Kingdom Parables: The Wise and Foolish Virgins

Be prepared for the Second Advent of the Lord, Jesus Christ—this is the central truth of the Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins. There are many who think they are ready for the coming of the Lord, but many will discover that they are thoroughly unprepared for the event.

This parable, like all the stories that Jesus tells, is told within a context. The Parable of The Wise and Foolish Virgins is one of a series of parables that Jesus tells at the close of what we’ve come to call The Olivet Discourse. The passage is found in the 24th chapter of Matthew’s Gospel and outlines the signs of the end of the age and the condition of the world shortly before the 2nd Advent of the Lord Jesus Christ to establish his Millennial Kingdom on earth.

It’s a hard parable. It’s hard to read, let alone preach. Many of the parables of Jesus emphasize gracious invitations, offers of mercy, and acts of forgiveness. They reveal a Heavenly Father who is loving and who actively searches for sinners and patiently waits for them to come home. But we hear something different in this story. We hear that a time is coming when the door to the kingdom will be shut, and those who plead to be let in will hear the fateful answer, “I tell you the truth, I don’t know you.” Those words are so final.

I like the parables that emphasize grace. But there is an end to the window of opportunity, and it comes at death or the second coming, whichever comes first for you. There is no second chance at that time.

So what does the parable teach us about waiting and watching for Jesus?

I. BE PREPARED EVEN THOUGH THE BRIDEGROOM DELAYS

ILLUS. In his commentary on this parable J. Vernon McGee tells the story of Mary, an eighteen year old girl who had been invited out by the boy of her dreams. She was so excited that she was ready an hour before the young man was to arrive. What she didn’t know was that the young man of her dreams was habitually late. She was hugely disappointed when her date did not arrive on time. Thirty minutes passed and then an hour. After almost two hours, Mary figured she had been stood up. So, she took off her makeup, put on her pajamas, gathered all the junk food from the pantry and sat down to watch TV. As her favorite show was just coming on, the doorbell rang. It was her date. He stared at her wide-eyed and said, “I’m two hours late, and you’re still not ready?”

1. in this parable Jesus tells us, “Don’t let my return sneak up on you. Be ready all the time.”

a. Jesus repeats this theme throughout the Olivet Discourse

“No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. ... 42 Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. ... 44 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.” (Matthew 24:36, 42, 46 NIV84)

2. the parable of the 10 virgins is given to underscore the importance of being ready for Christ’s return—even if he delays longer than expected

a. when he does return, there will be no second chances for the unprepared

3. Jesus uses the imagery of a Jewish wedding to illustrate his point

A. GETTING READY FOR A WEDDING

“At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish and five were wise. 3 The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. 4 The wise, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps.” (Matthew 25:1-4, NIV84)

1. the setting for this parable was a typical Jewish wedding ceremony

2. a Jewish marriage consisted of three parts

a. the first stage was the arrangement

1) most often arranged by the fathers of the bride and groom, the arrangement amounted to a contract of marriage in which the couple had little, if any, direct involvement

ILLUS. Think pre-nuptial agreement. But instead of being decided by the couple getting married, its decided by the parents of the couple, who may or may not have ever met each other.

b. the second stage was the betrothal, the marriage ceremony at which the bride and groom exchanged vows in the presence of family and friends

1) at that point the couple was considered married, and their relationship could be broken only by formal divorce

2) if the husband happened to die during the betrothal, the bride was considered a widow

3) the betrothal could last for many months, sometimes a year, during which time the groom would establish himself in a business, trade, or farming and would build a home for the couple to live in

c. the third stage is when the groom actually comes to claim his bride

1) at the end of the betrothal period the actual wedding day arrives

2) some time after dark the groom would come to the place where the bride and her attendants were waiting and escort her back to the new home he had prepared for her

3) then there would be a great wedding feast

4. this, Jesus says, is what the coming of the Kingdom will be like—a wedding day where everyone is looking for the groom to arrive

B. WAITING FOR THE GROOM

“The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.” (Matthew 25:5, NIV84)

ILLUS. I suppose that just about everyone here has been to a wedding at some time. As the time for the service approaches, the music begins to play and candles are lit. The groom just kind of slips to the front of the church with the pastor and best man, not drawing much attention. The bride is the one who makes the grand entrance, while the groom just waits to receive his bride.

