Wise and Foolish Maidens (Matthew 25:1-13)
(Bible Study - February 1999) The parable of "The Wise and Foolish Maidens" is recited as a direct consequence of the discourse of our Lord Jesus Christ given in the previous chapter (Matt. 24). The focus of the story is meant to amplify the direct and powerful exhortation that follows the prophetic message given to the disciples on the mount of Olives: "Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come" (Matt. 24:42). Contrasting the behavior of two different classes of bridesmaids, one "wise" and the other "foolish," develops the character of that "watchfulness."
Remarkably, as we have found in a number of other parables, this story also purports to tell us about what the kingdom shall be like. In this case our Lord employs the future tense, i.e. "shall" in contrast, for example, to the parable of the "tares" where he simply says "likened unto." As the narrative of the wise and foolish maidens is aimed at his disciples, it is imperative that those who would be his followers obey its message; for those who pay heed shall be in the kingdom.
Wedding custom unique to parable
The parable commences with a word picture of ten virgins (or maidens) going off to
meet the bridegroom and bringing with them their lamps. One could surmise from this that
while they may have set out to meet the bridegroom during the daylight hours they all had
given at least some credence to the idea that delay until evening darkness was possible.
Some writers have said that this was a Jewish custom, but there is no strong evidence to that effect in the Talmud. Furthermore, Edersheim, one of the foremost authorities on Judeo-Christian customs, says "no precise parallel can be derived from ordinary Jewish marriage processions."
Modern-day American customs require that the bridesmaids usually accompany the bride and they would not, under any circumstances, go off to accompany the groom prior to the ceremony. Such modern customs have their antecedents in pagan Latin and Greek temple virgin cults. Accompanying the bride with a procession of so-called vestal virgins associated with the local temple cult was supposed to be a guarantee of the chaste purity of the espoused (often arranged with suitable donations and sacrifices as prescribed by the temple priesthood!). This image doesn’t fit the parable either and it is unlikely that Jesus was expropriating pagan customs to tell his story.
Indeed, this parable appears to be an original construction and should be considered in parallel with imagery used by our Lord in conjunction with the marriage supper of the Lamb portrayed in the book of Revelation. In that narrative the ecclesia, truly a chaste and pure ecclesia, is styled as the bride of the Lamb, that is, of Christ (Rev. 19:7-9; Rev. 21:9). The apostle Paul uses a similar metaphor in Ephesians 5:29-32, also likening the ecclesia to the bride of Christ.
Curiously, though this is a parable based on wedding customs, there is no direct mention whatsoever of a bride! This gives credence to the following idea: we might regard the "virgins" mentioned in this parable as a picture of "maidens" in preparation, or in waiting for their own eventual nuptials. In a sense, they may all collectively be regarded as the potential bride whom the groom was coming to meet. Using this figure, the maidens represent the ecclesia and the groom our Lord Jesus Christ. Regardless of the roots of the imagery, it is certain that this parable focuses on the importance of the bridesmaids meeting the groom and being prepared for the wedding ceremony immediately upon his arrival.
Oil lamps
The lamps that are referred to in this allegory were clay vessels that were shaped
similar to small open teapots. A wick would be inserted in the stem of the pot and
immersed down into the oil held within the vessel. These lamps could also have indented
sockets in their base so that a pole could be inserted and they could be carried aloft to
light a procession.
The oil was usually of plant origin, and most often in Mediterranean countries, was rap-seed or low-grade olive oil from second pressings. Such portable lamps generally had a capacity to last at most a few hours. Hence, without an additional supply of oil there is no way that one could expect a lamp would last till midnight.
All of the household
Note that none of the ten were called aliens or Gentiles; all ten are styled "virgins
or maidens," and therefore all must have been in the household and potential "brides."
It is thus evident that even within the "household of faith" there
are differences among brothers and sisters in their degree of preparation for the wedding
feast of the bridegroom.
Light is the word made flesh
Both "light" and "oil" are forms of energy; the
former external, the latter internal. The lamps, and the light they emit, symbolize the
word of God as the Psalmist says: "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light
unto my path" (Psa. 119:105).
However, we must not think that this representation is one of mere academic knowledge. This narrow belief was one of the failures of the Pharisees. They thought that knowledge and associated ritual, in and of itself, could lead to salvation. We can be prone to the same kind of thinking: "Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth" (II Tim. 3:7). This point is made abundantly clear in the opening words of the Gospel of John: "In him was life; and the life was the light of men" (John 1:4). John goes on in verse 9: "That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world" (John 1:9). The life of Christ is the "light" of men. This is the "true" light because he was the word made flesh. In other words, it is not mere academic knowledge that equals light; it is more than that. It is our complete, steadfast faith in Christ that motivates us to apply the word so that we reflect his light in our actions, character and every way of life.
Oil is the word of God
The oil stands for the internal energizing power of that word and, as such, may be
regarded as an inner light (in a sense) as styled by the prophet Isaiah:
"To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is
because there is no light in them" (Isa. 8:20). From the message of the
prophet, it is evident that the word of God must be continually replenished within us or
else the light we radiate will dim and will eventually burn out.
