The early church believed that Jesus would return during their lifetime. Matthew included this parable from Jesus to encourage them to persevere through persecution and hardship, holding on to the hope that Jesus would indeed return.
Now, more than 2,000 years later, we are still awaiting His return. One thing is certain: His return is closer today than it was then. The message remains unchanged—let us wait faithfully.
Here is Jesus’ parable, which inspires us to stay ready and alert.
“Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten young women took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise.
When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, 4 but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps.
As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept.
But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’
Then all those young women got up and trimmed their lamps” (Matthew 25.1-7).
Before going further, let’s ask about the oil. What does the oil in this parable represent? Here are several answers that have been suggested over the years.
- Martin Luther believed that the oil represents faith.
- Jesus said that at the end “the love of many will grow cold” (Matthew 24.12). It is suggested that love for God was symbolized by the oil.
- A popular interpretation of the oil is that it stands for good works.
- The central message of the story is that the foolish virgins were unprepared when the crucial moment came. The oil serves as a symbol of readiness.
UnPrepared
Understanding the nature of the lamp helps explain the need for oil. The lamp consisted of a stick with rags attached to the end. These rags were soaked in oil to produce light, but the light would only last for a limited time.
To keep the lamp burning, the rags needed to be replenished by dipping them in oil again. Some of the young women wisely brought extra oil with them, while others, foolishly, did not.
“The foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’
But the wise replied, ‘No! there will not be enough for you and for us; you had better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves'” (Matthew 25.8-9).
After 2,000 years, it’s understandable that people may lose focus on the return of Christ. However, this parable reminds us of the importance of staying prepared for His coming.
The best way to be ready, in my view, is to live each day in an obedient relationship with the Lord.
This means meeting with Him daily, talking with Him, seeking His guidance for the day, and then carrying it out in faithful obedience. The next day, we rise and do the same, continually walking in step with Him.
The Door is Closed
Jesus concluded the Sermon on the Mount with a clear admonition: to put His teachings into practice. If we faithfully follow His instructions, our lives will be built on a strong foundation, leading to lasting success.
However, if we ignore His words, the result will be a great downfall.
“And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on sand.
The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell—and great was its fall!” (Matthew 7.26-27).
The conclusion of the parable of the ten bridesmaids closely mirrors Jesus’ message at the end of the Sermon on the Mount. The foolish bridesmaids ran off to get oil, but they ran out of time.
When they returned, they found the door had already been shut.
“And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet, and the door was shut.
“Later the other young women came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I do not know you.’
Keep awake, therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour” (Matthew 25.10-13).
I assume that everyone reading my blog articles believes the Bible is God’s Word. Reflect on this: God’s Word urges us to stay alert because we do not know when Jesus will return.
We can stay ready by walking with Him daily and faithfully following His guidance for our lives.
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby, and I discussed this passage on YouTube today.
Real Voices 