Rev. Dr. Niveen Ibrahim Sarras

Matthew 25: the parable of the ten virgins.

November 8, 2020.

Matthew 24-25 is one discourse where Jesus shares with his disciple his final teaching about his second coming. After he left the Temple, he went to the Mountain of Olives and explained to his disciples the events that will take place before the end of time and encouraged them to be ready.

One of the parables that Jesus uses to encourage his disciples and us to be ready for the second coming is the parable of the wise and foolish virgins. Let us go through the symbols of this parable.

• The groom represents Jesus, and the bride represents the church.
• The virgins or the bridesmaids are the church members. Jesus calls all the bridesmaids virgins. He does not name five virgins and five harlots, which indicates two types of believers.
• The light is the word of God, “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path” (Psalm 119:105).
• The oil refers to the Holy Spirit, as explained in the book of Zechariah chapter 4.
• Midnight hour refers to spiritual darkness, spiritual crisis, and spiritual weariness.
•  The wedding is a symbol of the union between Christ and the church.

What do the ten virgins, or the ten church members have in common?

5. Every church member is presented in this group. Jesus does not compare believers with unbelievers as he does with the parable of the sheep and goats. Jesus is talking about us who are churchgoers.
5. All of the virgins, those who call themselves Christians, are baptized and partake in the body of Christ. Both the wise and foolish have their Bible and familiar with it. They believe in the doctrine of the church and experience the grace of God. The virgins or churchgoers are watching for the second coming of Christ by participating in church activities.
5. Both the wise and foolish became weary of the long night, waiting for the second coming. They grew tired and found it difficult to resist the temptation of the flesh.
5. All the virgins heard the midnight call and were taken by surprise. They arose and began to prepare their lamps. It seems that the lights were unattended, and they had to fix them.

Up till this point, there is no difference between the virgins.

Let us look at the differences:

When the foolish virgins lit their lamps, they discovered a lack of oil. They found the wise virgins brought additional oil, and they asked them to share it with them. The wise cannot share the oil, so they asked the foolish to shop for oil.

A person can't share the character development of the Holy Spirit. I can share the word of God with you, but I cannot give you the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is a matter between you and God. Only God gives the Holy Spirit. So, the foolish virgins found themselves unprepared to welcome the groom.

It seems that the foolish virgins did not find oil because it was midnight, and no shop was open. This confirms that God alone gives the Holy Spirit. The groom arrived and entered the banquet and the doors shut behind him. When the door is closed, no one can open it. The foolish virgins shouted, “Lord, open the door for us.” They pleaded in vain. The Lord responded, “surely, I do not know you.” The groom rejected the bridesmaids because they were strangers to him. He refused to open the door to them not because they were a few minutes late but because the door was secured to protect the banquet members and prevent the wedding crashers.

They knocked on the door, not because they wanted to be in a relationship with Christ, but because they did not want to be left out in the darkness. The foolish virgins or Christians want the privileges of being Christians; they want the forgiveness of sins, eternal life, and grace, but they do not want discipleship. Amos tells us that God rejects this type of Christians.

“I hate, I despise your religious festivals;
your assemblies are a stench to me.
²² Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings,
I will not accept them.
Though you bring choice fellowship offerings,
I will have no regard for them.
²³ Away with the noise of your songs!
I will not listen to the music of your harps (Amos 5)

Stay awake and prepare for the second coming of our Lord. You might get tired and exhausted. The only thing that keeps you awake is your strong relationship with Jesus Christ and dwelling in his word. The Holy Spirit will always be with you to help you fight the darkness and evil and to stay awake. Now we have an opportunity to be open to the Holy Spirit, but at the final judgment, it will be too late. The door will be shut. What you are doing now is what matters, but later at the final judgment, it will be too late. Amos explains to us how to prepare for the coming of the lord by

But let justice roll down like waters,
and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.(5:24).