Parable of the 10 Virgins

[Guest Greg Davies]

so are you saying that if we do not use the oil of the Holy Spirit, it will run out? the more we use it, the more we will have when the bridegroom returns? the 5 virgins without oil in their lamps are 5 who have not used their gifts? therefore, the door is closed to them?

Good questions. What I'm saying is that if we are found faithful in what the Lord has given, He will increase and enlarge us. I believe that the Holy Spirit is a gift to all who believe and ask for Him. I also believe that once we are filled with the Holy Spirit we have the ability to pray in tongues which has wonderfull spiritual benefits (I Cor 14:2,4; Jude 20; Rom 8:26-27). If one chooses not to use their heavenly language, then those spiritual benefits will not be developed. Tongues is just one example. Someone who has one or more of the nine gifts of the Holy Spirit and refuses to use them will not grow in them and worse, the body of Christ will not be edified through them. We all have a gift (I Cor 12:7,11-13). I believe the Lord will hold us accountable if we neglect our gifts and are disobedience.

There is obviously a realm of intimacy the Lord wants to be developed with us and we have a responsiblity to receive and walk in this intimacy. If we neglect it, we will suffer loss. I'm not saying we will lose our salvation, but there are rewards and benefits to be enjoyed by those who press in to what the Lord has made available (I Cor 3).

Greg.

[exrockstar]

so are you saying that if we do not use the oil of the Holy Spirit, it will run out? the more we use it, the more we will have when the bridegroom returns? the 5 virgins without oil in their lamps are 5 who have not used their gifts? therefore, the door is closed to them?

i dont think her interpretation fits. we can't use up the Holy Spirit.

[Guest man]

Matthew 25

1 "Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.

2 Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish.

3 Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them,

4 but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.

5 But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.

6 And at midnight a cry was heard: 'Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!'

7 Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps.

8 And the foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.'

9 But the wise answered, saying, 'No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.'

10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.

11 Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open to us!'

12 But he answered and said, 'Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.'

13 Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.

The key to this parable is the 13th verse. "Watch". Be prepared for the Second Coming. Live your life as if Christ could return at any second.

The lamp refers to our spirit and the oil is the Word of God.

5 of the virgins lived in the Word.......they walked according to the Will of God. They had enough oil in their lamps to light their way.

5 of the virgins didn't..........they neglected the Word, thinking they had enough time to make up for it later. ( they were luke warm christians ) These are the ones who fell among the thorns. They didn't watch and their oil supply was depleted.

[nikos]

Oil is a type of the Holy Spirit. The virgins sybolize that some of the church will lose out with God and not be ready for the coming of the Lord. Those with oil in their lamps speak of the sleeping church. They are saved but they are asleep to the nearness of the coming of Christ. When the Bridegroom is announced the foolish, thought they could get in by just using anothers experience. But not so! Each of us must have an up to date relationship with the Saviour.

[Guest man]

Oil is a type of the Holy Spirit.

How many "types" of the Holy Spirit are there?

[Fraught]

so are you saying that if we do not use the oil of the Holy Spirit, it will run out? the more we use it, the more we will have when the bridegroom returns? the 5 virgins without oil in their lamps are 5 who have not used their gifts? therefore, the door is closed to them?

i dont think her interpretation fits. we can't use up the Holy Spirit.

that's what i tended to think. but now in another post, the oil is equated to 'experience'. and another to 'endurance'. and still another to 'word'. do any of us know for sure what this parable means?

all commentators seem to agree that the oil is definitely symbolic of the Holy Spirit. assuming this is the case, the other 5 virgins without oil must have never received salvation in the first place. they are not Christians. this seems to be the only way it fits? what do you all think?

[nikos]

The foolish virgins said our lamps are gone out." This shows that their lamps were at one time burning or else they would not have gon out. These are people who have lost their salvation. Since they were dressed as virgins and with the wise virgins, I believe they are those in the church who have neglected their salvation and over time have lost out with God.

[tsth]

My husband and I were discussing the issue of the rapture and how we don't believe it is the NEXT event to happen prophetically. We were talking about how the Scriptures call for "endurance" and "perseverance", etc. That it is going to be tough to be a Christian in the days ahead, and that many have not considered the cost and may decide that this was NOT what they signed up for.

