Matthew 25:1-13 (KJV) Then shall The Kingdom of Heaven (God) be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the Bridegroom. 2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: 4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5 While the Bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. 6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the Bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet Him. 7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. 9 But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. 10 And while they went to buy, the Bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with Him to The Marriage: and the door was shut. 11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. 12 But He answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. 13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh. (Brackets and emphasis mine)
Now what is this parable all about? For I have heard and read all manner of explanations to it, none of which, I hasten to add, has ever made much sense to me. What I have noticed, though, is the way this parable is misused by ravening wolf ministers, pastors or teachers to spiritually abuse and bully their flocks. I am sad to have to say there are more than several passages of Holy Scripture that are used in this negative and abusive way. More on that later.
Moreover, here below is the erroneous general, Cainite-Judeo-Christian Religious, ministerial consensus of opinion on this parable:
The virgins are always (metaphorically) the membership of the congregation or the body of believers, not the ministry. The five wise virgins are those members who are always at ‘church’ every Sunday putting on their Sunday best, including their Sunday best behaviour and Sunday smiles and sit there without questioning a word the minister/pastor/teacher says. They believe everything he says without question and in reality follow him and the Cainite-Judeo-Christian Religion, not Yashua Messiah (The Lord Jesus Christ).
In contrast, the five foolish virgins are those members who do question things, are troublesome, lax in their attendance and may even be ‘church’ hoppers so very unfulfilled and find their Cainite-Judeo-Christian Religious walk all a bit too dry, legalistic and boring. They find, the daily cleansing, the struggling to ‘get right with God’, finding time for their ‘quiet time’, always getting ready for the next renewal or next revival, their salvation by progress or process and/or self-improvement, all very depressing, hard and burdensome work and even stressful. They don’t understand the apparent contradiction of Yashua Messiah’s words: “Take my yoke upon you for it is light.” They find the yoke they are bearing unbelievably heavy.
Then, to compound their wretched spiritual condition, along comes old Bible basher Joe the fundie pastor/teacher and gives his sermon on The Ten Virgins. When he’s finished these poor wretches are now so down trodden they are now on their hands and knees under the weight of this ‘pastor’s’ hu-man made yoke. Just to make sure they don’t get up off their hands and knees, this minister tells them that unless they shape up and get with all his self-help programmes (salvation by works) they are just like the five foolish virgins – all very encouraging eh? And then these ‘ministers’ and ‘pastors’ wonder why their congregations are diminishing?
OK, so what is the real meaning of this parable? What was Yashua Messiah REALLY SAYING!!?? Well it is fairly easy to work out if you use the correct symbolism and study a little into the traditions of first century weddings in Judea and Samaria. First and foremost The Bridegroom is Yashua Messiah (The Lord Jesus Christ) and His bride is the Assembly or Congregation of God, but who are these ten virgins? All will be revealed.
Now this is where Cainite-Judeo-Christian religious teachers go seriously wrong and portray the ten virgins in this parable as primarily the Congregation of God when they are not. In actual fact you will notice that The Bride (Assembly of God) is not mentioned at all in this parable, and it is not mentioned deliberately because Yashua Messiah was making a very different point entirely to what these false ministers and pastors say, and in places a very mockingly sarcastic point, too!
Even in the first century, weddings in Judea and Samaria had bridesmaids and that is what these Ten Virgins are – bridesmaids. Now what is the role of a bridesmaid? Why, to look after the needs of the bride and take care of the bride so she’s ready for the wedding feast. Who is the Bride – The Assembly of God that’s who. So who are these Bridesmaids? Ah now we’re getting to it!! The bridesmaids are bishops, ministers, pastors, elders and especially teachers, i.e. all those responsible for looking after the after the bride. And again, who is the bride? The Assembly of God, of course, and the bridesmaids or virgins, as they’re called here, are supposed to be shepherding and taking care of their flocks and protecting them in fresh green pastures. This means feeding them and feeding them with The Gospel – The Good News. And the Good News is of the coming Kingdom of God, real salvation and His Grace that will enable us to enter The Kingdom of God?
