Matthew 25:3-9 - Our lamps are going out

25:3-5

At the end of chapter 24 we have been warned that Christ will return suddenly, at a time we do not expect. Here we are told to be ready for the long haul. The foolish virgins had taken a lamp but no oil, it was like taking a torch with no spare batteries. The wise virgins had lamps and “spare batteries”, i.e. extra oil. So outwardly there would be no immediately obvious difference between the wise and foolish virgins. The groom was a long time in coming and they all fell asleep.

25:6-9

Though he was a long time in coming, he did eventually arrive, at midnight. Likewise, it has been two thousand years since Christ ascended, but one day He will return. All the virgins awoke and got their lamps ready, but the foolish virgins had a problem, they had no oil. So they asked the wise virgins for some of theirs. The wise virgins refused for there was not enough to share. Now we might think this was rather selfish of the wise virgins, but there are some things that we can only do for ourselves, and we cannot borrow from others. Too often when we talk about Jesus and Christianity it is all “too nice”, but if we look at the gospels (and the whole of the Bible) we see that there are many places where Jesus makes it clear that decisions and actions have consequences.