Light shows in love
From this we obtain a more complete picture of the metaphor styled as "light"
in scripture. The image is two-fold: first there is a sense of filling the vessel with the
energizing oil, second is the emission of external, visible light, through the flame at
the tip of the wick. The internal fuel is the word absorbed within us. It supports the
external light which is the carrying out of the word in our life. Bible classes, study
weekends, seminars, Bible schools, individual scholarship and so on are all well and good,
but will be for nought if the true light of Christ is not witnessed in our love toward one
another. The apostle Paul tells us: "Where there is knowledge, it will pass
away...but love never fails" (I Cor. 13:8 NIV).
Don’t fall asleep on your feet
We are told that while the bridegroom tarried they all slumbered and slept. Our
Lord Jesus has been away for almost two millennia and in that time many believers have
fallen asleep in the dust of the earth. Death is the ultimate midnight cry, it will be too
late then to go and purchase more oil if our supply had run out while we lived. This is
the general warning of the parable, but there is a particularly poignant application to
those living in the "last days" mentioned in the epistle of Peter:
"There shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and
saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things
continue as they were from the beginning of the creation" (I Pet. 3:3,4).
Long-anticipated events which don’t occur on a schedule that suits us soon lead either to scoffing or ennui. We have been led to anticipate his coming so many times by various prophetic interpretations only to be disappointed. Such disappointments can cause us to fall spiritually asleep, exhausted by the failure of past predictions. What is needed is perseverance and patience, for the Lord will surely come as we have been exhorted by the apostles Paul and James, "Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord" (James 5:7; cf. 5: 8; II Thess. 3:5).
The bridegroom comes
The cry goes out at midnight that the bridegroom has arrived. Midnight is
metaphorically the darkest hour of the night; it is the hour when the thief could be at
the door (Matt. 23:43; I Thess. 5:2; II Pet. 3:10). It is a time we would least expect for
a wedding.
Just imagine receiving an invitation to a wedding with no specific time given for the ceremony; what would we do? Most likely we would stay home and go to sleep, thinking we probably hadn’t missed much. We would reason that we were certainly due greater consideration. Yet this is precisely the word picture put forth in this parable; and, to the credit of the ten maidens, none complain about the tardiness of the groom and all trim their lamps to greet him.
Yet more was expected of them. The lamps of the five foolish maidens were expiring, or literally "going out," as in the margin of some Bibles. The foolish needed more oil and they required it quickly, but it was midnight and where could they find a shop open? The "wise" refused to share saying, "lest there not be enough for us and you" (Matt. 25:9). In this context the response of the wise maidens seems unduly harsh, selfish and mean spirited, or was it? Is it possible for a person to literally bring another into the kingdom of God by sharing their "oil"? We shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ and answer individually; in the end we are drawn away of our own lusts and are responsible for our own sins (Romans 14:10; James 1:13-15).
This is the ultimate responsibility doctrine. Life is indeed the time to serve the Lord and the thinking of some religions that would presume one’s prayers or indulgences can redeem departed sinners is not based on any scriptural foundation.
For the wise to share the oil would have been fruitless; the hour was too late and sharing could have resulted in the light going out for all. No one would have been able to greet the groom. We need not regard the "wise" as being unkind when they were simply voicing a practical reality. There was nothing that could be done at that late hour unless the foolish could somehow find a shop still open and return before the ceremony had begun. Such was not to be the case. The consequences of sin are exactly like this situation. Sometimes in spite of all dire warnings, we are ignored and there is nothing we can do to stop another from going their own way with resultant tragedy.
Door closed to some virgins
There comes a time when the door to the wedding feast will be shut. Just as an open
door is a symbol of opportunity (Col. 4:3; I Cor. 16:9; Rev. 3:8) a door that is shut
seals off all further possibilities. When the opportunity for repentance was over for the
people of Noah’s generation "the LORD shut him in" the ark (Gen.
7:16), thus signifying the end of His forbearance. Likewise, the groom in this parable
shuts the door and, given the late hour, he had no intention of opening it again (v. 10).
The protestations of the foolish were to no avail. The groom "answers I never you" (v.12 see also Matt. 7:23)! That the Lord Jesus speaks these words to those who thought they were of his household is chilling testimony we ought not to take him for granted. "Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall" (II Pet. 1:10).
Be ready for the Lord
The moral of the parable is not left to our imagination; it is given in plain,
powerful words taking us right back to the Olivet prophecy: "Watch therefore, for
ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh" (Matt.
25:13). The Gospel is, in effect, the engraved invitation that we have received to the
marriage supper of the Lamb. It is not your usual wedding invitation, no day nor hour has
been prescribed, but we have been guaranteed it will be the most wonderful, glorious
reception of all time (Rev. 21:1-7).
Unlike other wedding receptions, this one will have the groom giving out the gifts instead of receiving them (Romans 6:23 and see also Rev. 21:6): "The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Surely, this is an invitation to cherish no matter the uncertainty of the day or the lateness of the hour. Let us keep our lamps trimmed, our supply of oil amply stocked, and let us not slumber, but instead be found awake in anticipation of that great day: "Even so, come, Lord Jesus" (Rev. 22:20).
Next, God willing: Parable of the Talents
John C. Bilello