August 21, 2026 | www.gospelofjesuschrist.blog | River Wilde
Many of us are waiting for the parable that Jesus taught about the “Coming of the Bridegroom” to actually happen at any moment.
This parable is so important for YOU and ME to understand for it was written JUST FOR US. It is for those who are waiting for the return of Jesus Christ… SPECIFIC instructions, if you will, regarding what is coming, and what we must to ensure that we are prepared.
He explains a parable about a “Bridegroom” (Jesus Himself) who is coming for His Bride (This symbolizes all of the followers of Jesus Christ) to be married.
The parable uses the actual process of a Jewish wedding that would have occurred during a time that Jesus was actually upon the earth.
The Bridegroom would leave and go prepare a place for He and His bride to live after the wedding. Then, he would return for his bride, to be married and have the wedding feast in celebration.
In this parable, there are some important teachings that we should be taking great interest in.
He talks about 10 virgins who are waiting with the group of people, anticipating the arrival of the bridegroom. They have lamps, because they are waiting into the night, and require light to watch for his return.
5 of these women have their lamps FULL of oil, and are prepared to await the bridegrooms return, regardless of how long it takes, and 5 “foolish” women do not have adequate oil in their lamps, and run out while waiting.
As we investigate this teaching, let’s first study the 5 foolish women running out of oil. What is Jesus trying to teach us through these women?
The reason they ran out of oil was because of the unexpected delay in the return of the bridegroom. Perhaps they thought they had enough, but things did not unfold according to their expectations, and the waiting continued longer than they had anticipated.
This may be one of the great lessons Jesus intended in the parable: genuine faith must endure even when God’s timing does not match our own expectations. It is relatively easy to watch enthusiastically when we believe the Bridegroom is coming immediately; the greater test comes when “the bridegroom tarried” (Matthew 25:5).
The oil couldn’t be borrowed
The foolish virgins suddenly realized what they lacked:
“Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.”
— Matthew 25:8 KJV
But the wise couldn’t give it to them. There’s a profound spiritual truth in that picture:
Nobody else can believe on Christ for you. You cannot borrow your parents’ salvation. You cannot borrow your spouse’s faith. You cannot borrow your pastor’s relationship with Christ. And you cannot rely upon a church’s relationship with God. Each individual must personally come to Jesus Christ.
The five foolish virgins left to obtain oil, but while they were gone, the bridegroom arrived.
“And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.”
— Matthew 25:10 KJV
Then the foolish virgins begged to be let in:
“Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.”
— Matthew 25:11 KJV
But the bridegroom answered:
“But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.”
— Matthew 25:12 KJV
Now, let’s learn from the “wise virgins.”
The wise virgins were prepared for both His coming and His delay, while the foolish were prepared only for the timetable they apparently expected. Jesus therefore warns us not to base our readiness upon a particular date, season, or expectation, but to remain spiritually prepared and faithful however long the waiting lasts: “Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.” (Matthew 25:13 KJV)
They had adequate oil, which is the difference in this parable. What is the oil? What does it represent.
The oil carried by the five wise virgins represents the genuine spiritual preparedness of those who truly belong to Jesus Christ. Although Jesus does not explicitly say, “the oil is the Holy Spirit,” the KJV strongly connects belonging to Christ with having His Spirit: “Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his” (Romans 8:9), and those who believe the gospel are “sealed with that holy Spirit of promise” (Ephesians 1:13).
The wise virgins therefore picture people whose readiness went deeper than outward religion, knowledge of Christ, or excitement about His return; they possessed the inward spiritual reality that comes through genuine faith in Christ and being born of the Spirit (John 3:5–6).
Notice here, that the oil does not represent our good works, tithing that we paid, church attendance, or anything related to doing ENOUGH ourselves. It is all about having all that we need by accepting Jesus Christ and His atoning sacrifice into our lives and having the spiritual rebirth of being Born Again.
This scripture teaching fits perfectly into this discussion:
Ephesians 2:8–9 — KJV
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
This is one of the clearest statements in the KJV concerning salvation: we are saved by God’s grace through faith, not by our works. Salvation is a gift of God, received through faith in Jesus Christ—not something we earn through ordinances, religious performance, church membership, or our own righteousness.
Having enough oil is not frantically doing enough acts of service to be prepared. Jesus Christ and His saving atonement is ENOUGH, and is ALL THAT IS NECESSARY. However, it is OUR JOB to accept this gift, which is done through this spiritual rebirth which he taught in the Gospel of Jesus Christ as recorded in the New Testament.
Their oil sustained their lamps even when “the bridegroom tarried” (Matthew 25:5), showing a faith prepared not only for His coming, but also for the unexpected wait. Most importantly, when He finally arrived, they were already prepared: “they that were ready went in with him to the marriage” (Matthew 25:10 KJV).
In short, having adequate oil comes from the process of being “Born Again”
This is the second teaching from Christ that he refers to the door being SHUT. If you recall, the first one was at the time of Noah and the ark:
Genesis 7:16 — KJV
“And they that went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God had commanded him: and the LORD shut him in.”
