PARABLE OF THE TEN VIRGINS

Follow along with me as we read together from our Bibles. I'm using a New King James Version (NKJV); just follow along in whatever version of the Bible that you have; and, I encourage you to compare several different versions just to ensure you aren't coming across a passage that has been lifted from the text; and, removed from your perview.

MATTHEW 25: 1-13:

"Then the Kingdom of Heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them were wise; and, five of them were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them; but, the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight a cry was heard: 'Behold the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!' Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' But the wise answered, saying 'No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but, go rather to those who sell; and, buy for yourselves.' And while they went to buy the bridegroom came; and, those who were READY went in with him to the wedding; and, the door was shut. Afterward the other virgins came also saying; 'Lord, Lord, open to us!' But HE answered 'I say to you, I do not know you.' Watch therefore for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming."

(5) FIVE WISE VIRGINS; and, (5) FIVE FOOLISH VIRGINS

 

If you are like me then you ALSO have heard pastors teach that the oil represents "THE HOLY SPIRIT." Yet if you do a topical study examining the usage; and, appearance of the terms "oil;" and, "holy spirit" what you will discover is that there isn't a SINGLE passage ANYWHERE IN THE BIBLE to suggest that the OIL symbolizes the Holy Spirit. ZERO; ZILCH; NADA.

Friend this is what is known as injecting meaning into the text. In seminary they would call that EISEGESIS ("importing" or "drawing-in" your own purely subjective interpretations into the text).

What we are SUPPOSED to do is to draw out the meaning (EXEGESIS) from the Biblical text discovering the authorial intent of the writer. So how do you do that? I'm so glad you asked!!!

If we want to truly understand the Bible we must learn to let THE CREATOR HIMSELF [who is the real author of the text] influencing those who served Him through the Holy Spirit define terminology by HOW; and, WHERE these terms appear within the text He is responsible for influencing.

Remember these men who wrote the text were inspired by the Holy Spirit to write what they did; when they did; how they did. We must pay closer attention to the historical usage of these terms from within the culture the Bible came forth from. The Hebrew Israelite/Jewish culture.

When I perform a study what I do is FIRST is perform an initial study utilizing software such as E-Sword; or, Blue Letter Bible both of which are FREE I might add. What I do it take these terms and locate them in the text of the Bible between Genesis-Revelation leaving no passages out. 

Typically I ignore transitional terms and focus on the terminology which conveys the most significant meaning within the text. These are primarily terms which assist us in the comparison; and, contrast of the characters within the parable or biblical account we are focusing upon.

In this case we will be focusing upon the following terms; and, phrases:

• "Kingdom of Heaven"
• "lamps"
• "bridegroom"
• "Wise"
• "Foolish"
• "Coming"
• "sell"
• "buy"
• "ready"
• "wedding"
• "watch" 

These will lead us into also examining:

• "Appear"
• "Appeared"
• "Appearing"
• "escape"
• "remnant"
• "Day of the LORD" and, the phrase
• "I am the Living God."

Once we have done that we can scour those studies for data which will provide us with the Biblical Definition we should APPLY to each term in our parable. THIS IS WHAT OPENS ITS MEANING TO US. It is intentional; and, methodical; but, requires patience; and, time. We live in a society where many DON'T have patience; and, they DON'T possess the fortitude to press on in their own personal study to yield the results they desperately need. Many want their answers; and, explanations in sixty seconds or less; just like their fast food from the drive thru. DON'T be like them. DIG. STUDY. READ. SEEK THE CREATORS FACE; AND, BE INTENTIONAL ABOUT IT.

I am enclosing a letter I had originally written; and, sent to (2) of my sisters. WHICH TIES THIS ALL TOGETHER. YOU SHOULD READ IT!!!

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