Parables of Jesus

The Ten Virgins
Eschatology

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In the Parable of the Ten Virgins, ( a.k.a. the Wise and Foolish Virgins ), ten virgins await a bridegroom; five have brought enough oil for their lamps for the wait, while the oil of the other five runs out. The five virgins who are prepared for the bridegroom's arrival are rewarded, while the five who went to buy further oil miss the bridegroom's arrival and are disowned. This parable has a clear eschatological theme, which is that one must be prepared for the Day of Judgement.

The parable is one of several responses from Jesus to the question, "when shall these things be? And what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?" (Matthew 24:3) It reinforces the call for readiness in the face of the uncertain time of the Second Coming, and has been described as a "watching parable".

Some understand the parable as an allegory, whereby Jesus Christ is the bridegroom,(Jeremiah 2:2), and the virgins are the Christians who are awaiting the Second Coming of Christ. Other elements in the story also often take on various meanings. R. T. France writes that the parable is "a warning addressed specifically to those inside the professing church who are not to assume that their future is unconditionally assured."

Some argue that in its original form, the parable was likely a narrative that simply illustrated the contrasting outcomes of groups who prepared themselves for uncertain circumstances and those who did not.

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Parable Art

"The Ten Virgins"

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