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THE K I N G ’S BUS I NES S
FEBRUARY 20, 1921 THE WISE AND THE FOOLISH VIRGINS 1 Golden Text: “Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.” . Mat. 25:13. BESSON TEXT Mat. 25:1-13. (Read Mat. 7:24-27; 24:1-51; Eph. 6:10-20; 1 Tim. 6:17-19.) .
(1) Then shall the kingdom of heaven .be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and1went 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. (S) While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. (6) And a t m idnight 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 (1) Planning for. His Coming, vs. 1-5. (2) Proclaiming His Coming, v. 6. (3) Prepared for His Coming, vs. 7- 10 . (4) Prohibited from the Wedding Feast, vs. 11, 12. (5) Premonition of Danger, v. 13. Introduction This parable is one of the most diffi cult of all the sayings of Christ to satisfactorily solve. There are scores of interpretations, but how to choose be- LESSON tween them is the dif- EXPOSITION Acuity. A few sugges- T. C. Horton tions may be timely. It is well to remem ber .that this parable is part of the -Olivet discourse, commencing with the 24th chapter, in which Jesus sets forth the events which must follow His crucifixion and precede His return to the. earth. The first word in , the lesson con nects it with the, condemnation of the evil servants. A parable can never be made to go on “all-fours.” That is;—-you cannot make all details of- the parable cor respond to some future event.: Theme: “The Warning to Watch.” Outline
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 th at 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 m arriage: arid the door was shut, (il) Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to u s.' (12) But he answered, and said, Verily I say unto you, I know 'you not. (13) W atch-there fore, for ye know neither the day Hor the hour wherein the $on of man cometh. We do not see that the Church is seen at all in this discourse. It is a message for the end days. Only the Jews are hated of all nations. The “gospel of the kingdom” is not the “gospel of the grace of God.’’ The carcass and the eagle are the signs of the judgment (v. 28), a picture of the tribulation days. • The fig tree is the symbol of ,Israel. , In the parable of the virgins the bride is not seen. She would accompany the bridegroom, and the virgins would at tend them to the feast. The lesson has special relation to the coming of the Lord. -If it is borne in mind that there are two stages to that coming—-(1st) when He. comes for His people, and (2nd) when He comes with His people (the Church, His Bride) to the earth—many difficulties will be solved.. (1) PLANNING FOR HIS COMING. “Took their lamps and went forth to meet the bridegroom.” (Eph. 5:25.) “Husbands, lové your w ives, even as Christ also loved the church and gave Him self for it.” (John 3:28, 29.) Ten is the number of completeness. Ten persons formed a Jewish company, ten always at the Passover Feast; ten Jews formed a congregation for a Jew1
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