The Parable of the Virgins

THE Parable of the Virgins opens with the statement, “Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto.” It closes with the words, “Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of Man cometh.” The parable is part of Jesus’ answer to the disciples’ questions, “When shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming [Greek, presence], and of the end of the world [Greek, age]?”—Matt. 24:3

The parable emphasizes that so far as the time of the Lord’s return was concerned his disciples would not know in advance, hence the need of their being alert and continuing to watch. Obviously the faithful watchers could expect to know when the Master did return, and to rejoice in the fact of his presence.

The Parable of the Virgins is not just a set of circumstances which Jesus put together in story form. Rather, it is a true reflection of the marriage custom of the people of his day, and is a clear illustration of the essential point of the lesson. Jesus teaches, by its use, the importance of watching.

According to ancient Jewish custom, during the period between a betrothal and the wedding, the bride-to-be lived with her friends, and was not permitted to see her future husband, or have any communication with him. When the hour arrived for the wedding ceremonials to begin, which was usually late in the evening, the bridegroom set forth from his house, attended by his groomsmen. A band of musicians preceded them as they went their way to the home where the bride was waiting.

The bride and her companions anxiously awaited the arrival of the bridegroom; and when he did arrive with his groomsmen, he conducted the combined group, including his bride-to-be, to his own, or to his father’s house, accompanied by many demonstrations of happiness. On their way to his home they were joined by a party of maidens who were friends of the bride and the bridegroom. These would be waiting to join the procession as it passed by, and thus become a part of the entire group who, upon arrival at the bridegroom’s house, would be invited to participate in the joys of the wedding including the feast.

These maidens are the “virgins” referred to by Jesus. In the case of the parable, the maidens went out to meet the bridegroom too early; and, while they waited for him, they all slumbered and slept. When they heard the announcement, “Behold the bridegroom,” as it is in the Greek text, they discovered that their lamps were going out.

Five of these virgins are described as “wise” because of having additional oil in their vessels—one translation says “flasks.” The other five are said to be “foolish” because they failed to provide the extra oil. These ask the wise five for the needed oil, but fail to get it, so they are not prepared to go into the wedding with the bridegroom and his friends.

Watch

THIS admonition to “watch” has doubtless been a blessing to the Lord’s people in every part of the age, all of whom have been encouraged by their belief that the return of Christ was near. Actually, so far as individual experience is concerned, the return of Christ and the establishment of his kingdom have never been any farther away than the end of the Christian’s faithful walk in the narrow way of sacrifice. So far as consciousness of passing time is concerned, the next second after death the faithful follower is ushered into his reward on the other side of the veil.

While The Parable of the Virgins doubtless did serve to stimulate the “virgins” throughout the age to greater watchfulness, it has special application at the end of the age. It teaches that no one would know in advance of the date of the Lord’s return; but reveals that as the time of the second advent drew near there would be some who thought they knew, and that these would go out to meet him. These, of course, were foredoomed to disappointment.

And it is interesting to note that just such a thing did occur. Thousands who had become interested in the second advent through the Miller movement actually did expect to meet their Lord on a date they believed he would return. The parable states that the bridegroom “tarried.” This seemingly expresses the viewpoint of the virgins. To them it seemed that he tarried, but actually they had gone forth too early to meet him. We know that every feature of the divine plan is carried out exactly on time. Nothing in God’s plan ever tarries.

A Sign

IN ADDITION to being an admonition to watchfulness, we may well consider this parable as also calling attention to one of the “signs” of the Lord’s return and second presence. In answering his disciples’ questions pertaining to the signs of his presence, Jesus drew somewhat from the prophecies of the Old Testament. For example, he quoted from Daniel 12:1, which speaks of a “time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation” and, referring to it as a time of “great tribulation,” offered it as one of the signs of his presence.—Matt. 24:21,22

It seems reasonable that Jesus employed The Parable of the Virgins to illustrate the principle set forth in another Old Testament prophecy relating to the time of his return; namely, Habakkuk 2:3. This text reads, “The vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.”

The Apostle Paul quotes from this prophecy and applies it to the time of Christ’s return. (Heb. 10:35-38) Paul indicates that our “need of patience” is one of the important lessons of this prophecy. “For yet a little while,” he continues, “and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.” As we have seen, it is only from the human viewpoint that he would seem to tarry.

James also stressed the need of patience in connection with the return of Christ. We quote: “Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and the latter rain. Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.”—James 5:7,8

The thought of patience in these passages is “to endure.” It was lack of endurance on the part of the apostles in the Garden of Gethsemane that was responsible for their inability to remain awake and watch with their Master. Those who lack patient endurance cannot be alert and faithful watchers. They become spiritually drowsy and often fall “asleep.”

