We must not make the mistake of identifying them with the Bride. They are rather the

"bridesmaids" at the wedding and are among those who are invited to it. These are

distinguished from the Bride in Psa. 45: 13-15 and Rev. 19: The virgins are among

those who are desirous of entering the kingdom of heaven, and this, as we have seen, is

one of the chief features of this Gospel.

Some are wise and some are foolish and as such would not be a suitable picture of the

Bride who consists of the "overcomers", those who are consistently faithful (such as

those listed in Heb. 11: And others who are so described in the book of Revelation).

There is no need to interpret the oil as representing the Holy Spirit. The chief thought

in the parable is readiness or the lack of it. It was readiness that gave the entrance to the

wedding festivity. "The virgins who were ready went in with him (the bridegroom) to the

wedding banquet" (Matt. 25: 10 N.I.V.), and this is surely what the oil represents. The

foolish virgins were never ready. Their lamps had no oil (3), so that when they tried to

light them when the call to the marriage occurred, the wicks, being dry, just flickered and

went out. "Our lamps are going out" they said, as with horror they realized they were

without oil. The verb is in the present tense, which is missed by the text of the A.V.

They put "going out" in the margin. It was now too late, even to get oil from the wise

ones, who in any case were not in a position to supply it. No one can give readiness to

someone else! The consequences of their folly could not be averted at the last moment,

even though they cried and begged to be admitted (11). The reply of the bridegroom was

severe, "I do not acknowledge you" (Rotherham footnote), or as Knox translates it, "I do

not recognize you". This is parallel with the statement in 7: 23. Of course he knew

them in the sense that they existed, but he didn't recognize them as keen expectant

attendants at his wedding. The Lord ends this parable by again stressing watchfulness

and readiness. "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour"

(25: 13 N.I.V.).

The entrance of the wise virgins to the wedding is parallel to entering the kingdom of

heaven, "enter" being one of Matthew's key-words (see the Sermon on the Mount). This

is "reward" teaching which is also stressed in that great Sermon. We should remember

that Scripture teaches that rewards can be won or lost, but not salvation.

If readiness is the key thought of the parable of the Ten Virgins, then faithfulness is

the key thought of the Talents.

This parable is similar to the parable of the Pounds in Luke 19: 11-28 but they are

not variations of the same story. They have their differences. In the former one the lord

divides his goods "according to their several ability", so that the servants can say "I have

gained five talents", but when the lord gives to each the same, that is one pound, the

servant says, "Thy pound has gained . . . . .". In terms of doctrine we have this difference

expressed in Philippians. "Work out your own salvation" (Phil. 2: 12, 13) gives us the

Talent aspect, the "several ability", the "I have gained" position, followed by "For it is