Of all the sayings of Jesus, perhaps none could have greater finality than these words. They were spoken in relation to the exclusion of the five foolish virgins from the marriage supper.
The parable of the ten virgins is the most sobering we could ever read. Its life-involving message was to span the arch of time and come right down to those who are watching in the evening of this earth’s history. Its story is intermingled with light and darkness, expectation and disappointment, hope and despair—life and death.
It is of interest to note, that “while the Bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept”. For this they are not condemned. There is no lack of awareness of the nearness of the Bridegroom. They had simply abandoned themselves to contented anticipation. Their minds were at rest, regardless of the darkness surrounding them. They had been chosen to participate in the wedding. They were sure the Bridegroom would come. They knew the truth of the matter, and consequently were not anxious or fearsome. . . . But only five of the ten gained admission to the wedding. Upon the others, “the door was shut”, and to their continual knocking they received those final words from the Bridegroom, “Truly I say unto you, I know you not”. “Watch therefore” said Jesus, “for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of Man cometh”.
The parable of the ten virgins points out a tragic possibility. It is possible for those who think they are ready to meet the Master to find themselves outside the banquet hall. This is the great lesson of the parable. There are represented two classes of believers all watching and waiting for the coming of the Lord. They are all called virgins because they each profess a pure faith. By the lamp they carry is represented the Word of God, a knowledge of which they each claim: “Thy Word is a lamp unto my path”. The oil is a symbol of the power or spirit that causes the knowledge of the things of God to operate in our lives: “Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works, and so glorify your Father which is in heaven”.
OIL-LESS LAMPS Each of the ten virgins went out to meet the Bridegroom. All had lamps and vessels for oil. All had a knowledge of the true message of the gospel, and were confidently watching for the appearance of the Master. But half were found to be unready! Their light had gone out, and it was not shining before men. They had had a “name to live, but were dead”. They were “poor, and blind, and naked”. They had no oil in their vessels with their lamps. There was no power operating in their lives. They were destitute of the Spirit.
“If any man hath not the Spirit of Christ he is none of His.” A knowledge of God’s Word is of no avail, unless it be accompanied by the transforming power of the Spirit. We may know the truth, believe the truth, accept the truth and preach the truth, and still shed no real light to those about us. The enlightenment of the Spirit of Christ is the power that makes the truth productive in our lives, and its influence felt. Fruitless lives are oil-less lamps.
The class represented by the foolish virgins are not hypocrites. They have a genuine regard for the truth of the gospel; they have advocated its message; they have associated with those who rejoice in its hope; they are keenly anticipating the coming of the Bridegroom—but at the crisis hour they are rejected, they had the lamps but there was no flame: “the light that was in them was darkness”.
At the midnight hour, when the cry went forth, “Behold the Bridegroom cometh”, the foolish bridesmaids found their oil containers empty. They quickly begged of the wise to give them some of their oil. The answer was, “Buy for yourselves”. There is no other way. In spiritual things no man can make up another’s deficiency Good deeds are not transferable. No man can impart to another the character which is the fruit of the Spirit’s working. Lives lived, kindnesses shown, sacrifices made, faith tried, mercy developed, prayers offered, fellowship with Christ cultivated—those are personal, individual, non-transferable experiences . . . each must buy for himself!
Saddest of all words that will ever fall on mortal ears will be those final words: “I know you not.” In the final day many will claim admission to Christ’s Kingdom saying, “We have eaten and drunk in thy presence and thou bast taught in our streets”.”Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name, and in thy name done many wonderful works?” But the answer is, “I tell you, I know you not; depart from me”.
The promise of a place in God’s Kingdom is not only to him that watcheth, not only to those who have the lamp of truth, not only to those who claim to be Christ’s, but to those whose lives have become illuminated by Him, and have become a storehouse of the fruits of the Spirit operated within. . . . “And the fruits of the Spirit are these: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, meekness, faith.” This is the power—this alone is the oil that can keep the lamps of truth aflame, shining forth to men in the darkness of this midnight hour.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One