Matthew 25:1-13, The Parable Of The Ten Virgins

Matthew 25:1-13, “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. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.”

I humbly agree with Dr. John R. Rice (1895-1980), who writes on pages 401-402 of his commentary titled, "Matthew: The King Of The Jews" for Matthew 25:1-13...

"'Ten virgins.' Do not make the word 'virgin' figurative. Bridesmaids are virgins. The word 'virgin' here has no symbolic significance. Some think all represent the saved because the term 'virgin' was used, but that is not true. The Bible nowhere makes 'virgin' mean a saved person. Be careful about adding figurative and spiritual meanings to the Word of God where the context does not clearly authorize it. God reserved the word 'virgin' for a literal use, concerning the mother of His Son when He said, 'Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel' (Isa. 7:14). The five wise virgins represent saved people. The foolish virgins represent unsaved people. The difference was that the wise "took oil in their vessels with their lamps," while the foolish "took no oil with the."

So we just learned that the word "virgin" has no significance in this parable; but rather, whether they were wise or foolish. Dr. Rice says that olive oil was used as fuel to light their "lamps" (which means "torches" in the Greek). Olive oil was commonly used during Bible times, which symbolized the indwelling or power of the Holy Spirit of God.

When the bridegroom came, he found all the virgins sleeping. They were all guilty of being unfaithful. Yet, the virgins with the oil (i.e., the saved) were taken with him, and the other virgins without oil (lost sinners) were left behind. So we see that salvation is not a matter of our performance as saints; but rather, it is a matter of who is indwelt with the Holy Spirit (1st John 3:24). That is to say, those who have been born-again. We are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in the Gospel of Jesus Christ alone.

On pages 405-407 Dr. Rice further states:

"'All those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps' (vs. 7). The foolish expected to go. One of the saddest truths taught in the Bible is that multitudes expect to go to Heaven who will be disappointed. The depend on their wick of human profession and human righteousness instead of upon the oil of the Holy Spirit, the supernatural birth from above. Relatively, there are few who enter in at the strait gate and many enter in to the broad way (Matt. 7:13, 14). Many will recount to the Lord their good works, pleading to enter in (Matt. 7:22, 23), but Jesus will answer back, 'I never knew you.' The new birth, a supernatural change of heart, is indispensable to a place at the wedding supper. It is pictured here by the oil in the vessels. It is pictured in Matthew 22:11,12 as the wedding garments. Some try to come in without the wedding garment, but will be cast into outer darkness with weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matt. 22:13). Some will wish to attend the wedding without the oil of salvation but will be left outside.

Proxy religion will not help us at that day. Mother's prayers, the absolution offered by priests, the ritual of christening or baptism all will be unavailing then. The wise virgins had not enough oil for others; the foolish virgins could not borrow.

'They that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut' (vs.10). Christ's coming into the air to receive His saints will be sudden. There will not be time to repent, no time to be saved then and go away with loved ones. This does not mean that those left behind at the rapture can never be saved. According to verse 10, the foolish virgins 'went to buy.' Afterwards they came again, calling for admittance and presumably they had bought the oil, but the door was shut—not the door of 'salvation,' but the door of 'marriage.' The door to the marriage will be shut instantly when Christ receives His saints.

Therefore, those who are saved must stay on the earth in the Great Tribulation time. Those who have rejected Christ and are yet alive when Jesus comes will be left behind. Those yet alive who have not committed the unpardonable sin may be saved if they will. Some such will be saved and some will not, but certainly those yet alive who trust Christ for salvation will be saved. Then those who get the oil of salvation after the Bridegroom comes will be left out of the wedding and remain here on the earth in a terrible time of persecution and darkness until they die naturally, or are killed for their faith in Christ, or until Jesus returns with saints and angels at the end of the Great Tribulation."

Those were the prolific words of Dr. John R. Rice. I hope this answers your question. There is some awesome loud rolling thunder crackling outside as I type. I love stormy weather!