Parable of the Ten Virgins

Parable of the Ten Virgins

 

Matthew 25:1-2 『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.』

It is very important to know to whom Jesus spoke the words of the text. Chapter 25 of the Gospel of Matthew is a connection between chapter 24 and what will happen in the last days. The original text of the Bible did not have chapters and verses, but chapters and verses were introduced around the 16th century to make reading easier. Therefore, believers must remember that chapters 24 and 25 are connected from the perspective of the original text. Chapter 25 includes not only the parable of the ten virgins, but also the parable of the talents and the parable of the sheep and goats. Therefore, the object in Jesus' parable of the ten virgins is the same as the object in the parable of the talents or the sheep and goats.

As in the analogy of 10 pounds, the number ten (10) has the meaning of ‘completeness, fullness.’ Ten virgins mean all virgins. In 2 Corinthians 11:2, the virgin says, “For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.” So the virgin chose Jesus Christ as her bridegroom. It refers to church members who are thinking and waiting.

However, Jesus Christ, the groom, pours wine for the bride.

Anyone who drinks wine becomes the bride of Jesus. This also appears in Israel's marriage tradition. The groom-to-be visits the bride-to-be's house, pours her wine into a glass and gives it to the bride-to-be, but if she does not drink it, her marriage is not established. The wine Jesus gives corresponds to the blood shed on the cross. In other words, the person who drinks wine means the person who died in union with Jesus who died on the cross. The ten virgins all think of Jesus as Lord, but the only ones who drink wine are the wise five.

There is a word about a wise person in Matthew 7:25: “And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.』The ten wise virgins are like a person who built a house on a rock. The rock is Jesus Christ. The fool says in chapter 7 verse 26, “And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:”

“Foolish people” are “those who heard the words of Jesus but did not do them.”

Jesus died a substitutionary death and was resurrected on behalf of all human beings, but among church believers today, there are many who believe in Jesus but do not completely believe in what Jesus has accomplished. Jesus accomplished all of humanity's sins through his atoning death, but believers still think that they have to do something on their own. Also, those who believe in the resurrection of Jesus also experience resurrection in the present, and believers believe that the body dies and is resurrected.

Those whose old self dies abstain from sin. In Romans 6:6, “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.” Those whose old self dies with Jesus Christ receive resurrection life from God. has. In 1 John 5:18, “We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not. Satan cannot approach the one who has resurrection life. So, people who say they believe in Jesus, but who think they must confess their sins every day and receive forgiveness, have not died from their old self. Also, “those who believe in the resurrection of the body after death” are still confined by the law.

Believers must understand well the lamps held by the ten virgins. The light coming from the lamp is the light (resurrection life) given by Jesus Christ. In Matthew 5:14, “Ye are the light of the world.” A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.』And in Matthew 5:16,『Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.』Good deeds It is not a good thing to do something in the world, but to awaken a dead spirit (resurrection) is a good deed in the eyes of God. God receives glory when a sinner repents and returns to God.

In John 5:35, “He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light.” This means that John receives the light (resurrection life) and shines that light (resurrection). all. In Ephesians 5:8, “For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:” Because Jesus gives resurrection life to believers, and saints receive resurrection life from Jesus, they shine the light of resurrection life. In other words, it is to spread resurrection life.

All ten virgins had lamps. However, the five wise virgins had a different oil tank. They are those who believed in and accepted the present resurrection. However, the five foolish virgins believed in resurrection through the Word, but because they believed that the body would be resurrected after death, they eventually returned to darkness.

In Matthew 25:4, “But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.” Vessels are also expressed when talking about what a person is. In 2 Corinthians 4:6-7, “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God, and not of us.』 Light is the light of resurrection.

Here, the words, “Let the light (resurrection) shine in the darkness” are Paul quoting the words of Genesis 1:3. In “I had this treasure in earthen vessels,” the treasure is Greece. Earthenware refers to humans made from clay. The fact that the treasure is placed in an earthen vessel means that Jesus Christ has entered into the saints. 『The wise put oil in their vessels.』 This means that the Holy Spirit has entered into the saints. This is resurrection life. Those who have received the baptism of the Holy Spirit can have resurrection life.

Oil means olive oil. Olive oil is used to anoint kings, priests, and prophets in the Old Testament. In Luke 4:18, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; He hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,』Matthew explains the coming of the Holy Spirit as anointing. And in 1 John 2:20, “But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.” And in 2:27, “But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not.” that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.” means the entrance of the Holy Spirit (baptism of the Holy Spirit). So this becomes resurrection life.

Ultimately, the five wise virgins are people who have received the Holy Spirit and completely believe in the Word of God, and they can be said to be people of resurrection life. They become light (resurrection) in Christ and become people who can share the life of light (resurrection) with others. The five foolish virgins are people who, even after hearing the word of God, judge it with their fleshly heart and do not completely believe the word of God, but only accept it selectively. Because they believe that resurrection occurs when the body dies, there is currently no resurrection life.

Even though Romans 8:1 says, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit,” the five foolish virgins do not believe in the present resurrection.

Those who do not have resurrection life cannot believe. Therefore, those who do not have resurrection life are those who believe that they are under the law and must confess their sins every day and receive forgiveness through the blood of Jesus. These people have not died of their old self, do not have the Holy Spirit, do not have resurrection life, and are equivalent to the five foolish virgins.