For December 3
The parable of the ten virgins teaches that followers of Jesus must be ready for his return, because no one knows when he will come. Ten bridesmaids wait for a delayed bridegroom; five bring extra oil and five don’t. Only the prepared go in. Jesus concludes: “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour” (Matthew 25:13, ESV). (More in our devotional on being ready for Jesus’ return.)
Key Takeaways
- The bridegroom is Jesus, and his arrival is his second coming.
- All ten looked alike at first; the difference showed only when the bridegroom came.
- The oil pictures genuine, prepared faith that can’t be borrowed from someone else.
- The delay tests readiness; being ready means living faithfully now, not predicting dates.
- The shut door warns that there will come a time when it’s too late to get ready.
The Setting: Jesus Teaches About His Return
Matthew 24 and 25 are known as the Olivet Discourse. Seated on the Olivet hillside just days before the cross, Jesus answers his disciples’ questions about how this age ends and his coming. He tells them that no one knows the day or hour (Matthew 24:36), so they must stay awake. Then he gives three parables in a row: the ten virgins, the talents, and the sheep and goats. Each one shows a different side of readiness: watchfulness, faithfulness with what we’ve been given, and love for the least.
Because Advent looks forward to Christ’s return as well as back to his birth, this parable is a fitting Advent reading. See our guide to what Advent is for more.
Understanding the Wedding Customs
In first-century Israel, a wedding often climaxed when the groom came, frequently at night, to take his bride to his family home for the feast. Young women from the bride’s circle would wait with lamps to join the procession and go into the banquet. Their lamps were probably torches or oil lamps that needed a steady supply of oil to keep burning. If the groom was late, the oil could run out.
Reading the Parable
The ten bridesmaids (verses 1-4)
Jesus compares the kingdom of heaven to ten young women who carried their lamps out to greet the groom; half were foolish and half were wise (Matthew 25:1-2). Every one of them was invited. Every one of them had a lamp. Every one of them was waiting. The only visible difference was that the wise brought flasks of oil along with their lamps.
The delay (verse 5)
The bridegroom was late, so they all grew sleepy and dozed off (Matthew 25:5). Notice that the wise also slept. The parable doesn’t condemn resting; it’s about whether you are prepared when the moment comes.
The midnight cry (verses 6-9)
At midnight someone shouts that the bridegroom is here and everyone should go out and greet him (Matthew 25:6). All ten trim their lamps, but the foolish find theirs going out. They ask the wise to share, but the wise answer that there won’t be enough for both and tell them to go buy their own. This sounds unkind until we see what the oil represents. Some things can’t be transferred. No one can lend you their faith.
The shut door (verses 10-12)
While the foolish go to buy oil, the bridegroom arrives. The ones who were ready enter the wedding feast with him, and the door is shut (Matthew 25:10). Later the others knock and beg the master to open the door. His answer is chilling: he tells them he doesn’t know them (Matthew 25:11-12). It echoes Jesus’ earlier warning in the Sermon on the Mount, where people who called him Lord heard him say he never knew them (Matthew 7:23).
What the Parable Means
Jesus is coming back
The bridegroom is Jesus. Elsewhere he calls himself the bridegroom (Matthew 9:15), and the New Testament pictures the church as his bride. His return will be joyful for those who are ready, like a wedding feast (Revelation 19:9).
Readiness can’t be borrowed
The oil has been understood in different ways: faith, the Holy Spirit, good works, a living relationship with Christ. Whatever the exact symbol, the point is clear. Being near believers, attending church, or looking like a Christian isn’t the same as personally knowing Jesus. The foolish had lamps, but not oil. The question the bridegroom answers isn’t whether you showed up, but whether he knows you.
The delay reveals the heart
Many people start well but drift. The parable warns that faith which can’t last through a long wait was never really ready. The wise planned for the bridegroom to take longer than expected. Peter reminds us the Lord isn’t slow but patient, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). The delay is mercy, a time to get ready.
There is a deadline
The shut door is one of the most serious images in the Gospels. A day will come when it’s too late to prepare. That isn’t meant to drive us to fear but to urgency: today is the day to trust Christ. The narrow gate stands open now (see our study on the narrow gate).
How to Be Ready
Being ready isn’t about setting dates or decoding headlines. Jesus said no one knows the day or the hour. Readiness means:
- Knowing Jesus personally. Trust him as your Savior and Lord, not just the idea of him.
- Keeping your lamp burning. Feed your faith through Scripture, prayer, and worship.
- Living faithfully in the ordinary. The next parable, the talents, shows that waiting well means working well.
- Not putting it off. If you’ve been meaning to settle things with God, don’t wait for midnight.
Read this parable alongside the others in our Parables of Jesus guide, including the Sower parable, which also asks whether faith that starts well will last.
Questions for Reflection
- Why do you think the wise and foolish looked the same at first?
- What does oil look like in your own walk with Christ?
- Is there anything you’re putting off in your relationship with God?
- How does knowing Jesus will return change how you live this week?
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main message of the parable of the ten virgins?
Be ready for Jesus’ return, because no one knows when it will be. Jesus tells us to stay alert, because we don’t know the day or the hour (Matthew 25:13). Readiness means genuinely knowing Christ and living faithfully while we wait.
What does the oil represent in the parable of the ten virgins?
The parable doesn’t say directly. Christians have seen it as genuine faith, the Holy Spirit’s presence, or a living relationship with Jesus. The key point is that it can’t be borrowed: each person must be personally prepared.
Who are the ten virgins?
They represent people who seem to be waiting for Christ, those within the visible community of faith. Five are truly ready and five are not. The parable warns that outward association with God’s people isn’t the same as knowing the bridegroom.
Why didn’t the wise virgins share their oil?
Because readiness can’t be transferred. The wise say there won’t be enough for both of them (Matthew 25:9). The detail isn’t teaching selfishness; it shows that no one can believe on someone else’s behalf.
Is the parable of the ten virgins about the rapture?
It’s about Jesus’ second coming in general. Christians hold different views on the order of end-time events, but all agree on this parable’s point: Christ will return unexpectedly, and we should be ready. It doesn’t give a timeline.
A Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank you for the promise that you will come again. Keep my lamp burning with real faith in you. Don’t let me drift or delay. Make me ready, watchful, and glad to greet you at your coming. Amen.
Related: Devotional on Being Ready for Jesus’ Return: Matthew 25:13
Related: our devotional: Narrow Door Devotional
Related: our Bible study: Parable of the Persistent Widow Meaning
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway. Used by permission. All rights reserved.