This story is told against a cultural background that is so different from ours today. Some words about the Jewish wedding in New Testament times might help us to understand the story better. On the wedding day the bridegroom and his friends would go to fetch the bride from her family. The ceremony took place at night, so the bridegroom’s party would usually set off to arrive at the bride’s sometime after sunset. Meanwhile the bride and her bridesmaids awaited the arrival of the bridegroom and his party. Upon their arrival, the bridesmaids would join the party as they escorted the bride to her bridegroom’s family where the party would take place. They carried lighted lamps for the night journey and sang love songs as they went in the procession.

These bridesmaids were waiting for the return of the bridegroom. They brought their lighted lamps (torches) for the procession as these were their “ticket” into the party. Five of them had brought enough oil but the other five had fallen asleep and did not have enough oil for the wait. All ten looked the same. At midnight the bridegroom appears. The five whom were unprepared run out of oil. The other five did not have enough to go around. Where could the foolish five purchase oil at midnight? They had to search and it took some time. The door to the party was shut and locked to stop gate crashers. It was too late to get in. They had not been ready and missed out.

1 – It Is Impractical To Know When Jesus Will Return

The bridegroom is delayed and the bridesmaids who took extra oil prove to be the wise ones. Wisdom here has little to do with personal intelligence or IQ. Wisdom is a choice — a choice to do all it takes to prepare for the worst while hoping for the best. The foolish ones only hope for the best and do not prepare for the worst possibility.

The five foolish bridesmaids thought they knew what was coming next. They had calculated when they thought the bridegroom was going to return but they were wrong. Jesus has made it clear that we are to live our lives expecting His imminent return. We are to watch and wait. We do NOT know. If someone says they know then they are wrong!

2 – The Importance of Knowing the Reality of Your Faith

There are those who know the Lord Jesus and those who only profess to know Him. The Word of God and the Spirit of God is required to be a Christian. The Christian is to be filled by the Holy Spirit.

The ten bridesmaids all looked alike. There was nothing on the outside to say who were wise or foolish. It is only when the Lord returns that we find out who has oil or not. It is possible to look like a Christian and not actually be one. See 2 Corinthians 13:5. We are to examine ourselves. Are you ready? See Matthew 7:22-23. Some people are deluding themselves. It is not possible to be a Christian and live like everyone else. How deep is your faith? Is it four miles wide and one inch deep?! We need to go deeper with God. The seed cannot grow in shallow ground.

3 – The Impossibility of Transferable Salvation

The five wise bridesmaids were not selfish. The oil that they had was not enough for everyone. You had to buy your own. You cannot borrow from others. You need to go to God for your oil. You need to be in a one on one relationship with God. You can’t get into Heaven on the basis of your human family connections. If your parents were Christians then that doesn’t give you a ticket to Heaven. The ticket is non-transferrable! Go buy your own oil! God has children and no grandchildren.

4 – The Inadvisability of Waiting Too Long

The five who pretended to be part of the wedding were suddenly found out. Like the Ark when the flood came, the door was shut to salvation. When this happens, all hope for salvation will be gone forever. Jesus was a great story teller and He told only the truth. It is better to be staying ready. If you are getting ready, then you may be too late! The bridegroom is coming.

Categories: Matthew