Parable of the Ten Virgins and the return of Christ

Matteo 25:1-13

1 "Then the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which, He took their lamps, and they went forth to meet the bridegroom.

2 Five of them were foolish and five were wise;

3 le proud, took their lamps, They did not take oil with them;

4 while the wise, along with their lamps, They took oil in their vessels.

5 Since the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.

6 Around midnight there was a cry: “Behold, the bridegroom, Come out to meet!”

7 Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps.

8 And the foolish said to the wise: “Give us of your oil, because our lamps are going out”.

9 But the wise answered: “No, because it would not be enough for us and for you; go rather to the dealers and buy!”

10 But, while they went to buy, the bridegroom arrived; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage:, and the door was shut.

11 Later came also the other virgins, saying: “lord, lord, sunny!”

12 But he answered: “I tell you the truth: I do not know you”.

13 Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

 

COMMENTARY

The object is the time of the second coming of Christ to reward the faithful and punish the wicked.

the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins

Orient marriages were celebrated, and still celebrating, Night The origin of this parable is in costumanza to accompany in procession, with torches lit the bride and groom, to their home. Some, however, believe that it is here at the head of the party of which the groom went to the bride's house, before the marriage. Since the party routinely was in the groom's house, and since evidently the Lord speaks of his coming here to lead his in “House of his Father, where he prepared their mansion”, Giovanni 14:2, the first interpretation seems preferable, and it is generally adopted. Anyhow, the procession, in going to the groom's house, It was met by a band of virgins, relatives and friends of the bridegroom. The number ten represented among the Hebrews completeness
practice, as the number seven was the ideal perfection. Thus the number of ten people was the minimum required to be able to celebrate Easter; and the cult of the individual could not establish where there were at least ten people who could always intervene.

which, He took their lamps

The lamp or a torch lit was the badge of members of the wedding procession: without which no one could he aggregava. The foolish virgins were forced to draw back when their lamps went out. Jesus described in this parable the visible Church, not the world; therefore, the words “He took their lamps”, mean a, intelligent, frank and noble profession of faith in Christ. Jarchi, talmudista cited
gives Gill, It describes the lamps: “on top of a pole there was a copper plate containing rags, oil and pitch, which setting fire, and what they used to take before the bride to light the way”. Another author writes: “Those lights are made with old linen rags, strongly twisted, and placed in a copper plate; those who carry them with one hand, have in the other a flask filled with oil of the same metal, and they take care to pour from time to time on those rags, which otherwise would not be light”.

They went out and meet the bridegroom

The second coming of the Lord, and the attitude that befits those who are eagerly waiting, It is the subject of this parable.

Le proud, took their lamps, It had not taken him oil;

the verse with Principia as or indeed indicating the reason why Jesus gives the name of “proud” to a group of these virgin.

while the wise, along with their lamps, She had took oil in’ village.

the wisdom is to provide themselves with a sufficient amount of oil, to, from time to time, OILSTONES the lamps. The
lampane
lit indicate the external profession of the Gospel, which often it is made for a bit pompously’ time by hypocrites, driven by some religious excitement, the manner of the foolish virgins, which undergo the wedding procession pass their lamps, without thinking about the necessity of being provided with oil. The oil shows “the anointing of the Holy Spirit” 1Giovanni 11:27, that is, his grace and his influence, which is engaged in continuous on renewed hearts. Jesus compares the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in the heart of the Christian, ad “a water source salient in eternal life” Giovanni 4:14, and is the possession of that perennial supply of grace for every time of need, which is the likeness of the true believers wise virgins hill.