Moreover, this leads us onto the other symbolic dimension of the ten virgins or bridesmaids, and that symbolic dimension or feature is their lamps and more importantly THE OIL FOR THEIR LAMPS. In Adam Clarke’s Commentary he says the Oil for the lamps is Grace and he is correct with his analogy for without Grace (Oil) it is impossible for The Light (Yashua Messiah) to shine. The five wise virgins are ministers, pastors and teachers who understand Grace and it flows from them continually in their teaching. Their flocks carry Yashua Messiah’s light yoke so they are very strong and secure in The Faith. This, in turn, means because these congregations are Grace (Oil) filled The Light and The Truth (Yashua Messiah) shines from them continually.
On the other hand we then have the five foolish virgins who are graceless Commandment Keeping Grace killers; they have no oil for their lamps – no Grace!! So their congregations are dark, abused, oppressed and down trodden – no Oil – no Grace – no Light – no Truth – just The Ten Commandments – do this or do that or else. These congregations are totally Law based, very legalistic in nature or full of rules and regulations – The Ten Commandments and some, and all laid down with a big stick from the pulpit every Sunday. This means the lamps of these ministers and pastors (21st century Pharisees) cannot shine because there is no Grace (Oil) or Light in their teaching. The Light and/or The Grace of Yashua Messiah (our Lord Jesus Christ) has gone out of their teaching and possibly out of their lives altogether – their lamps have no Oil, no Grace, no Light, no Truth.
One other thing, some people use this parable as metaphor for the saved and the unsaved i.e. the five wise virgins are saved and the unwise are not. This is a gross perversion of the use of these Holy Scriptures. How do we know that? Easy, all the virgins slept and this means all the virgins had metaphorically entered Yashua Messiah’s Eternal Sabbath Rest – all the virgins were called by the Father to His Son, so they were all without excuse.
OK, next we have the message of wisdom and foolishness in this parable whereby no symbolism is necessary.
Romans 1:18-23 (KJV) For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold The Truth in unrighteousness; (teach a false graceless message) 19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath showed it unto them. 20 For the invisible things of Him from The Creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His Eternal Power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: 21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened (no Oil, no Grace, no Light). 22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, (no wisdom and the teaching of a blasphemous commandment/law based non-gospel) 23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, (Man, who turns the worship of God into religion with all his rules, rituals, traditions, legalism and salvation by works) and to birds, and four footed beasts, and creeping things. (All brackets mine)
Mark 7:7-13 (KJV) Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men (Salvation by works). 8 For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. 9 And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition. 10 For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death: 11 But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free. 12 And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother; 13 Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.
So there we have it, the wisdom of Grace versus the foolishness of men with their Graceless legalistic religion, vain traditions and rituals and salvation by works. The 21st century Pharisaical blasphemous interpretation of Scripture which puts True Believers into bondage and makes the lives of many of God’s sons and daughters a living hell! I know, I used to be one of them so I pray to Yashua Messiah that they are all set free and very soon.
In part two I will be dealing with verses 9 and 12 as they are also crucial to fully understanding this parable.
The Parable of The Ten Virgins (Bridesmaids) – Explained – Part 2
In part one I emphasised the Cainite-Judeo-Christian religious teaching on this parable whereby ravening wolf ministers/pastors/teachers use it in a poor attempt to keep their ‘flocks’, or better their dupe followers, in bondage. They do this by interpreting the virgins as the congregation alone. I made the point that it was the ministers/pastors/teachers and not the congregation that Yashua Messiah (The Lord Jesus Christ) was warning through this parable and that is The Truth of it.
At the same time I will confess to being somewhat economical with The Truth, in this instance, as this parable does incorporate the Congregations of God as we move through it towards its conclusion. By the term ‘Congregations of God’ I mean what is usually erroneously referred to as The Church, as opposed to the counterfeit church. My method therefore was to break the tradition of error here i.e. laying blame on the body of believers and leaving the ministry in the clear and to whom this parable is aimed.
