Five Foolish Virgins VS Five Wise Virgins

What is your take of Matthew 25:1-13 -
Mine is this, The Five Foolish Virgins are those living after the flesh and dying (Rom 8:13a) -
The Five Wise Virgins will put to death the deeds of the body and live (Rom 8:13b).

1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.
2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:
4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.



The foolish take only their lamps, which have a reservoir of oil but doesnt hold an overly large amount. The wise take extra containers of oil, vessels, so they have a larger supply.


Many believe that the oil is truth, or The Holy Spirit. It doesn't really matter for the purpose of the parable which it represents since all the virgins are intending to meet the bridegroom as verse 1 says, and all have lamps and oil, though some have more oil. However, I believe it represents truth and will allude to that in this work.


So who would have "some" truth and who want to meet Christ but fall short? I would say they are most Christians of today. They have the milk of the word, and they certainly want to go to Christ, but they dont have the whole truth and they believe doctrines like the pre-tribulation rapture.


The wise ones have more of the truth, they carry it on purpose, its more labor but they know its important. These will have enough truth to know about the tribulation and the false Christ and they will stay true to Christ until He returns.



5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.


The darkness at midnight will be the tribulation. The cry being made is by those who are the watchers, who are telling that the true Christ is coming even though the whole world sleeps because of the darkness. The 5 wise virgins are the elect and the ones "calling" that the true Christ is coming are the watchers and the two prophets. When this call is made by them the elect will "wake up" and trim their lamps and use that oil they have. They get all this extra oil before the tribulation, which is now, through the teachings of those God has anointed with truth, that oil. So, even the wise 5 virgins slumber right until Christ was announced!



7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.


The lamps of the foolish are out because they were on all night and they ran out of oil, and they didnt have enough oil to light them up again. At some point in the night the foolish ones were in complete darkness, their "nightlights" went out. The wise had light/truth all night (think of the night as the tribulation). The lamps of the wise did not go out during the early part of the night.


Also, this trimming of lamps has something to do with adjusting the wick. In the days before electricity most people had either candles or oil lamps going through the night. The trimming probably refers to extending the wick so the flame would grow larger and emit more light. Only a modest flame would have been needed while they slept.

G2885
??sµe´?
kosmeo¯
Thayer Definition:
1) to put in order, arrange, make ready, prepare
2) to ornament, adore
3) metaphorically to embellish with honour, gain honour
Part of Speech: verb
A Related Word by Thayer’s/Strong’s Number: from G2889
Citing in TDNT: 3:867, 459


9 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.


Certainly this is another reference to the tribulation:


Luke 17:28 Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;
Luke 17:29 But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.
Luke 17:30 Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.

"they bought, they sold". If this example was compared to the end times before the destruction came would be like the tribulation period, this buying and selling etc....and the destruction would be Christ's return and the wrath of God 7th trump. Lot would be the elect who are gathered by angels.


10 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.


I think the foolish "bought" or bartered their "virginity" for the oil they got. There were no 24 hour stores in this time as there is today. No honest person would be selling after midnight so where they went, who they bought from and what they had to give is seriously questionable. Regardless, the wise ones are TAKEN to the marriage by the bridegroom and the foolish will be LEFT behind.

In my opinion, when it says the 5 foolish go out to buy, they do buy "false oil", false teachings....they take the mark and are therefore allowed to "buy and sell".


The elect in the tribulation won't take the mark and won't be allowed to buy and sell, but if the parable of the ten virgins helps at all then we know that there won't be any need for any wise virgins to buy anything because they prepared ahead of time with extra oil.


11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.
13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.


One interesting thought is what would have happened had the 5 foolish virgins remained, with unlit lamps, and were there while Christ had returned? It seems a critical element is that they were gone when he arrived. They were late because they hadn't been properly prepared for his return. They were lacking something and realized it too late.


This whole parable applies to His return and symbolically how the world will be divided up, those who are foolish and those who are wise, those with enough oil and those that had some of the oil but ran out of it at the wrong time.


they all were virgins
they all had lamps
they all had some oil for part of the night
They all had lamps that were lit for part of the night
they all waited for the bridegroom
they all slept
they all awoke when the watchman called out
they all trimmed their lamps

the part that is different is that the wise had plenty of oil and the
foolish didn't.

then the differences start:

the wise get ready for the bridegroom
the foolish leave in search for oil

the wise meet the bridegroom
the foolish arent there to meet him

the wise go into the wedding
the foolish do not

the wise are in the wedding
the foolish aren't

the wise are accepted
the foolish are not

its not the Church . Its virgins ( s) . The Church is presented as a chaste virgin ,( singular) it applies to Israel and the tribulation.

The passage, as it stands, has long been used by Arminians to prove you “can lose it,” and long used by Calvinists to prove either that five virgins were “professors” or else that since it doesn’t make sense, a parable only “teaches a general truth” and cannot be applied specifically.

