An Interpretation of The parable of the 10 virgins (Matt 25)

  • Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.

    If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!

    To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.
Sep 14, 2019
258
64
28
#1
Let's have a little fun! Here is one explanation of parable of the 10 virgins in Matthew 25. Just go along with this interpretation of the 10 virgins for the sake of discussion. How would you divide up the 10 wise/foolish divisions/virgins in the church today. After you fill in your 10 divisions in the church feel free to explain your interpretation of Matthew 25.

Matthew 25:1-13 – the 10 virgins

The 10 virgins in Matthew 25 symbolize 10 major divisions within the church. The oil symbolizes faith. 5 of the divisions are wise and 5 are foolish. The 5 wise ones take extra faith along and make it to the wedding banquet. They are ushered in to the wedding banquet by the bridegroom. The 5 foolish divisions did not bring enough faith and therefore are encouraged to go back and buy more, however, on their way back the bridegroom came and the 5 wise divisions were the only ones ready. Once the foolish virgins realized that the bridegroom came they tried to enter but could not because the door was closed and the bridegroom did not know them. The foolish virgins now have to wait until the Lord knows them.

Wise
1. Creation
2. Peace
3. Marriage
4. The Return of the Lord
5. Judgement/Hell

Foolish
6. Social Justice
7. Environment
8. Salvation by Works
9. God is Three in One
10. The Son of God is God

Note: others such as the virgin birth, resurrection, salvation are taken for granite that people believe.
 

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
55,248
25,719
113
#2
Denying the Deity of Jesus Christ used to be a top reason for getting banned :oops:
 

oyster67

Senior Member
May 24, 2014
11,887
8,696
113
#3
I only see one division: Wise vs. Foolish, Sheep vs. Goats, Wheat vs. Tares.
 
Mar 28, 2016
15,954
1,528
113
#4
I would say in that parable .Ten represents the a unknow number as the whole. Five represents redemption. Those with the Holy Spirt represented by oil were redeemed .
 
S

Scribe

Guest
#5
It is a parable. There are well known rules to interpreting parables. You departed from them all.

First of all the lesson is usually found toward the end of the parable.

12But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. 13Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

The "I know you not" part sounds final to me. Especially when they come back later and are not let in.
People who are not ready (watch and pray and live the life of obedience and faith in Christ that bears fruit) will not be able to SUDDENLY get ready in a twinkling of an eye. There are no shortcuts. This cannot even be interpreted as that they will have to go through the tribulation and give their lives for Christ etc.. They are not let in. They are rejected. They are not saved. They thought they could wait until the last minute and say a quick prayer and catch the bus to heaven.
 
S

Scribe

Guest
#6
It is a parable. There are well known rules to interpreting parables. You departed from them all.

First of all the lesson is usually found toward the end of the parable.

12But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. 13Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

The "I know you not" part sounds final to me. Especially when they come back later and are not let in.
People who are not ready (watch and pray and live the life of obedience and faith in Christ that bears fruit) will not be able to SUDDENLY get ready in a twinkling of an eye. There are no shortcuts. This cannot even be interpreted as that they will have to go through the tribulation and give their lives for Christ etc.. They are not let in. They are rejected. They are not saved. They thought they could wait until the last minute and say a quick prayer and catch the bus to heaven.
I see no deep secret riddles in the numbers other than the Jewish wedding custom that is behind this practice of the procession with the lit lamps as they followed the Groom into the banquet. They are not the Brides themselves. The emphasis should not be on them as faithful brides but as that one job they had.. carry the lighted lamps in the procession. There is no 2nd procession. This is not rehearsal. If you miss the procession into the banquet you miss the banquet. They did not carry extra oil. Their lamps were lit because they did not know when the groom would come, but they fell asleep and the lamps went out. If they had brought extra oil with them they could have relit and gone out to meet him. There is no way you can be accepted into the banquet by borrowing someone elses oil or depending on your church affiliation. You have to have that praying watching Holy Spirit filled relationship with Christ that is a light shining full of good fruits. If you backslide and think I will get right later I have time. You may wake up in hell with eternal regret.
 

JaumeJ

Senior Member
Jul 2, 2011
21,195
6,509
113
#7
We must all ask for the fuel of light. In this instance I believe that oil for our lamp is the Holy Spirit and the Truth revealed by Him is our Light to live by.

I love the song, "Give me Oil in my Lamp" because of this parable.
 

JaumeJ

Senior Member
Jul 2, 2011
21,195
6,509
113
#8
We may also sing another verse, cute but true: Give me umption in mu gumption make me function, function, function, give me umption in my gumption I pray...…….etc. I want that oil, I want that umption in my gumption, and I want to serve in the Holy Spirit, as do all in Yeshua...amen.
 
Mar 28, 2016
15,954
1,528
113
#9
It is a parable. There are well known rules to interpreting parables. You departed from them all.

First of all the lesson is usually found toward the end of the parable.

12But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. 13Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

The "I know you not" part sounds final to me. Especially when they come back later and are not let in.
People who are not ready (watch and pray and live the life of obedience and faith in Christ that bears fruit) will not be able to SUDDENLY get ready in a twinkling of an eye. There are no shortcuts. This cannot even be interpreted as that they will have to go through the tribulation and give their lives for Christ etc.. They are not let in. They are rejected. They are not saved. They thought they could wait until the last minute and say a quick prayer and catch the bus to heaven.
Departed from all of whose?

I am somewhat familiar with the purpose of all parables. They are designed to teach us how to walk by faith (the unseen will of our father). .Giving us His understanding. Unraveling the unseen mysteries of the gospel . Hid from those without oil .Given to the redeemed (5)

Of course we must go through the sufferings of wage of sin, death. The tribulation we have in this life are revealed as the wrath of God from heaven.(Romans 1) A corrupted dying creation. .