Now, taking the sposo,

This is a new clue, given by Jesus, that his second coming will happen later rather than what not supponessero his disciples. Another even more obvious clue is in the following parable Matteo 25:19; and Peter, talking about the ascension of Christ into heaven, dice: “That the sky where the receive until the times the restoration of all things” proceedings 3:21. The most opposite opinions have ongoing regarding the glorious appearing of our Savior. Some leave it all into oblivion; others, the expectation of his imminent coming, they do scibbolet of their sect. But the fact that the Thessalonians, twenty centuries ago, already expected the immediate coming of Christ 2Tessalonicesi 2:1-5, teaches us that the time, there seems long, It is short for the infinite mind of Jehovah; want to point out that the “times and seasons” it is a real presumption on our part, and that our duty is to avoid vain prophetic speculations, to live constantly in humility and vigilance. The preparation required by Christ consists in the internal dispositions, and not in the impatient expectation of his appearance.

they all became sleepy, and fell asleep.

due to prolonged urge and tiredness. But what is the spiritual significance of this “sonnecchiare “and of this “to sleep?”. As verbs indicate a progression, since the former means swing your head, and the second lie down to sleep yielding to the influence of sleep, it is possible that Jesus is alluding here, as many exhibitors assume, to a spiritual decay in the Church, which will happen immediately before its appearance You see Luca 18:8. But Calvino's interpretation seems satisfactory to us, according to which this dozing off “it simply indicates the earthly affairs in which believers are engaged, while they dwell in the body”. As the second coming of Christ had to be postponed, despite the expectation of the Church, it was lawful and even necessary for believers to attend to the cares and affairs of this life, and the distraction caused by these occupations is here admirably compared to sleep. But while the false Christians let their lamps go out, that is, they neglect the duties of their vocation, true Christians do the opposite. The sacred oil of divine truth is always in their hearts, and what you will see in their conduct, so that, when they will be called to appear before the Lord, They will not have to hunt from their minds the cares and restore their faith and their love, wave power in seemly way to meet the Lord.

And at midnight there was a cry: Behold, the bridegroom, Come out to meet!

It seems that the virgins have placed a watchman to preach the arrival of the wedding party or you Sieno stops in an eminent place. “Christ alludes here”, dice bull, “to the fact that in spite of the predominant sleep state of Christians, he will graciously make sure that there are watchmen on the walls of Jerusalem” Isaiah 62:6.

Then all those virgins got up and set up their lamps.

When this cry will be heard, both at the hour of death, both on the day of the second coming, he will certainly make spiritual lethargy and worldly concerns disappear. Like foolish virgins, many begin to examine the basis of their hope only in the last days of life; but it is often too late to acquire faith. Even the best of Christians need to prepare their lamps, to examine their hopes and reinvigorate their faith in Christ. Thus far the parable does not indicate any visible difference between foolish and wise virgins, i.e. between Christians of no visible difference between foolish and wise virgins i.e. between Christians in name and those who have become new creatures in Christ. As death approaches, all examine the basis of their hopes and the state of their souls.

And the foolish said to the wise: Give us of your oil; because our lamps are going out.

Here the real difference is manifested, hitherto remained unknown, between the two groups of virgins. The foolish are not only aware of their own madness, but also of the wisdom of the wise, and pay homage to it: give us your oil. How these words faithfully represent what happens every day! Often the wicked, i profani, the hypocrites are convinced, at the end of their career, that they neglected their souls during their life, and they plead with the believers who are close to them, to help them, saying: “Pray for us; comfort us, taught us to believe!”. With what greed those who are faithless often lean, in the final crisis, over those who have obtained grace!

But the wise answered: No, that sometimes it is not enough for us and for you;

There is neither rudeness nor selfishness in this response. Not having that more than you need, giving any part of it would have placed the wise in the same difficulty, without bringing any real advantage to their companions. The man who possesses the oil of divine grace in his heart, it is not one source of grace; he is just a jar that Christ, the true source of grace, he filled up. He is a saved sinner, but he cannot be the savior of others: he needs what he has for himself, and it has nothing superfluous to give away. The Lord excludes here the works of supererogation that is meritorious and forming the treasure of indulgences and prayers for the benefit of the dead.! A man must live by his own faith, which unites him to Christ; and when also all the saints who are in heaven and on earth, wept around his deathbed, they could not save him, if he is not united with Christ by faith.

go rather to the dealers and buy.

These, I'm not, as some believe, words of irony or reproach, but rather a love advice. The wise virgins, having nothing but to lend, they could only advise the foolish to go quickly to the merchants if luckily they still had time! And what the ministers and pious friends of a dying sinner can do, if not point to Christ, source of life and grace, divine seller, which he says to the poor and the unhappy: “O all of you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, coming, buy and eat!” Isaiah 55:1. You see such an invitation in Apocalypse 3:18. Putting a consecrated host on the tongue of a dying person, anoint it with oil, spread a stole over his feet, instead of urging him, to grasp Christ by faith, it is nothing more than sending him to the grave, with “a false thing in his right hand” Isaiah 44:20.