1. Those involved are virgins (plural), not “a virgin.” 2. They go to marry no one; they go to MEET Someone. 3. They go to meet Someone who is already married (Luke 12:36). 4. All had oil to start with, and some lost it (vss. 4, 7–8). 5. If oil is a type of the HOLY SPIRIT, works are involved in obtaining a fresh supply of the Holy Spirit (vss. 8–9). 6. In 2 Kings 4:7 (where a transaction similiar to this one takes place), the entire setting is JEWISH. 7. There is no “twinkling of an eye” or “in a moment” or anything else involved in the passage. 8. It is the “Son of man” coming as a married bridegroom (vs. 13), NOT “the Son of God” coming for His bride!

“Virgins” (plural) are found in the Tribulation, not the Church Age (Rev. 14:1–6).

The truth is now inscribed on the hearts.

Endure to the en
Sorry whats this?

I agree with this.

I'm curious if you find a way to tie the parable of the banquet in Matthew 22:1-14 with the parable of the 10 virgins in Matthew 25:1-13.

There is a reference to a someone present who somehow got in without proper wedding attire who was promptly removed from the banquet.

Matthew 22:11-14

11And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: 12And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. 13Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 14For many are called, but few are chosen.

I don't think the popular idea that the oil represents the Holy Spirit holds up.
Yes, anointing oil is symbolic of The Holy Spirit in the right context but this isn't about an anointing.
The wise virgins suggest that the others go to purchase oil from those that sell.

Purchase The Holy Spirit from those that sell?

I still need to see the rest of the thread but yours was the first response I read and I actually enjoyed your post the only thing I really disagree with is the concept of what rapture you believe in be that pre trib pre wrath mid or post.
God looks to the heart not the specific doctrines you believe non of us will ever have it all right or have the whole truth in every aspect. Oil represents not just the truth or the holy spirit but is most used as an anointing over someone and personally I believe there ios a vast difference between a Christian by title and a Christian by heart those who would be the virgins with oil in their lamps are not just the ones looking for the bridegroom but those who are Christians not only by title but by heart.
Remember no one knew the timing of which the bridegroom was coming but they all were waiting and the ones who did have oil as you stated didn't have much which means they have been waiting for a pretty good while even though they were expecting the bridegroom just didn't know the timing of which he would appear.

It's a good thing our being with him is not based on which rapture we believe in because everyone seems to think they have it right and others don't yet no debates have ever fully proven any of the beliefs there is always another verse or another aspect that is used against it so we all hold a certain belief but if we are honest we don't truly know for sure no one really can.
Those who are prepared will be waiting for him even to the end of the night.
Personally I do believe in a pretrib rapture but I also am more than willing to go through the tribulation . I also know scripture often has more than one meaning to it so I wonder if those who didn't have oil in their lamps were those who were excited and waiting for him but became to tired of waiting and ended up burning out.

I have seen plenty of such believers I admit I used to be one of them I even gave up on the rapture until 2017 when God spoke to me in a dream but the way I see it regardless of who is right in their doctrines the question isn't who is right it is how far are we willing to go to be with him.

He is saying exactly what I said in my post my post it is the heart God looks at not the view you hold on the coming of the bridegroom.

That is a very insightful point I completely missed that, I am curious as well about this thank you for pointing this out.

" Its the heart God looks at " . I never know what to make of this phrase sometimes. Different topic maybe .

Not a different topic just truth in general, if our salvation or our going to heaven was based on having every doctrine correct no one would be saved because we as humans even when we are saved are flawed anyone claiming to have it all right is a liar you would have to be perfect and without any flaws.
Think of the Pharisees, they knew the scriptures better than the back of their owns hands they knew all the practices they taught it all by all means they had the right answers but because of what was in their hearts though had the knowledge they were blind to who Jesus was.
The heart of a person is always the deciding factor knowledge alone is not enough, so many believers are vastly full of scriptural knowledge but show a complete lack of love in their hearts a lack of mercy patience kindness evrything we were tauight to be as believers this is because who a person is depends on what is in their hearts and yes it is true the heart is decietful and wixcked but unless I am mistaken when we are born again we are given a knew mind and heart

I think you may be referring to the 'new heart 'and new 'mind of Ezekiel 36 ? Which is a future occurrence for Israel . We become' new creatures.' Then to mature its being transformed through the renewing of the mind ,which we are instructed to do . Rom 12.2 . Salvation is not dependent on knowledge and application of scripture but maturing is .

Yeah..lol I was just thinking of about this last night. How would one get more holy Spirit? Even before the 12/120 waited they were all saved. I don't know.. 5 had oil. the light others were empty.

Well it is true that was refering to Israel but scripture often has more than one meaning it depends on how you look at. For instance we are made new creatures but being a new creature also means you are made a new mind and heart at ;east that is how it was for me when I was saved my heart and mind were completely brand new I saw and thought different;y I loved and cared differently we are given new things but whether or not we feed and flourish it is up to us.
I do think you have a good point but I think salvation is based on the blood of Christ and the reciving of the holy spirit as far as maturing goes that will happen naturally not by our will or efforts but by his

It's a different parable. What they have in common is a weeding and some people allowed to be there and some aren't. It's the old, good vs. bad, sheep vs. goats, one taken one left and always in those same orders.

Night in the parable refers to the spiritual darkness of the Great Tribulation just before Christ returns. That the foolish go to those who sell to buy oil is also a reference to those who commit Apostasy and take the mark of the beast which allows them to buy and sell.