Those who have Christ working in them both to enable us to known his will and empower us giving us desire to do it. We should believe without murrurrring. The suffering or tribulation with Christ is to hard. (Phil 2:12-13 )

It makes the load lighter. It will be taken away when we receive our new bodies. They will not lust after the the things seen. No one escapes that tribulation. The end of it is the first death .

None of the five that had oil were hiding for a thousand years just to re-appear.

The Amil position works the best
 
Mar 4, 2020
8,614
3,678
113
#10
The bridegroom is Jesus, the bride is the church, the virgins are individuals in the church. The oil represents faith. This is about the second coming of Christ.

Some individuals in the church don't have faith or rather lost it at some point. Others in the church have faith and kept it until Jesus returned.

I would look more into verses about the second coming of Jesus and how he describes it.

Matthew 24:36-51 compares the second coming to the great flood and Noah's ark. The righteous will be taken safely in the ark, the unrighteous will be swept away like in a flood.

So the parable of the 10 virgins is both an encouragement to keep the faith and live holy and a warning against apostasy.
 
Sep 14, 2019
258
64
28
#11
Denying the Deity of Jesus Christ used to be a top reason for getting banned :oops:
I take the position that Jesus is the angel of the Lord the Bright Morning Star. He is the greatest angel that there is and when he was on earth the fullness of the deity dwelt in him. That is why he spoke like he did because the fullness of God dwelt in him.
 
Mar 4, 2020
8,614
3,678
113
#12
I take the position that Jesus is the angel of the Lord the Bright Morning Star. He is the greatest angel that there is and when he was on earth the fullness of the deity dwelt in him. That is why he spoke like he did because the fullness of God dwelt in him.
Just going to leave this here:

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." John 1:1

"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth." John 1:14

Jesus is God.
 
Mar 28, 2016
15,954
1,528
113
#13
Just going to leave this here:

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." John 1:1

"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth." John 1:14

Jesus is God.
I would add and the word was revealed by the temporal flesh given by the Spirit.

2 Corinthians 4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
 

Nehemiah6

Senior Member
Jul 18, 2017
24,167
12,764
113
#14
The bridegroom is Jesus, the bride is the church, the virgins are individuals in the church. The oil represents faith. This is about the second coming of Christ.
No. This is about the Rapture. In the Second Coming Christ does not come for His Bride. but brings His Wife with Him as He executes judgment on the unbelieving and the ungodly.

It is really quite amazing how Christians are unable to distinguish between the Resurrection/Rapture and the Second Coming of Christ. Two entirely different events with different purposes.
 
Mar 4, 2020
8,614
3,678
113
#15
No. This is about the Rapture. In the Second Coming Christ does not come for His Bride. but brings His Wife with Him as He executes judgment on the unbelieving and the ungodly.

It is really quite amazing how Christians are unable to distinguish between the Resurrection/Rapture and the Second Coming of Christ. Two entirely different events with different purposes.
The rapture occurs at the second coming of Christ, a post-trib event. I don't really want to debate it here because I think that's way outside the scope of this thread. We can disagree, but to flatly say I'm wrong is incorrect. This is the correct interpretation of the parable. Feel free to study more.
 
S

Scribe

Guest
#16
No. This is about the Rapture. In the Second Coming Christ does not come for His Bride. but brings His Wife with Him as He executes judgment on the unbelieving and the ungodly.

It is really quite amazing how Christians are unable to distinguish between the Resurrection/Rapture and the Second Coming of Christ. Two entirely different events with different purposes.
I agree, I think it is about the rapture. The dead in Christ rise first and those alive who are ready (they are not in a backslidden state) celebrate in heaven while the judgments are poured out on the earth. However it is a parable and sometimes people take details in parable further than they are intended. There is a lot said about the oil that I don't think is intended. I think it is just an example of being prepared, being ready. Don't think you can indulge in the pleasures of sin and repent later when you think the return of Christ is getting closer. I do think that the message is directed toward those who do believe in a coming of the Lord. The 5 foolish are those who have a confession of faith but not a sober and watchful lifestyle.
 

Roughsoul1991

Senior Member
Sep 17, 2016
8,784
4,451
113
#17
I take the position that Jesus is the angel of the Lord the Bright Morning Star. He is the greatest angel that there is and when he was on earth the fullness of the deity dwelt in him. That is why he spoke like he did because the fullness of God dwelt in him.
What Scripture says Jesus was a angel?
 

Nehemiah6

Senior Member
Jul 18, 2017
24,167
12,764
113
#18
The rapture occurs at the second coming of Christ, a post-trib event.
You are still confused. Are you prepared to have your confusion clarified? Take some time to listen to what others have to say in order to sort out the Rapture, the Tribulation, and the Second Coming.
 
Mar 4, 2020
8,614
3,678
113
#19
You are still confused. Are you prepared to have your confusion clarified? Take some time to listen to what others have to say in order to sort out the Rapture, the Tribulation, and the Second Coming.
Fine have it your way. Here is the verses that indisputably references the second coming after the tribulation that occurs simaltaneously with the rapture.

There are no verses that undo these sets of scriptures. Any other interpretation you have of a pre-trib rapture has to be taken out of context and misunderstood.

"29“Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other." Matthew 24:29-31
 
Sep 14, 2019
258
64
28
#20
What Scripture says Jesus was a angel?
Stars and more specifically Morning Stars are sometimes referred to as angels and in Revelation 22:16 it says...

“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you[a] this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.

The bright Morning Star is alluding to being the greatest angel. In other words not just a morning star but the greatest (brightest) Morning Star.