But while those were going to buy some,

At this point the foolish virgins withdraw from the wedding party. They can no longer be part of it, their lamps being extinguished; but they run in desperation to find that, hoping to find time to resume their place. Oimè, it's too late! Alike, in the face of death and judgment, the hypocrites often let the mask fall; conscience forces them to confess that they lack the oil of grace; the terrible realities that present themselves to their sight oblige them to ask those around them: How am I going to appear before my judge? But for one who repents to health on the verge of death, thousands repent without, fruit, because they began to seek the Lord too late!

the bridegroom arrived; and those who were ready entered the wedding hall with him;

that is, they took part in the wedding feast. Since the wise virgins did not owe their salvation to the feverish activity with which they set up their lamps when the procession approached, but to the prudence and foresight with which they had stocked themselves with oil since the previous day, thus the salvation of the soul does not depend on an anguished repentance at the moment of death, but from the continuous abode of the, Spirit of holiness in our heart during life. Similar to the supply of oil that gives new nourishment to the lamp, he makes the believer's faith shine more brilliantly, as the end draws near.

and the door was closed.

“Closed” just to ensure the salvation and happiness of those who entered, as if to exclude those who remained outside. Rejoice, or believer! once you have entered the heavenly city with your Lord, the door will be locked; “you will never go out again”, e “nothing filthy, or who commits abomination, or falsehood, it will enter her”. Those who now rely on the effectiveness of the pains of Purgatory, of the intercession of the saints or of the masses of the Roman Church to arrive after who knows how long! in the sky, notice the solemn words: “the door was closed”. They proclaim the absolute vanity of any such hope, and the deceit of those who encourage them. Who does not enter with the bridegroom will be excluded forever. How graphic and terrible is this description of the man who, after being quasi
saved, it is nonetheless lost!

At the last, the other virgins also came saying: lord, lord, sunny!

In chap. Matteo 7:22 the repetition of the word lord it is due to amazement and surprise; here is the heartbreaking cry of despair. Now their eyes are finally open, and they see clearly all the fatal consequences of their madness.

But he, answering, said: I tell you in truth: I do not know you.

This does not mean that the Lord does not know their people or their character, but that he does not want to recognize them as his followers. Some exhibitors thought they found a difference between the words used here: “I do not know you”, and those: “I've never met you” of the head. Matteo 7:23; as if the former are milder and imply less severe treatment for the foolish virgins in the parable. This way of interpretation must be rejected; not only because it is contrary to the tenor of this passage and of the preceding parables, but again because it tends to detract from some of the more solemn warnings concerning the punishment of the wicked.

Watch therefore; because you know neither the day, or the hour.

These words contain the practical teaching of the parable, that is, the need which it consists not only in having turned on the lamp outside the profession, but even in the heart possess the graces of the Spirit that John calls “an anointing from the Holy” 1Thurs. 2:20. Those, in whose hearts the Spirit of Christ dwells, They can never be absolutely surprised by the coming of the Lord, whether this takes place the time of death or the last day.

REFLECTIONS

1. The expectation of the second appearance of Christ is such a characteristic fact of the Christian, according to the New Testament, that both his true disciples and those who are apparently so, they are described here as “come out to meet it”. So it is everywhere Luca 19:13; 1Corinthians 11:26; 1Tessalonicesi 1:9-10; 2Timoteo 4:8; Jews 9:28. Love the appearance of Christ, includes every other biblical hope, and raises the soul to its true dignity.

2. Note that the madness of mad virgins does not consist in not waiting for the bridegroom to come, but in neglecting to provide for the necessary things in case of delay; while the wisdom of the wise is manifested in having equipped themselves with everything they need. Expect the Return of Christ before or after the millennium; the essential is to treasure, inside the heart, of that grace which is the true preparation for the coming of Christ.

3. This parable was not uttered for the purpose of producing desperate repentance at the hour of death, but to make us wise to health from the beginning of our days.