “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes.  And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.” 

Malachi closed the Old Testament with a warning to the nation of Israel who for the most part had abandoned their faith in the LORD, had profaned his Temple and sacrifices. He said several things will happen:

1. That the LORD will come to them as a Great King and he will be revered when he comes in his Kingdom
2. That Elijah the prophet will return to them before the Day of the Lord begins. Elijah will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers
3. The Day of the Lord will occur. When there will be burning like an oven.
4. The Lord will draw near for judgment of his people. He will be like refiners soap and purifier of of silver. He will purify the sons of Levi as well
5. The LORD will write a book of rememberance for those who fear his name and he shall come to them as a sun of righteousness with healing in his wings

Context of Matthew’s Gospel

We need to understand then that when Matthew’s Gospel opens, he is recording the birth of that “Great King”, Malachi left us with. We know many things already at this point about our Great King. From Isaiah we know that he will be born in Bethlehem, he will grow up in the land of Galilee, he will be a mighty worker of signs and wonders and is their God, yet he will also die for the sins of his people. Since the entire Old Testament spoke of their coming King and his Kingdom and prophesied over 300 specific prophesies about him alone, time would not allow to elaborate more other than to say for the Jewish people, their coming Messiah, this Great King and his Kingdom, is a central expectation for the Jewish people (and also for the entire world!).

Matthew chapters 1+2 record Jesus genealogy and birth. This is beginning to qualify Jesus as Messiah by his lineage. Already setting the stage that the Great King has come to his people. In chapter 3, John the Baptist is introduced.

Mat 3:1-4  In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, 
“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”  For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.’”  Now John wore a garment of camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. 

You can see John the Baptist has some interesting traits. He is 1) preparing the way of the Lord as Isaiah said would happen before the Lord’s coming. 2) He was dressed in camel’s hair with a leather belt which matches another historical Biblical figure:

2Ki 1:8  They answered him, “He wore a garment of hair, with a belt of leather about his waist.” And he said, “It is Elijah the Tishbite.” 

And, what was John the Baptists message? ”Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand”. Just as Malachi said would happen, John the Baptist is preparing the way of the Lord. He is dressed in the same garments as Elijah the prophet which Malachi said would be the one to prepare the way. As confirmation that Jesus coming was to establish the long awaited Kingdom, Jesus confirmed that:

Mat 11:12-125  From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force.  For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John,  and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come.  He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

Jesus in Matthew 11, confirms John the Baptist was the Elijah that had come to prepare the way.

Matthew’s Gospel is a transition between the Old and New Testaments. It literally continues the story from the Old Testament promises of a coming Kingdom and a Messiah / King. Jesus in this Gospel is showing us that he came to fulfill the promises first to the Jewish people of promised King and his kingdom. That explains why Jesus, like John the Baptist, began his ministry by proclaiming ”Mat 4:17  From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Jesus was offering to bring the Kingdom to the Jewish people as had been promised in the Old Testament! Eventually, as we see also in Matthew’s Gospel, the Jewish people rejected their King and crucified him. Just before his crucifixion, Jesus gave the Jewish people a final set of prophecies in Matthew 23:37 – Matthew 25:46.

Passage context for Matthew 23:37- Matthew 25:46

You should note that Jesus gave an extended set of prophesies called the Olivet Discourse, right before his crucifixion. These prophesies were specific to the events yet to happen to the Jewish people. As was the case for all of Matthew’s Gospel, the message is not to the Church, but to the Jewish people. In the Olivet discourse, Jesus is speaking to the Jewish leadership (context Matthew 23:1-36), telling them what was to come now that they had rejected their Messiah. These prophetic passages open with:

Mat 23:37-39  “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!  See, your house is left to you desolate.  For I tell you, you will not see me again, until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’” 

From the above verses we see the context of this set of prophesies. It is to Jerusalem and her children. This is not about the Church! And Jesus begins by predicting the “house” of the people in Jerusalem (The Temple), will be destroyed, followed by predicting they will not see Jesus again until they say “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.” Here Jesus was quoting Psalms 118:26. This is a Messianic Psalm about the Lord’s enduring love as he was the stone the builders rejected and has become the corner stone their Messiah and their God! The Jewish people must recognize who Jesus is before he will return and set up his Kingdom.

Without expounding on every verse up until Matthew 25, we see the following events:

1. Destruction of the Temple 24:1-2
2. Signs of the end of the age and the Tribulation period begins 24:3-14
   • Note what Gospel is again being preached: “Mat 24:14  And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” This is the Kingdom Gospel and not Paul’s Gospel for the Church ( 1 Corinthians 15:1-4). The Kingdom Gospel will be preached during the Tribulation leading up to the end of the age.
3. The second half of the Tribulation period beginning with the “Abomination of Desolation” as Daniel predicted. 24:15-28
4. The coming of the Son of Man. 24:29-30
5. The gathering of his people for judgment 24:31-44
6. Criteria for judgment 24:45-51
7. The judgment
   • Details of the judgment are given in the Old Testament in Ezekiel 20:33-44
   • Parable of the 10 virgins Matt 25:1-13
     • These are the brides maids, not the Bride (which is the title for the Church)
     • The oil in their lamp may represent the Holy Spirit as many speculate. The Spirit does pour out just before the Day of the Lord begins (Joel 2:28-32, Ezekiel 39:29 etc..)
     • The ones locked out, are locked out of the marriage feast. “Mat 25:10  And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut.” This is not the marriage which occurs with the Church in Heaven, this is the feast that occurs at the second coming of Christ with his Bride to Earth, Revelation 19:6-10. In the tradition of the Jewish wedding, this happens at the home of the Bride which is the Earth.
     • The ones locked out of the wedding feast were the ones who Jesus says “Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ “.
   • Parable of the Talents Matt 25:14-30
     • This is a second / repeated judgment parable again showing some of the Jewish people will be rewarded at his 2nd coming and some will be judged and rejected:
     • Mat 25:29-30  For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.  And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ 
   • Final judgment of the Nations Matt 25:31-46
     • The Jewish people have already been judged at this point. Now the Kingdom is about to be set up and only belivers will enter its gates
       • Mat 25:31-32  “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 
     • Judgment came to the Jewish people first, then to the gentiles which is the same order that the Lord brought salvation.
     • The final judgment ends with:
       • Mat 25:46  And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” 

Summary

How might the parable of the 10 Virgins be understood? In my opinion, this parable is part of the judgment sequence of the Jewish people at the end of the Tribulation period. This judgment and the sequence of events recorded in Matthew’s Gospel are the fulfillment of the prophecies written by the prophet Malachi which we looked at earlier. 

Matthew’s Gospel was written to the Jewish people confirming Jesus was and is their Messiah. When he was rejected, Jesus left them with the prophecies about what was going to happen to them after he left. The Bridegroom in this parable is Jesus. The bridesmaids / virgins are the Jewish people (not the Church) at his second coming. When Jesus suddenly returns, the ones he has relationship with (he knows them..) will go into the long promised Kingdom. Those who don’t know him will be cast into outer darkness.