Played and Inspired by Patrick Bukassa (Copyright)
THE PARABLE OF THE TEN VIRGINS
The parable of the ten virgins in the 25th chapter of Matthew contains lessons for all of God's elect children regardless of when they are called to salvation. This parable is easily understood as a prophecy for the end of the age because it is set within a group of parables in which the only subject matter discussed is Christ's return and those who will be allowed to enter the Family and Kingdom of God at that time.
The Parable of the Ten Virgins, also known as the parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins, is one of the well known parables of Jesus. However, it appears in only one of the Canonical gospels of the New Testament. According to the Matthew 25:1-13 the five virgins who are prepared for the bridegroom's arrival are rewarded and the five who are not prepared are excluded. The parable has a clear eschatological theme: be prepared for the Day of Judgment.
It was one of the most popular parables in the Middle Ages, with enormous influence on Gothic art, sculpture and the architecture of German and French cathedrals.
In the Parable of the Ten Virgins, Jesus tells a story about a party of virgins (perhaps bridesmaids[1] or torchbearers for a procession[2]) given the honor of attending a wedding. Each of the ten virgins is carrying a lamp (or torch[2]) as they await the coming of the bridegroom, which they expect at some time during the night. Five of the virgins are wise and have brought sufficient oil for their lamps. Five are foolish and have not.
The bridegroom is delayed until late into the night; when he arrives the foolish virgins ask the wise ones for oil, but they refuse, saying that there will certainly not (Greek ou mē[3]) be enough for that. While the foolish virgins are away trying to get more oil, the bridegroom arrives. The wise virgins are there to welcome him and the foolish ones arrive too late and are excluded: Then 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. Those who were foolish, when they took their lamps, took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. Now while the bridegroom delayed, they all slumbered and slept. But at midnight there was a cry, "Behold! The bridegroom is coming! Come out to meet him!" Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. The foolish said to the wise, "Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out." But the wise answered, saying, "What if there isn't enough for us and you? You go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves." While they went away to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. Afterward the other virgins also came, saying, "Lord, Lord, open to us." But he answered, "Most certainly I tell you, I don't know you." Watch therefore, for you don't know the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming. -- Matthew 25:1-13, World English Bible
In this parable, Christ is the bridegroom,[1][4] echoing the Old Testament image of God as the bridegroom in Jeremiah 2:2 and similar passages.[1] The awaited event is the Second Coming of Christ.[1][4] R. T. France writes that the parable is "a warning addressed specifically to those inside the professing church who are not to assume that their future is unconditionally assured."[1]
The parable does not criticise the virgins for sleeping, since both groups do that,[2] but for being unprepared. It is not clear exactly what form this lack of preparation takes: the foolish virgins may have taken insufficient oil or, if they light their lamps or torches for the first time when the bridegroom arrives (having slept through the previous hours of darkness), they may have brought no oil at all[3] (it is also unclear as to whether the foolish virgins succeed in purchasing any oil that night:[6] most shops would not have been open[7][8]).
The parable is not written in praise of virginity,[4] and indeed Louis of Granada, in his The Sinner's Guide of 1555, writes "No one makes intercession with the Bridegroom for the five foolish virgins who, after despising the pleasures of the flesh and stifling in their hearts the fire of concupiscence, nay, after observing the great counsel of virginity, neglected the precept of humility and became inflated with pride on account of their virginity."[9]
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The Parable Of The Ten Virgins Part 2 - Patrick Bukassa and Pianoby pbukassa652 views
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