Parable Of The 10 Virgins And Their Lamps

“Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. 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. 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. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.” Matthew 25:1-13.

The message is to be ready when the Lord comes again or when we are called home to heaven, whichever comes first. The oil in our lamps is a metaphor for our hope and faith in Christ, and our heartfelt desire to follow him and keep his commandments. By doing those things we become ever stronger in our faith in the Savior. We are not expected to be perfect, we are expected to try our best. When we fall short, repentance brings forgiveness and a renewed chance to do better.

New Testament era lamps had an enclosed top with a hole to pour in oil (usually olive oil) and a side hole for the wick. The above picture is an average lamp and is about 4 inches (10 cm) long. But they could be large and fancy.

In the Old Testament, lamps were a little simpler. They still burned olive oil with a wick, but they were little more than a bowl with pinched sides to hold the wick.

As a Biblical reference to an Old Testament lamp, in King David’s praise of thanksgiving he said, “For thou art my lamp, O Lord: and the Lord will lighten my darkness.” 2 Samuel 22:29.

Only pure olive oil was used in the Menorah of Solomon’s and Herod’s Temple (Leviticus 24:2).