Introduction
We read in Ephesians:
Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord [is]. Eph 5:14-17 (KJV)
For our exhortation, we would like to consider the enigmatic ‘oil’ of the parable of the virgins, and what it represents to see the powerful exhortation that it teaches us.
We will:
- Consider the lamps and the oil in the parable (Matthew 25)
- Establish the OT context in the Law of Moses (Exodus 27)
- Consider the relevance of the ‘oil’ (Ephesians 5)
Finally, we will look to Christ, the Word made flesh.
Oil in the Parable of the Ten Virgins
We can build up the following details regarding the lamps and the oil in the parable:
- All virgins have a lamp (v. 1)
- The foolish took no oil (v. 3)
- The wise took oil in their vessels (v. 4)
- All sleep and wake up (vv. 5-6)
- When the bridegroom comes, the wise use up their oil (v. 7)
- The foolish have no oil spare and their lamps are ‘going out’ (vs. 8)
- The oil is not transferable (v. 9)
The parable is constructed by the Lord so that we notice the distinction between the wise and the foolish. Put simply, the distinction is ‘oil’. It is therefore of primary importance for us to appreciate what is meant by the oil of the parable, so that we are ‘wise’ and not foolish.
Verse 1
Jesus uses Prov 6:20f. The virgins take their lamps. God’s commandment is a lamp (Prov 6:23). It protects the son from the wiles of evil women. It enables him to remain chaste – to remain a virgin (Prov 6:24). A passage from the psalms further establishes this:
Thy word [is] a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. Ps 119:105
Proverbs 6:22 tells us that when awoken the commandments talk with the son (cp. Matt 25:7).
Verse 3-4
The language employed by the Lord also goes back to Proverbs 21.
There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spendeth it up. Prov 21:20 (KJV)
Notice the similarity of language; ‘oil’, ‘wise’ and ‘foolish’. The proverb is teaching us that the oil is treasured by the wise so much that it is worth holding on to.
The wise are notable, by contrast to the foolish, because they take ‘oil in their vessels[1] with their lamps’.
Exodus 27 – ‘bring thee pure oil olive’
Jesus’ use of ‘took’ in ‘took no oil’ echoes the command given to the children of Israel regarding olive oil.
And thou shalt command the children of Israel, that they bring thee pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamp to burn always. Exod 27:20 (KJV)
This command is part of the narrative explaining to Moses exactly what is required to construct the tabernacle (Exod 24:18). In Exodus 25 – 27, Yahweh explains to Moses exactly what needs to be made (‘thou shalt make’) in detail. At the end of this section, before considering the role of the priests, we have a reference to the need for oil.
Verse 20
The children of Israel were given a command to ‘bring willingly’ oil for the lampstand in the holy place (Exod 25:2, 6). In Exod 27:20 the oil is singled out as being something that every Israelite had to bring for the lamp to burn. Further, v. 20 explains that the oil had to be prepared. It had to be ‘pure’ and ‘beaten’ (3). This is teaching us that effort had to be expended to prepare the oil before it was brought to the priests; the olives had to be beaten (cp. Mic 6:15).
As no natural light would exist in the holy place, so the lampstand would produce light (Exod 35:14). The oil and the candlestick (or ‘lampstand’[2]) were both required ‘for the light’ (same phrase for both), i.e. just having one wasn’t enough. At this point it is worth considering that the lampstand had been provided once by God, made by men with the spirit of God. However, by contrast, the oil was provided by the children of Israel, not just on one occasion, but rather continuously throughout Israel’s history. Given that the Word is a lamp (Ps 119:105), the commandment is a lamp (Prov 6:23), this teaches that we should continually have the Word in our life.
Verse 21
Verse 21 explains where the lamp will be burning, ‘in the tabernacle of the congregation, without the veil’, i.e. in the ‘holy [place]’ (cp. Exod 26:31, 33). Also, notice that the text explains that the veil was before the ‘testimony’ (Exod 31:18).[3] We established from Proverbs 6 that the commandment is a lamp, and so seems appropriate in the context for ‘testimony’ to be mentioned.
The responsibility of looking after the lamps lay specifically with Aaron and his sons. The next two chapters continue by explaining further aspects of the priestly attire (Exodus 28), their consecration and aspects of their role (Exodus 29). Yet, before all of that, Aaron and his sons are given the responsibility of keeping the lamps alight.
This is teaching us an important principle about the priesthood; their primary responsibility was the Word of God and not on sacrifice and offering:
For the priest’s lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he [is] the messenger of the Lord of hosts. Mal 2:7 (KJV)[4]
If the priests correctly taught the law, then they would not need anywhere near as many sacrifices! This is why Hosea says:
For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings. Hos 6:6 (KJV)
Likewise, the Word of God for us is our primary responsibility. We have a great privilege of forgiveness in the Lord Jesus Christ through prayer to our God (1 John 1:9), much like Israel of old had in their offerings which pointed forward to Christ. Yet, like them, our primary focus should be on the Word of God which stands as an antidote to sin:
Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. Ps 119:11 (KJV)
If the word is in our hearts, then we won’t sin and therefore require forgiveness. The priests were supposed to be Bible students and not sacrificial experts; we are supposed to be Bible students and not forgiveness experts.
