Here is one of the larger and grander pictures in this gallery of various glory. It is sublime in its ample outline, and exquisitely tender in its details. It is charged with many precious lessons, which flow freely at the gentlest touch; and it is cruel to put it to the torture, to compel it to give meaning which it never received from its Author.
I. I think no symbolic significance should be attributed to the virgins, as such, in the interpretation of the parable: It is when they take their lamps and go forth to meet the Bridegroom that they first acquire a spiritual significance. The whole group represent that portion of any community who hear the Gospel, accept its terms, and profess to be the disciples of Christ.
II. "To meet the Bridegroom," the parable and the discourse which precedes it bear upon Christ's Second Coming and the attitude which becomes His disciples in prospect of that decisive event. They who have been washed in His blood love His appearing. When the cry was heard all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. When life is closing behind, and eternity opening before us, we are all aroused. Every one who has a lamp hastens then to examine its condition and stimulate its flame; all who have borne Christ's Name search themselves to see whether they are ready for His presence. There is no visible distinction at this stage between those who have only a name that they love, and those who have attained also the new nature; all bestir themselves to examine the ground of their hope, and the state of their preparation.
III. At this point the decisive difference which existed in secret long before, emerges into view. The foolish virgins, having no oil in separate vessels, could not keep the flame of their lamps any longer alive. Both classes had a profession; the formalists had a profession and nothing more. How fondly the empty, in such a crisis, lean on the full! Alas! even the full is but a little vessel filled by Christ. That vessel is not a spring; the saved sinner is not a saviour of sinners. If you neglect the Son of God while He stands at the door and knocks, in vain will you apply to a godly neighbour, after the day of grace is done.
IV. The foolish virgins went away after midnight to seek a supply of oil; but we are not informed whether or not they obtained it. The omission is significant; this word of Jesus gives no encouragement to delay in the matter of the soul's salvation; not a ray of hope is permitted to burst through the gloom that shrouds these hapless wanderers. The sole lesson of the parable is a simple sublime warning that sinners should close with Christ now, lest they should be left to invoke His Name in vain at the hour of their departure.
W. Arnot, The Parables of Our Lord,p. 282.
I. The Bridegroom. He represents our Lord Jesus Christ, the Divine Head and loving Husband of that Church which is His Bride the union which faith forms between Him and His people being represented as a marriage. It is one of love; for though a wealthy marriage to the Bride, it is, on her part as well as on His, one of endearment. "We love Him because He first loved us." It is one which grim death shall never dissolve and leave Christ's Church a mourning widow.
II. The Virgins. They stand here as the representatives of the visible Church of every Church and congregation of professing Christians a picture, then, which should fill many of us with alarm, and set all to the task of examining the foundation of their hopes, in the view of death and judgment.
III. The Sleep of the Virgins. The scene is one of repose no sounds but measured breathing; and by the lamps dimly burning ten forms are seen stretched out in various attitudes, but all locked in the arms of sleep. How unlike sentinels; watchers; persons watching a Bridegroom's arrival, and ready at any moment for the call to go forth to meet Him! They sleep like infants who have nothing to do or care for; or like sons of toil at the close of day, when their day's work is done. (1) The sleep of the wise virgins may indicate that peace which they are invited and entitled to enjoy, who have sound scriptural, indubitable evidence in their hearts and lives, that justified by faith they are at peace with God and so, as St. Paul says, may "be careful for nothing." If that is what is meant by their sleeping, let those whom they represent sleep on and take their rest. (2) By the sleeping, as well of the wise as of the foolish, our Lord perhaps teaches what the best will be readiest to admit that even God's people are not so watchful as they ought to be and would be, were they constantly to live under the feeling that they know neither the day nor the hour when the Son of Man cometh.
IV. The Suddenness of the Bridegroom's Coming. Night is the most common period for dying. It is most frequently at what is called the turn of the night that, in those rooms whose lighted windows contrast with darkened streets, and within whose walls spectators watch through their tears the last throes of expiring nature, the cry arises: "Behold, the Bridegroom cometh!" In various ways it belongs, if I may say so, to the chapter of accidents, whether our death may not be as sudden and unexpected as the coming of the Bridegroom here, or as the Second Advent, in which our Lord shall appear with the surprise of a thief in the night. What may happen any day, it is certainly wise to be prepared for every day.