1. but in the Eastern culture of Jesus’ day, all the attention was on the bridegroom and his coming for the bride

2. the mideastern wedding customs of that day are a beautiful picture of the Christ’s relationship to His Church

a. Jesus Christ has made the payment with His own life for His bride, the church just as a prospective groom paid his future father-in-law a price for his daughter

b. at His ascension Jesus went back into Heaven to prepare a place for us just as a groom prepared a new home for his bride

c. and just as the groom came to receive his bride, so Jesus is coming again to receive His Church and take us to our new home in heaven

3. in this parable, the story revolves around ten of the bride’s and attendants who are waiting for the grand event—the arrival of the groom

4. the Bible tells us that five of them are wise and five are foolish

a. the wise ones are prepared—they have brought an extra jar of oil to keep their lamps burning

1) they represent true disciples of Christ who have the light of truth and the regenerating presence of the Holy Spirit in their lives

b. the foolish ones are unprepared—they’ve brought their lamps, but they’ve neglected to prepare for the unexpected—that the groom might tarry for some reason

1) they have not brought any oil

2) they represent those who profess to hold hope in Christ, but who—though they have the light of truth—have never been converted

4. outwardly, there seems no real difference between the two groups

a. they all long for the coming of the bridegroom

b. they all demonstrate an outward readiness for the wedding feast

c. in appearance they are all indistinguishable

1) but looks can be deceiving

ILLUS. Remember the story of David’s anointing as king? The Prophet Samuel has arrived and he sees Eliab, Jesse’s oldest son. He’s evidently tall and ruggedly handsome, and Samuel assumes he is the next king over Israel. “But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”” (1 Samuel 16:7, NIV84)

5. I think that in our churches today we see a lot of people who all look the same

a. they come to church and bring their Bibles

b. they sing the songs and put their money in the offering plate

c. they fellowship with the saints and come to the pot- luck dinners

d. by all appearance, they seem to have a relationship with the Lord

1) but just as the bridegroom in the parable tells the five foolish attendants, depart from me, I do not know you so will many who think they are Christian hear similar words when they stand before Christ at His throne

2) despite what you’ve heard, good people do go to hell

II. BE PREPARED BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME THINGS YOU CANNOT BORROW

“At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ 7 “Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. 8 The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’ 9 “ ‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’” (Matthew 25:6-9, NIV84)

1. for some unexplained reason, the groom has not arrived when everyone thought he would

a. as they wait, the hour grows late and the attendants become drowsy

2. suddenly a shout is heard—the groom’s attendants loudly proclaim that the bridegroom has arrived

3. you can picture the scurrying that suddenly takes place

a. the attendants are rubbing the sleep from their eyes

b. they get to their feet and smooth the winkles from their garments

c. and they light their lamps in preparation for the procession to the bridegroom’s residence

4. this is where the problem develops

a. five have come prepared—they’ve brought oil and replenish their lamps

b. five have come unprepared—they’ve brought no oil and cannot refill their lamps

5. they seek to borrow from their wise friends ... “The foolish said to the prudent, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ “

a. the prudent attendants respond saying, ‘No, there will not be enough for us and you too; go instead to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’

b. their procrastination caused embarrassment when the groom came and they had to run to the store for more oil

1) the problem was that when they returned and sought entrance to the feast, they were considered no different than other uninvited seekers

2) the feast had begun and the doors were locked—it was too late

A. WHEN JESUS CHRIST APPEARS AGAIN IT WILL BE TOO LATE TO PREPARE FOR HIS COMING

“But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. 11 “Later the others also came. ‘Sir! Sir!’ they said. ‘Open the door for us!’ 12 “But he replied, ‘I tell you the truth, I don’t know you.’” (Matthew 25:10-12, NIV84)

1. this parable is a picture of the world at the end of the age

a. there are the truly wise

1) God has revealed to them the deceitfulness of their heart and the futility of their thinking and the depravity of their soul

2) they’ve accepted the verdict of the Scriptures that in them dwelleth no good thing and by faith they have cast themselves at the foot of the cross seeking the grace and mercy of God through faith Christ

b. there are also the truly unwise

1) God has revealed to them the deceitfulness of their heart and the futility of their thinking and the depravity of their soul

2) but they’ve not accepted the testimony of the Scriptures ... they think they’re all right as they are