In part one I also made special mention of the significance of verses 9 &12 in Matthew 25. I did that because these verses are crucial in explaining this parable correctly, so I will recopy them here including verses 10 & 11:
Matthew 25:9-12 (KJV) But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. 10 And while they went to buy, The Bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with Him to the marriage: and the door was shut. 11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. 12 But He answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.
In verse 9 we can plainly see that the five wise virgins refuse to share any of their Oil (Grace) with the five foolish virgins. Let’s be honest, if it were at all possible, it would only weaken it and it would no longer be Grace, but Grace tainted with commandment keeping, religion and legalism – useless!! Based on this wisdom, the wise virgins, quite rightly, refuse to share or compromise their God given oil (Grace) with the foolish virgins.
Now notice what the wise virgins say to the five foolish virgins: “Go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves” (This is the spirit of Simon Magus in Acts 8 in action). However, this is very interesting, because can Oil (Grace – Salvation) now be bought!? Well can it? Obviously not, so what is Yashua Messiah saying here and just as important, how is He saying it? These verses are a mockery, Yashua Messiah is sarcastically mocking the whole idea. Yashua Messiah knows what is going to take place in the future and He is mocking the money making organisation that will be set up in the future by false ministers, pastors, teachers, and priests (unwise virgins) who will attempt to sell ‘salvation’ or false grace.
Grace is a God given free gift, and it cannot be bought or sold; never, never, never can it ever be bought, and yet these tricksters and con-men will attempt to do this very thing in and through the Cainite-Judeo-Christian Religion.
Ephesians 2:5 (KJV) Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
Ephesians 2:8 (KJV) For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Notice now what happens, the foolish and unwise virgins go and buy oil (non-grace – useless religious grace) and come back, but in the meantime the Bridegroom (Yashua Messiah) has arrived (returned to this earth) and the wise virgins have gone into the wedding celebration and feast with their Oil (Grace) filled lamps. This part of the parable is making it plain that a counterfeit body of so called ministers/pastors/teachers/priests of a god will be selling and buying into (preaching) a message of non-grace and there will be more than just a few willing followers of this blasphemous false message. This is where there is now an overlap in the interpretation of this parable and the churches are now represented by the virgins too. Initially though it is aimed at the ministry and don’t forget, much of The Lord’s teaching was a cloaked attack on the false ministry of His day – The Sadducees and Pharisees – the kings of obedience to The Law and the Commandments and legalistic religion.
Moving on, we must now prove that this purchased non-grace is useless and of course we can see, quite plainly, that it is. In verse 12 these foolish virgins come back with their non-grace (purchased oil) and knock on the door where the wedding feast is taking place. Yashua Messiah answers the door and tells them straight “Who are you, for I do not know you?” In other words I do not recognise the non-grace in your possession; the non-grace you have purchased from a false counterfeit church is useless, so go away as I do not know you. They now had oil but it was it was the wrong kind – it had been bought, not freely given to them by God!!
This blunt rebuttal – a future event, will stun millions of supposed followers of a ‘Jesus’, when it takes place. All the while thinking they are following Him but in reality they are deceived followers of hu-man beings (serpent creatures) with their graceless Cainite-Judeo-Christian religion. I will therefore finish with Yashua Messiah’s Word on this subject:
Matthew 7:22 (KJV) Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
These people are one and the same as the foolish virgins who tried to purchase their salvation (Oil – Grace) from a corrupt and blasphemous organisation calling itself a church. This is a counterfeit church which loves filthy lucre and is lorded over by servants of the Devil or people who will eagerly sell you their contaminated useless oil i.e. non-grace via a non-gospel of useless religion.
You have been warned in Godly love, so steer well clear of them or if already entangled just set yourself free by leaving and become a true follower of Yashua Messiah (The Lord Jesus Christ).
Rev 18:4 (KJV) And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
Is The Father Calling YOU to His Son, Yashua Messiah? 