4. The Ten Virgins

Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.

Matthew 25:1

She shall be brought unto the king in raiment of needlework: the virgins her companions that follow her shall be brought unto thee. With gladness and rejoicing shall they be brought: they shall enter into the King’s palace.

Psalm 45:14-15

The Lord makes many comparisons in Scripture. He compares His people to sheep, and He is the good Shepherd (John 10). He compares His people to wheat and glory is His barn (Matthew 13:24). He compares His people to a young child, loved when they were young and held fast until they are old (Isaiah 46:3-4). He compares them to dust, clay, branches and many other things. Then in Matthew 25 Christ likens the Kingdom of Heaven unto ten virgins. We notice many things about these virgins from this one verse. There is not one virgin but there are ten virgins. They appear outwardly pure and fair in all respects like as the young virgins who were brought before the king in Esther 2:2. We notice God does not say “virgins are the Kingdom of Heaven” or “the Kingdom of Heaven is ten virgins.” Catholic theology that uses this parable to falsely give veneration and adoration to Mary as a perpetual virgin despite her having several addition children with Joseph after Jesus was born (12:47) is hereby, as in every place in Scripture, firmly refuted.  Jesus says the kingdom of heaven is likened unto ten virgins.  Jesus is illustrating the Kingdom of Heaven, as He so often does, by comparison to something. In this case, Jesus compares the Kingdom of Heaven to ten virgins.

The imagery of the people of God to virgins is not new in Matthew but a recurring theme throughout Biblical revelation. Perhaps we are more familiar with imagery of the people of God as the bride adorned for her husband as we see in Rev. 21:2. The Husband and wife being two people yet becoming one flesh is revealed by God as a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church (Ephesians 5:32). We cannot forget the people of God represented as a wayward bride in Hosea 2 or an adulterous woman in Ezekiel 23. Negative and positive imagery alike are given concerning the bride and the bridegroom. But Scripture also speaks of virgins and the bridegroom in the Kingdom.

Psalm 45 brings to our minds those called to be with the King in His Kingdom. There the king’s daughter is brought to the Lord followed by her companions, the virgins. They are brought before the king with gladness and rejoicing (45:14-15). There is not one virgin going before the King but many just as there is not one virgin in our parable but ten. The Song of Solomon immediately brings in the same theme, Because of the savour of thy good ointments thy name is as ointment poured forth, therefore do the virgins love thee. Draw me, we will run after thee: the king hath brought me into his chambers: we will be glad and rejoice in thee, we will remember thy love more than wine: the upright love thee (Song of Solomon 1:3-4).

Using the imagery of Scripture, the members of the Kingdom of Heaven are described by Christ, not as something new to the New Testament, but like ten virgins waiting for the bridegroom, just as the kingdom had been compared to in the Old Testament.

In the context of the Kingdom of Heaven parables there is one final description of the virgins which we must note. The virgins are like those other comparisons the Lord uses for the people in the Kingdom of Heaven. Like the wheat and the tares are in the kingdom (13:24-30) so are the virgins, both wise and unwise. Like every kind was gathered from the net, good and bad (13:47-48), so all virgins are in the kingdom, wise and unwise. Wise virgins and foolish virgins, wheat and tares, good and bad, these two groups are in the Kingdom of Heaven.

The marriage supper of the Lamb is about to begin, the cry will soon go out, the virgins are gathered. May we say it now at the beginning and remember it often – Oh may we strive by the grace of God to be as those wise virgins who were ready for the call at midnight, whose lamps were full, and who entered joyfully into the presence of the king.

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