3) the consequence of their self-deception is two-fold

a) first, they believe they are as prepared as they need to be, or

b) second, they assume that they’ve got time—they are in no hurry to spiritually prepare because they think they’ve got all the time in the world

2. note that the foolish virgins are not evil, but they are careless

a. from all outward appearances, they are just like the wise virgins

b. they are simply not ready when the Bridegroom suddenly appears

1) they were present, but they were not prepared

2) by the way, the word translated foolish in this passage is the same root word from which we get our English word moron

c. it is possible for someone to be highly educated with a stunning intelligent according to the wisdom of the world, and yet be a spiritual moron when it comes to matters of eternal life

3. why is it such a big deal that these five foolish maidens have no oil for their lamps?

a. Bible scholar and author, John Kohlenberger writes in his commentary on the parable that those in the procession without torches would have been considered party crashers

4. the foolish attendants desperately seek the aid of their friends, but it’s too late

a. their caught unprepared and there is nothing that can be done

b. on the surface, the refusal of the attendants who had oil to share with those who had none, seems selfish

1) but in the spiritual realm faith is not transferable

2) eternal life cannot be conveyed from one believer to another

5. there has been a great debate over this parable ever since the Protestant Reformation

a. do these foolish attendants represent people who were really born again and then through sin lost their salvation and became apostates?

1) this is an ongoing debate

b. I think that Jesus gives us the definitive answer in v. 12 when the Bridegroom tells them, “Verily I say unto you, I know you not.”

6. here is the great tragedy within Christendom—there are multitudes who believe that they are truly Christian while in reality they truly are not

a. there are 1.6 billion professing Christians in the world today

1) many of them are trusting in church membership for their salvation—not Jesus

2) many of them are trusting in the rite of baptism for their salvation—not Jesus

3) many of them are trusting in confirmation and religious ritual for their salvation— not Jesus

4) many of them are trusting in their own good works or personal righteousness for their salvation—not Jesus

5) many of them are trusting in the spiritual heritage of their family for salvation— not Jesus

b. what they have in these false notions is a lamp without oil

7. they are like the counterfeit believers the Apostle Paul warns of in 2 Tim. 3:5 “Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof ... “

III. BE PREPARED BECAUSE YOU HAVE NO GUARANTEE OF TOMORROW

1. most of assume that we will wake up tomorrow and go about our day

a. Jesus addressed this attitude in another parable

“And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. 17 He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ 18 “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.” ’ 20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ 21 “This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God.”” (Luke 12:16-21, NIV84)

ILLUS. For many years, one of my favorite TV shows was M*A*S*H. It was a sitcom about army doctors and nurses during the Korean War. In one episode, Captain B.F. Pierce, affectionately known as ‘Hawkeye’, is called out to the front lines due to a shortage of doctors there. When he arrives, there are bombs and bullets flying all around. He suddenly realizes that his own life is in great danger. So in the few spare moments he has in between surgeries, he takes time to write out his last will and testament. Eventually, another doctor arrives at the front and Hawkeye is able to return to the 4077 MASH. He arrives late in the evening, enters the office, sits down at the desk and works on the conclusion of his will. Corporal Klinger comes in and sees him and asks what he's doing. Hawkeye tells him that he is just “finishing up some paper work.” Klinger responds by saying "Captain, one thing I’ve learned about the Army: No paper work is so important that it can't wait until tomorrow." Hawkeye looks at him thoughtfully and says, "I used to think that way too." It was not until Hawkeye had experienced his close encounter with death on the front lines that he had come to realize the great importance of being prepared for death.

2. this is the point of the Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins

a. some day the door of opportunity for committing you life to Jesus Christ will be closed

b. it will simply be too late

Con. As with all of Jesus’ parables, the message of this one is simple. It is meant to illustrate truths He has just been teaching: that He is coming again, that He will then judge sinners and reward the righteous, that people must be ready, and that His coming will be unexpected. The central truth is that once He has arrived, there will be no second chance and the opportunity for salvation will be gone forever.

Invitation: Do you know Jesus? I mean, do you really know Him and not just know about Him? Have you committed you life to Him and seek to follow Him daily as a disciple?

How should Christians respond to this message? The church has known for 2,000 years that Jesus is coming again, and yet many believers have become spiritually lethargic and drowsy. They are no longer excited about the soon-coming of the Lord. As a result, there is little effective witness given that the Lord is returning.

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