Principles from the Law:
- The lampstand (the Word of God) was provided once by God, through men with the spirit of God
- The oil however had to be brought continually to ensure that the lamps did not go out
- It was a commandment for the oil to be brought, that really should be brought willingly
- Although greater responsibility lay with the priests regarding the oil, every member of ‘the children of Israel’ – male and female, were responsible for bringing their own oil
It was the responsibility of every single Israelite to ensure that the lampstand remained bright in the holy place, not just the priests. As we shall see, this is quite instructive for ecclesial life. It is not just the responsibility of the teaching brothers to apply themselves to the Word of God; it is the responsibility of every brother and every sister.
Oil – ‘understanding the will of the Lord’
In Matthew 25, we can see that the principles of the Law of Moses are picked up in the parable regarding ‘oil’. By looking at the Law we have considered the correct OT Biblical connection, where oil is being used for the lampstand so that the light never goes out.[5] As each Israelite had to bring oil to the tabernacle to ensure that the lamp never went out in the holy place, so the wise virgins show the same diligence in preparing oil to ensure their individual lamp does not go out.
This is exactly the purpose of the oil in Matthew 25. Notice, however, that the oil is beaten. Work has to be done to the oil to ensure that the lamp shines. As we have illustrated in our comments on v. 1, the lamp represents the Word of God. Therefore oil is connected with the Word of God; it is the quality that makes the light shine brightly.
To understand more fully what is represented by the ‘oil’, we find that the Spirit in Ephesians seems to give a commentary on the parable (Eph 5:14-17). The language is lifted straight from Matthew 25: ‘sleepest’, ‘arise’, ‘fools’, ‘wise’. Yet, we ought to further establish a number of connections which solidify our claim that it is a commentary on the parable.
The Spirit through Paul refers to the believers being ‘light in the Lord’, much like the virgins taking their ‘lamps’ (v. 1).
| Ephesians 5 | Ten Virgins (Matthew 25) |
|---|---|
| “now are ye light in the Lord” (v. 8) | “took their lamps” (v. 1) |
| “Awake thou that sleepest” (v. 14) | “all slumbered and slept” (v. 5) |
| “arise from the dead” (v. 14) | “all those virgins arose” (v. 7) |
| “walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise…be ye not unwise, but understanding the will of the Lord” (v. 15) | “five…wise and five were foolish…took oil” (vv. 2, 4) |
| “redeeming [Gk. exagorazomenoi] the time” (v. 16) | “buy [Gk. agorasate] for yourselves” (v. 9) |
| “hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God” (v. 5) | “I know you not” (v. 2) |
| “filled with the spirit” (v. 18 cp. v. 9) | “the wise took oil[6] in their vessels” (v. 3) |
| “that he might present it to himself a glorious ecclesia…Christ and the ecclesia” (vv. 27, 32) | “they that were ready went in with him to the marriage” (v. 10) |
How appropriate therefore that the argument in Ephesians 5 concludes on the subject of marriage. As with the parable of the virgins, they went in to the ‘marriage’ (v. 10). Why? The Spirit through Paul alludes to the parable to teach the Ephesians, and us, of the ultimate consequence of walking wisely and not as fools (v. 15). If they, and we, fail to keep this exhortation, our part in the marriage of the Lamb is endangered.
Ephesians gives us an idea of what the oil represents. After exhorting the believers to rise out of lethargy, v. 15 introduces the theme of wisdom and foolishness, echoing the parable of the wise and foolish virgins. In v. 16, Rotherham translates:
Buying out for yourselves the opportunity, because, the days, are evil. Eph 5:16 (Rotherham)
The ‘buying’ provides us with another verbal connection with Matthew 25. So, the wise are those who buy up the opportunity, which by contrast the foolish do not do when they have a opportunity. This is where we get our first hint at what the oil represents. The redemption of time, or the buying up of opportunities, is explained in v. 17,
For this cause do not become foolish, but have discernment as to what is the will of the Lord… Eph 5:17 (Rotherham)
The act of wisdom is the ‘understanding the will of the Lord’ (v. 17). This is the parallel to the ‘oil’ in Matthew 25, which the wise virgins have bought up in their lifetimes, but the foolish have not. Proverbs teaches this same principle:
Buy the truth, and sell it not; wisdom, and instruction, and understanding. Prov 23:23 (KJV)
Get wisdom, get understanding: forget [it] not; neither decline from the words of my mouth…Wisdom [is] the principal thing; [therefore] get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. Prov 4:7 (KJV)
The ‘oil’ therefore represents the ‘understanding of the will of the Lord’. If we remember the purpose of the oil is to produce light, a verse in the psalms illustrates that we are on the right lines:
The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple. Ps 119:130 (KJV)
The understanding in question is that of how to live the will of God in our daily lives. The oil is paralleled with the ‘understanding of the will of the Lord’, which enables us to walk circumspectly, as wise (v. 15).