Notice that God Himself shut the door of the ark. Noah didn’t determine when the opportunity ended—the LORD did.
Jesus later specifically connected the days of Noah with His coming:
Matthew 24:37–39 — KJV
“But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.”
Then, immediately afterward in the next chapter, Jesus gives the parable of the ten virgins:
“…the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.”
— Matthew 25:10 KJV
The parallel is powerful: in Noah’s day there was a period of warning followed by God’s judgment; Noah entered the place of safety, and the LORD shut the door. In the ten virgins, there was a period of waiting; the Bridegroom suddenly arrived, those who were ready entered with Him, and the door was shut.
In both accounts, the message is be ready before the door closes, rather than waiting until God’s intervention becomes unmistakable.
PLEASE consider this teaching today. If you have not yet had this new spiritual rebirth, this can happen to you today.
Recognize that you are a sinner, and that because of your sins you cannot enter the presence of God.
Study and learn about the atonement of Jesus Christ. Recognize that He came to the earth to DIE and Atone for your sins. Have faith and believe that this is the only way that you can have your sins forgiven, by accepting such a sacrifice.
Jesus did this for all mankind, but because of our free agency, a person must CHOOSE to receive this GIFT of salvation that He offers. We accept the gift of the atonement by having faith in His sacrifice. We also show tht faith by repenting of our sins, and asking God for forgiveness. This is done JUST between you and God, through Jesus Christ. A church has no part in repentance nor forgiveness; it comes only from God.
When a person becomes born again, they experience a spiritual birth accomplished by God through faith in Jesus Christ:
“Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3 KJV),
and “that which is born of the Spirit is spirit” (John 3:6).
The believer is saved by grace through faith, “not of works” (Ephesians 2:8–9), forgiven and made a new creature in Christ—“old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17).
They receive the Holy Spirit and are “sealed with that holy Spirit of promise” after believing the gospel (Ephesians 1:13), are adopted into God’s family as His children (Romans 8:15–16), and receive eternal life through Christ (John 3:16).
Good works should then follow as the fruit of salvation, not the means of earning it (Ephesians 2:10). In simple terms, being born again means that a person has passed from spiritual death unto life, belongs to Jesus Christ, and now has God’s Spirit dwelling within them.
“Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?”
— 1 Corinthians 3:16 KJV
Paul repeats this personally:
“What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God…?”
— 1 Corinthians 6:19 KJV
This is where Gods spirit resides, and NOT in a Physical Building or Temple. Concerning buildings made by people, Paul taught:
“God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;”
— Acts 17:24 KJV
Stephen likewise declared:
“Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands…”
— Acts 7:48 KJV
Taken together, these passages teach a beautiful New Testament truth: God’s people themselves are His temple through the indwelling Holy Spirit. Under the new covenant, God’s presence is not confined to a sacred building constructed by human hands. The born-again believer has the Holy Ghost dwelling within, which is why Paul could say directly, “ye are the temple of God.”
I’ve also been fascinated in my studies regarding this teaching relating to the “Delay” of the Bridegroom, and will be continuing that study and sharing that with you shortly.
Until then, please get on your knees if you have not been Born Again, and ask God to walk you through that process. Remember, it is received by FAITH… You MUST Believe, and not just simply do this because it is necessary.
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The Parable Of The Ten Virgins
By Jack Kelley Wednesday August 10th, 2016 About 8 Minutes to Read
Home » Topical Studies » Parables » The Parable Of The Ten Virgins
A Bible Study by Jack Kelley
“At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
“At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’
“Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’
” ‘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.’
“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.
“Later the others also came. ‘Sir! Sir!’ they said. ‘Open the door for us!’
“But he replied, ‘I tell you the truth, I don’t know you.’
“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour (Matt. 25:1-13).What’s That All About?
This parable is often incorrectly described as having to do with the church, especially by those who cling to the post-tribulation rapture viewpoint. Let’s apply some standard rules of interpretation to see what it really means.
As for the timing of the event, there’s little debate since it’s clearly disclosed. The opening phrase “At that time” refers to several earlier references in the Olivet Discourse all pointing back to Matthew 24:29 which says, “Immediately after the distress (tribulation) of those days…”
This verse of course refers to the Great Tribulation. It’s a 3 1/2 year long sequence of judgments begun by the appearance of the “abomination that causes desolation, standing in the Holy Place,” commonly thought to be the anti-christ standing in the newly rebuilt Jewish Temple in Israel proclaiming himself to be god. Paul prophesied this in 2 Thes. 2:4.
So the timing of the parable is just after the end of the Great Tribulation, when what’s left of the world awaits the appearance of Messiah, the King. But notice, they’ve been waiting a long time, implying that the story actually began much earlier, and is now concluding.
The parable centers around 10 virgins, or bridesmaids depending on which translation you prefer, awaiting the appearance of a bridegroom. The Greek word is parthenos, which always describes someone who has never had sexual intercourse. The use of the word bridesmaid comes from an attempt by translators to adhere to the context of the story. But in any case, here’s where some knowledge of 1st century Jewish wedding traditions comes in handy.Can I Marry Her?
