26. TEN VIRGINS (Matt.25:1-13)
BACKGROUND: The meaning of "oil" in this parable has been interpreted in three different ways through times: A) It means the Holy Spirit. B) It means faith in Jesus. C) It means the Bible. The bridegroom refers to Jesus and the wedding represents heaven, which is preceded by his second coming.
- What do you think a "watchful Christian" would be like?
- THE PARABLE
- The task of these girls in the wedding was to light up the way for the bridegroom in darkness. With no watches in existence yet, delays were the rule rather than the exception. Why do you think the foolish virgins didn't see to it that they would have had enough oil in every situation?
- Think of various reasons - conscious as well as unconscious - for a person not caring whether the wedding of his friend will go smoothly or not.
- How might the relationship of the wise virgins to the bridegroom have been different from that of the foolish ones?
- Why couldn't even the wise virgins stay awake until midnight (vs.5-7)?
- What do you think about the wise virgins not sharing their oil with their friends
(vs.8-10)?
- The bridegroom must have known all ten girls from before. Why did he then say to the foolish ones that he didn't know them
(vs.11-12)?
- THE INTERPRETATION
- Whom did Jesus mean by wise virgins?
- Whom did Jesus refer to by the foolish ones?
- What are the preparations we must do for the second coming of Jesus depending on which of the three interpretations we choose? (Cf. "Background")
- What is the difference between the faith of a person who is ready for Jesus' second coming and that of a person who is not?
- Do you think you have done sufficient preparations for the second coming of Jesus?
- What does Jesus want to teach us when he makes all ten virgins fall asleep while waiting
(vs.5,13)?
- When and how does Jesus learn to know his own (vs.12)?
- In what situations do we learn to appreciate the wedding in heaven?
- What does verse 13 say to you personally?
GLAD TIDINGS: We will never learn to know a person until he reveals even his worst sides to us. Jesus will not know us in the real sense of the word, if we don't tell him our sins and ask him to forgive them.