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Matt. 25: 1-13.
A1 | 1-12. The parable. Wise and foolish virgins.
A2 | 13. Watch, ye know not.
The Parable (Matt. 25: 1-12).
A1 | 1. The ten virgins "went forth" to meet the Bridegroom (exerchomai).
B1 | 2-5. Wherein they differed. a | Five were prudent.
b | Five were foolish.
b | Foolish took no oil.
a | Prudent took oil.
C1 | 5. Where they were alike.--They all slumbered and slept.
A2 | 6. The ten virgins bidden to "go forth" to meet the Bridegroom (exerchomai).
C2 | Where they were alike.--They all arose and trimmed.
B2 | 8, 9. Where they differed.
b | The foolish ask for oil.
a | The prudent refuse.
A3 | 10. The five unready ones "went away" to buy (aperchomai).
B3 | 10. The Bridegroom "came" (erchomai).
C3 | 10. The door was shut.
A4 | 10. The five ready ones "went in" to the marriage (eiserchomai).
B4 | 11. The others "came" (erchomai).
C4 | 11. Open to us.
The parable opens with a note of time.--then. The loose way in which "then" is used
in English has prevented many from seeing this parable in its true place. It does not say
that all through the history of the Christian Church this has been the state of affairs, but it
says, "then at that time the kingdom of the heavens will become like ten virgins." It is
important to remember that the Lord is still answering the question of the disciples raised
in 24: 3. They asked, "When?" and "What?" "When shall these things be?", and
"What shall be the sign of Thy coming, and (what shall be the sign) of the sunteleia (that
period which is the gathering point of all things just before the end, telos) of the age?"
Matt. 24: and 25: supply the answers to these questions.
The "When" is answered in verses 5-14 by "Then shall the end come," and in
verse 21, "Then shall be great tribulation." The "What" as to the sign of the Lord's
coming is answered in verse 27 by, "as the lightning cometh out of the East and shineth
even unto the West," and in verses 27-31 fuller details of the effect in the heavens are
given. These answer the question concerning the sign of His coming. The "What" as to
the ending of the age is answered in the parable of the Fig-tree and the type of Noah. The
Lord expands this section in the parable we are considering, and so the Ten Virgins
commences, "Then will the kingdom of heavens be likened unto ten virgins." Then at
that time, in the days when the fig-tree has put forth its leaves, and the days of Noah are
being re-enacted, then the kingdom of the heavens will be comparable to ten virgins who
took their lamps, and went out to meet the bridegroom. Notice the statement: they took
their lamps; they went out with the express object of meeting the bridegroom. There is
no suggestion that the five foolish virgins were not as earnest as the wise. There is no