Don't Forget the Oil! Matthew 25:1-13

The Parable of the Ten Virgins

25 “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish and five were wise. 3 The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. 4 The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. 5 The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. 6 “At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ 7 “Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. 8 The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’ 9 “‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’ 10 “But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. 11 “Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’ 12 “But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’ 13 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.

In chapter 24, Jesus taught on the signs of the end times, finishing with the statement, "No one knows the day or hour of the return of the Son of Man, only the Father."  In chapter 25, Jesus tells three parables, which teach what it means to be ready for His second coming.  

In this story there are ten virgins who are charged with meeting the bridegroom before he meets bride.  Ten was a common number for a Jewish wedding party, and the lamps were used for a lighted processional.  

The point of the parable is that ALL ten of the virgins took their lamps,so they APPEARED to be ready. Then they all fell asleep as the groom was late in coming to pick them up.  It is only at the time of the groom's arrival do we see the difference between the bridesmaids.  As they trimmed their lamps, or got them ready to be lit, five of them had brought oil along and five of them had forgot to bring any oil.

While the five unprepared virgins went to get some oil, the groom came back and the virgins who were prepared went with him to the wedding banquet. The others were shut out of the banquet when they came back.  When they pleaded with the groom to open the door by saying, "Lord, Lord open the door for us."  He said, "Truly I tell you I don't know you!"

So what are we to learn from this parable?  The obvious message is we need to be prepared for Jesus' return.  Many think the language of bride and groom is a metaphor for Christ and the church, as in other places the Church is called the "bride of Christ".  Ephesians 5:25-32  If this is so, the story is about Jesus' return to take his bride home to heaven.  I.e. the rapture of the church.  

The tension in the parable is that there are those who think they are ready for Jesus' return, but clearly aren't.  They even look like the others but they are not truly prepared.  Some believe these are people in the church who think they are ready for Jesus' return, but are really aren't.  Or, it could be unbelievers who think they are going to be saved, but have never trusted in Christ for salvation.  

Since the judgment is so final, and a true born again believer can never be shut out of heaven, it must be the latter.  It must be those who thought they were Christians, but never truly came to have faith in Christ.  They might have looked the same as others in the church, but they were never born again, or born of the Spirit.  Oil is also a frequent metaphor for the Holy Spirit, which would also fit into this interpretation.

Do you think there are people who come to church, who are not really Christans, but only posing as one?  What do you think the oll represents?  Besides being saved are there any other ways we need to be prepared for Jesus' return?