When, about the middle of the nineteenth century so many of the Lord’s people became convinced that the return of Christ was imminent, their enthusiasm was great. But when to these it seemed that the bridegroom tarried, their zeal waned and their interest faded—more with some, of course, than with others. Later, however, when the announcement went forth, “Behold the Bridegroom,” the interest of many was aroused, and they began to rejoice in the presence of their returned Lord.

According to the Jewish custom, when the maidens, or virgins, met the bridegroom, who, together with his friends and future wife, were wending their way to his home, they simply journeyed along with him. The length of time required for this journey would of course, depend on how far distant the bridegroom’s home might be. While Jesus did not mention this point, we think that this background of the parable warrants us in extending its lesson of watchfulness throughout the entire harvest period of the Master’s presence.

Certainly in every part of the harvest it has been important for the virgin class to be alert and watchful. Not only so, but the length of the harvest period has already been so much greater than at first was expected that the quality of patient endurance has been much needed in order not to become spiritually lethargic.

On the other hand, the fact that this seeming tarrying was foretold, should in itself be a great stimulus to our faith and zeal while we continue to watch and serve. And from time to time the reassurance of his presence has served in a similar manner. The announcement, “Behold the Bridegroom,” has been made continuously throughout all the years since his return. True, the seeming delay in the establishment of the kingdom is a test upon our faith and patience, but let us rejoice in the fact that the “vision” does not and cannot actually tarry.

The Bride Class

IT IS seldom possible to make a specific application of all the details of any of our Lord’s parables, and this is true of The Parable of the Virgins. The wise virgins of the parable seem clearly to picture the living members of the bride class at the end of the age, while the foolish virgins, being less alert and watchful, would well represent the “great multitude.”

The parable was not given to identify the bride of Christ, but, as we have seen, to emphasize the need to watch. It so happens that the role of the maidens, or virgins, in the ancient Jewish wedding custom lent itself well to teach this lesson. Faithfulness on their part was, revealed by their possession, not only of oil in their lamps, but also an extra supply in their vessels.

Since this is what the virgins required in order to perform their role faithfully, the oil would represent what we need in order to be faithful watchers who are spiritually alert and prepared to go along with our heavenly Bridegroom and to enter the wedding home with him.

In various instances in the Bible oil is used as a symbol of the Holy Spirit, and it would seem that in this association also the possession in large measure of the Holy Spirit is the vital need of every faithful watcher. The possession of the Holy Spirit implies the need of faithfulness along all lines of Christian endeavor.

First of all it calls for a full surrender of our hearts to the Lord, a complete denial of self, and a dedication of all that we have and are to the knowing and doing of our Heavenly Father’s will. We cannot expect to go our own way in life, and also be filled with the Holy Spirit of God.

The possession of the Holy Spirit by the consecrated requires the study of the truths of God’s Word, and their application in the daily affairs of life. We need to accept the guidance of God’s Word regardless of the difficulties of the way that is pointed out as the one pleasing to the Lord.

Possession of the Holy Spirit impels us to faithful activity in the Lord’s service, and, in turn, by our faithfulness we receive God’s Spirit in ever increasing measure. Jesus said that our Father was more willing to give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him than an earthly father is to give good gifts to his children. (Luke 11:13) Prayer, then, is one of the means of obtaining and of being filled with the Holy Spirit.

No wonder the wise virgins of the parable could not give their oil to the foolish virgins, telling them to go into the market place to obtain their own supply. Since the “market place” of experience involves time to live the consecrated life, time to humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God, time to study, to serve and to pray, there is the danger of waiting until it is too late to do our “purchasing.”

Since the parable is not designed to illustrate what the rewards of the faithful followers of the Master will be, it simply emphasizes that the wise virgins are invited in to the wedding, and that this door of opportunity is closed to the foolish virgins. The bridegroom addresses and treats these as strangers, and they are greatly disappointed. The two classes of virgins in no way suggests the difference between the righteous and the wicked. After all, they were all virgins who, together, went out to meet the bridegroom and accompany him to his home. But five of them were “wise” and the others were not.

The manner in which the wise virgins displayed their faithfulness is the vital lesson of the parable, and its great importance to us. We are to be alert watchers. This is just as essential now as it was before our Lord returned, for while we are walking with the Bridegroom toward his home and the wedding, we do not know when the journey will end.

A little spiritual drowsiness on our part might give us the impression that we have plenty of time for preparation when, as a matter of fact, the time may indeed be “short.” But if, as alert watchers, we are daily faithful in the use of all the means by which our “vessels” are kept filled with the Spirit, we will be ready at any time when the Bridegroom extends his invitation, “Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.”—Matt. 25:21

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