In those days when a man took a fancy to a young woman, he approached her father to ask for her hand in marriage. A brief negotiation followed where the price he was required to pay as compensation for the family’s loss of their daughter was determined. It was called the bride price. If acceptable, and if the daughter agreed to become the man’s wife, they were officially betrothed and he went away to build a home for them next to his father’s house. This could take some time, and the couple rarely met again until the father of the groom pronounced the newly built home fit for habitation. Only then was the date set, and the man given permission by his father to go collect his bride for the wedding.
During this time the young woman was to watch and wait. She and her bridesmaids were to maintain a constant state of preparedness, since the wedding date would not be known to her until the bridegroom actually appeared. For his part, the groom would usually try to show up unexpectedly to surprise her, carrying her off suddenly “like a thief in the night” when no one would see them. When the bridesmaids discovered the bride had been “snatched away” there would be a great torch-lit procession, announcing to the whole town that the wedding banquet was about to begin. This was typically a seven day celebration during which the bride and groom were hidden away in their private rooms while the whole town made merry. The father of the groom picked up the tab for the festivities.I Can See Clearly Now
Against the backdrop of this tradition, the meaning becomes clear when we insert the actual characters that those in the parable represent. To do this, we’ll rely on the principle of expositional constancy, from which we learn that symbolism in scripture tends to be consistent. For example, whenever yeast is used symbolically it always refers to sin, while symbolic use of the word rock always refers to the Lord, etc.
All through the scriptures, whenever the term bridegroom is used symbolically, it always refers to the Lord. And no one argues that the Bride of Christ is uniquely descriptive of the church. Obviously, the bridesmaids are not the Bride so they can’t represent the church. In fact, the Bride is never mentioned anywhere in the parable, and in any case could never be refused admittance to her own wedding banquet. She was obviously spirited away earlier while the bridesmaids slept. The bridesmaids represent people on Earth during the Great Tribulation after the church has gone.Got Oil?
Now it’s time for the wedding banquet but some bridesmaids lack sufficient oil to light the way. Asking to borrow some from their friends they’re refused, since there might not be enough to go around, and are sent off to buy some for themselves. By the time they return, the banquet has already begun, the door is closed and they’re denied admission, the bridegroom claiming that he doesn’t even know them.
Checking on the symbolic use of oil, we find it refers to the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is a gift uniquely given to believers at the moment of salvation. You can’t get it for others nor can they give any of theirs to you. Each of us has to receive it by ourselves and for ourselves.
During the Church Age the Holy Spirit is sealed within believers as a guarantee of our inheritance. But no such guarantee is mentioned for Tribulation believers (Rev. 14:12). In fact Rev. 16:15 specifically warns them to stay awake and maintain their righteousness, symbolized by keeping their clothes with them. (Clothing is often used to represent righteousness, as in Isaiah 61:10). Rev. 16:15 implies that Tribulation believers are responsible for remaining steadfast in their faith to avoid losing their salvation. Matt. 25:8 agrees, telling us that all 10 virgins had oil in their lamps at the beginning, but the five foolish ones didn’t have enough to carry them through.
All 10 bridesmaids fell asleep and their lamps were in danger of going out. Only 5 had the ability to replenish their lamps with oil they had brought, and they refused to lend any to the others.
The 5 bridesmaids with oil represent those who will have given their hearts to the Lord during the tribulation period after the Church has gone and stayed faithful, while those without it symbolize others who haven’t. Only those who’ve remained faithful will be invited in.What’s That Supposed To Mean?
So what does the parable mean? First of all, I’m convinced it’s not trying to hint at the timing of the Rapture. I believe it’s sole purpose is to serve as one of the clearest warnings the Lord ever gave to those He would find still on Earth when He returns, and that’s to make sure they remain faithful and ready to receive Him no matter how long they have to wait.
When the Lord comes back at the End of the Age, He’ll find both believers and unbelievers present on Earth. Having previously spirited His bride (the church) away, He’ll now decide who among the Tribulation survivors should be allowed to participate in the blessings of His Kingdom, using the presence of the Holy Spirit in each one’s life as the determining factor. Those in whom the Spirit resides when He returns are invited in but those without it will be excluded.
Because just as importantly, the parable teaches that His return signals the deadline after which even the request to be saved and receive the Holy Spirit will be denied. (The foolish virgins, as the story calls them, were on their way to replenish their oil when the bridegroom arrived.) The door will be closed, and the Lord will deny ever knowing those who’ve come too late.
By not remaining faithful, these tribulation believers, who are not part of the Church, will have disqualified themselves from participation in the kingdom. Once everyone sees the Lord returning on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory, the opportunity for them to restore their salvation will have ended. Salvation has always been by faith and faith is being sure of what we hope for, and certain of what we do not see (Hebr. 11:1). Selah 3-21-04
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Thanks for sharing.
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