If ever there was an exhortation to do personal Bible study/meditation, we find it in the ‘oil’ of our parable, as Timothy was instructed:
Give diligence [Rotherham] to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2 Tim 2:15
Bible study doesn’t necessarily have to involve Greek and Hebrew words, it should simply be consistent Bible reading, comparing passages (spiritual with spiritual) to understand the will of the Lord.
As effort had to be expended in the beating of the oil in Exodus, so likewise, we should give diligence, buying up the remaining time in getting wisdom and understanding the will of the Lord. Oil is treasured in the house of the wise. Likewise, we should treat the word of God like treasure:
Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, [and] liftest up thy voice for understanding; If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as [for] hid treasures; Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God. Prov 2:3-5
To conclude our comments on the symbology of the ‘oil’ it is worth referring back to Exodus 27 where the beaten ‘oil’ ensured that the lampstand in the holy place shone brightly, and never went out. Likewise, our diligent, personal Bible study (‘understanding the will of the Lord’) should ensure that we ‘shine as lights in the world’ (Phil 2:15) in walking wisely before our God.
In summary, the wise, in their lifetime, make effort to ‘understood the will of the Lord’ so that they can walk in wisdom before the bridegroom comes; the fools on the other hand, have not. That is the key distinction.
Christ in Gethsemane
We find an example of this principle at work in Matthew 26 with the Lord Jesus. We join the Lord Jesus, two days after he has taught his disciples about their need for oil in the parable of the virgins (Matt 26:2). Ironically, the disciples are sleeping (v. 40) and not watching (v. 41).
Recalling the ‘oil olive’ under the Law we notice that the Lord is on the Mount of Olives, in Gethsemane (vv. 30, 36). Gethsemane means ‘press’ of ‘oil’.[7] As the oil was beaten under the Law; so the Lord’s trust in the Word of God was sorely tested. In amongst this suffering, the Lord Jesus learned obedience (cp. Heb 5:7).
The Lord concludes ‘Thy will be done’. The oil is pressed; the Lord Jesus understands the will of his Father and walks to his death in wisdom. How interesting it is then, that following his resurrection, when expounding the Scriptures on the road to Emmaus they say:
…did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures? Luke 24:32
The Lord had been tested, and had understood the will of his Father, and so shone as the light of the world.
Conclusion
Principles from the Law:
- The lampstand (the Word of God) was provided once by God, through men with the spirit of God
- The oil however had to be brought continually to ensure that the lamps did not go out
- It was a commandment for the oil to be brought; it really should be brought willingly
- Although greater responsibility lay with the priests regarding the oil, every member of ‘the children of Israel’ – male and female, were responsible for bringing their own oil
The same principles apply:
- The Word of God has been provided by God, through men with the spirit of God
- Our application (the oil) to the Word of God however has to be brought continually to ensure that we shine as lights in the world
- We are commanded to apply ourselves to the Word of God and the work of the truth, yet really it should be brought willingly
- Although greater responsibility lies with teachers in the ecclesia, every member of the ecclesia – male and female, are responsible for their personal application to the Word
Our exhortation is really:
And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified. Acts 20:32 (KJV)
As we remember the Lord Jesus Christ, we appreciate the finest example of this principle. The Master learned obedience by the things which he suffered, became the Word made flesh and shone as ‘the light of the world’.
That if we faithfully ‘pass the time of [our] sojourning here in fear’, and ‘with all our getting, get understanding’ and ‘looking carefully how we walk, not as fools, but as wise’ ‘we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming’ and may be granted ‘the gift of God – eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord’.
And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever. Dan 12:3 (KJV)
[1] Cp. Exod 39:37 “and all the vessels thereof, and the oil for the light” and Num 4:9 “oil vessels”.
[2] As ESV, NET, Rotherham, RSV, etc.
[3] It is interesting to note that just the ‘testimony’ is mentioned and not the ‘ark of testimony’.
[4] Also, cp. 2 Kings 17:28; 2 Chron 15:3; and Ezek 7:26.
[5] Although oil was used when anointing etc., the context is different. The oil in Matthew 25 is specifically for the purpose if enlightening a lamp.
[6] It is interesting to note that elsewhere ‘oil’ is paralleled with the ‘spirit’ e.g. Exod 29:7 and Matt 3:16.
[7] Made up from two Hebrew words gth (e.g. “winepress” in Jud 6:11, “press” in Joel 3:13) and shmn (e.g. “oil” in Gen 28:18, Exod 25:6).
Being Compassionate