T. Guthrie, The Parables in the Light of the Present Day,p. 33.
The parable of the Ten Virgins is one spoken by our Lord towards the close of His public ministry, when, with the Cross only a little in advance, He gave utterance to the most solemn warnings concerning His coming again in glory and might.
I. (ver. 1) The general significance of the opening description is so plain as hardly to admit of diversity of opinion. The characteristics of those belonging to Christ's Church are expectations of Christ's coming in glory, dedication to the duty of giving Him a joyous welcome, and preparation for such a welcome. The Church on the earth is a testimony concerning a great future, a witness to the promise of Christ's reappearance, with throngs of attendants, as a bridegroom in the midst of his marriage rejoicings. This expectation is professed by all who declare themselves disciples of the Lord Jesus. That the lighted lamp does not mean spiritual life in the soul seems clearly proved by many considerations. The use of these lighted lamps is restricted to a special season, and has its significance determined by this fact. The lamps are naturally accompaniments on account of the need for going out in the darkness of night. They were to add to the expected effect of the welcome only on account of the darkness. Again, the lamp is a merely external accession to be used for a time and then laid aside. The lamp or light is outward profession of personal expectation of the coming of the Lord.
II. (vers. 2-4) As the virgins came forth they appeared a united band, sharing in the same expectations, interested in the same great event. But there were marked differences in their preparations. There was folly as well as wisdom apparent a true preparedness on the part of some, but partial preparation in the case of others, really preparing for disappointment.
III. (ver. 5) Our Saviour places before our view a threefold representation of human history as connected with His mission of mercy and love: (1) The period of busy preparation in prospect of His coming; (2) the sleep of death, traces of previous profession and activity lying around the resting-place; (3) the coming of our Lord in glory.
IV. (ver. 9) It is thus that the Lord sketches the crisis, which He anticipates with certainty, and of which He has always spoken with utmost solemnity. The preparation of the lifetime is the measure of preparedness at the resurrection. At whatever time the Lord may come, mere profession cannot endure. This will first be recognized by the men themselves who have made the profession, and on that ground alone have cherished the hope of sharing in the rejoicing. It will be recognized by themselves even before it is condemned by the Lord; arising from the dead they shall find their profession itself ready to expire.
V. (vers. 11, 12) Interpretation here requires that due weight be given to what is unsaid as well as to what is spoken. On the foolish virgins' part there is the absence of confession while there is the utterance of entreaty. On the Bridegroom's part there is no expression of His own will or determination, but a declaration of fact as to the relation of the suppliants to Himself. These features in the parable are full of meaning. Receiving such instruction as we have here, we are standing beyond the region where profession of friendship is of value, whether sincere or insincere. We are on the threshold of the scene of rejoicing, where friendship is tested by precious intercourse, where the gladness is that of reunion, and the festal company are united to their Lord by a thousand ties of cherished association. To have been known unto the Lord, and have had the relationship of friends in former times, is security for admission here; to have been a stranger to Him, with no prior fellowship, is to make admission impossible.
H. Calderwood, The Parables of Our Lord,p. 383.
The Ten Virgins.
I. God's children are wise; the rest are foolish. (1) They see things as they truly are. (2) They do not rest in knowledge. (3) They live for eternity. (4) They are like God.
II. The wise and foolish are alike in many things. (1) They enjoy the same ordinances. (2) They use the same speech. (3) They utter the same prayers. (4) They have the same outward behaviour.
III. There is a difference. Professors are often striven with by the Spirit still. (1) They are not taught by the Spirit. (2) They are not dwelt in by the Spirit.
R. M. McCheyne, Additional Remains,p. 455.
References: Matthew 25:1-13. Homiletic Magazine,vol. vii., p. 225; A. Mursell, Calls to the Cross,p. 224; Christian World Pulpit,vol. v., p. 179; A. B. Bruce, Parabolic Teaching of Christ,p. 496; M. Dods, The Parables,p. 235; W. M. Taylor, Parables of Our Saviour,p. 164.Matthew 25:1-30. Contemporary Pulpit,vol. viii., p. 179. Matthew 25:3. Christian World Pulpit,vol. xii., p. 286. Matthew 25:4. R. W. Evans, Parochial Sermons,vol. ii., p. 219.