I mentioned that the parable of the 10 virgins came to mind, and how one group needed MORE oil. I wondered if it had to do with the above issue? If maybe the problem was that they had not anticipated a longer time of enduring, thus they were unprepared for the darkness that came and did not have enough oil, because they didn't think they would have need of it. It seems that this is the focus of the parable, a lack of supplies for a "longer" period of time. Is it a parable about being prepared for a longer haul? Enduring?

Just a thought.

What do you think?

Matthew 25

1 "Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 3 Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, 4 but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5 But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. 6 And at midnight a cry was heard: 'Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!' 7 Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' 9 But the wise answered, saying, 'No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.' 10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. 11 Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open to us!' 12 But he answered and said, 'Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.' 13 Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.

In His Love,

Suzanne

The foolish virgins said our lamps are gone out." This shows that their lamps were at one time burning or else they would not have gon out. These are people who have lost their salvation. Since they were dressed as virgins and with the wise virgins, I believe they are those in the church who have neglected their salvation and over time have lost out with God.

It is true, both groups had oil "in" their lamps to begin with. It was the 2nd group who had enough (for lack of a better term) the "long-haul". I still am wondering if possibly the first group resemble those of the current-day church trend who do not forsee "a cost" in following the Lord, such as mentioned in Luke 14. What if it is not the rosey-ride or rapture out of here, they were promised, but rather a period of persecution or hardship, involving "perseverance of the saints"? THAT is what I originally was getting at. Some have been assured that once they accept Jesus as Savior, they will suffer no testings or tryings, when in fact, the book of Malachi testifies to "a refining" or burning off the dross, process. What if this is what is really being revealed from the parable? What if in fact there were those who did not possess enough oil necessary for the WHOLE event? IOW, they did not have what was necessary "to endure"?

In His Love,

Suzanne

[exrockstar]

so are you saying that if we do not use the oil of the Holy Spirit, it will run out? the more we use it, the more we will have when the bridegroom returns? the 5 virgins without oil in their lamps are 5 who have not used their gifts? therefore, the door is closed to them?

i dont think her interpretation fits. we can't use up the Holy Spirit.

that's what i tended to think. but now in another post, the oil is equated to 'experience'. and another to 'endurance'. and still another to 'word'. do any of us know for sure what this parable means?

all commentators seem to agree that the oil is definitely symbolic of the Holy Spirit. assuming this is the case, the other 5 virgins without oil must have never received salvation in the first place. they are not Christians. this seems to be the only way it fits? what do you all think?

the parable here is a Jewish wedding. the groom used to come for his bride and take her away to a place where

they would feast with other famliy members. this was in the middle of the night. all of the virgins knew he was coming.

so we can conclude that they are not atheists. an atheist doesn't even fit in this picture.

ive always felt it's more like the return of Christ. The parable starts:

"At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like...."

Christ coming for His bride (church).

the endurance picture doesnt fit this parab;e because this is a moment in time for ALL mankind.

the endurance interpretation is a time that everyone experiences at any moment at any time in THEIR OWN life.

IMO

[Guest man]

This is referring to the second coming of Christ.

The vigins are the church.

"Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but he who does the Will of My Father in heaven".

You have 5 virgins who were not ready for the bridegroom. The reasons for this could be many, but the one main reason is the watering down of the Gospel. False teachings within the church. The pretribulation rapture....false hope. Believing that they would not have to go through any kind of persecution. The OSAS doctrine. My people today think that all they have to do is believe and they're guaranteed a ticket into the kingdom. The list goes on and on.

"But he who endures onto the end shall be saved"

You have 5 virgins who were ready for the bridegroom. These people studied the Word. They allowed themselves to be lead and taught by the Spirit. They didn't give in to the manmade doctrines that are poluting the churches today. They stayed away from manmade traditions. They had no part of the idol worship that is so rampant in the christian society. They were ready and waiting. They endured right up until the end. They put their full trust in the Word of God and the promises He made.

"Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming".