As we near the end of the Church year, the lessons assigned for the 26th Sunday after Pentecost speak of the Day of Judgment: Amos 5:18-24; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 and Matthew 25:1-13. Preaching this week will be on Matthew 25:8, “And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’”

The normal interpretation of this parable is that the key ingredient in getting into the wedding banquet is to have sufficient oil. Such an opinion has led to all kinds of odd spiritual synonyms for the oil such as our works or our faith. The point is then made that you had better not fall asleep as the disciples did in the Garden of Gethsemane by seeing to it that your obedience to God’s command does not fall short or else you will not get into the banquet.

It does not take a genius in theology to realize that such interpretations and applications are Law. The parable is then regarded as something like Aesop’s fables in which there is a lesson to be learned and practiced in one’s life. The Bible is then seen as a book of principles of life with parables providing some of the best principles.

However, falling asleep cannot be the problem because even the wise virgins fell asleep. Yes, the foolish had not brought sufficient oil but what possibly could the oil represent on the part of our needing to bring something in preparation for the Day of Judgment?

Parables are about the way God works in the kingdom of God on earth; namely, the holy, Christian Church. This parable is not a directive as to what we are to do, say or think so we have enough oil. The lack of oil is simply a symptom of the far greater problem that the foolish virgins had.

A L&G principle is that whenever God criticizes someone, the criticism is not just directed toward the sin but the unbelief behind that sin. And conversely, whenever God praises someone, the praise is not just directed toward the good work but the faith behind that fruit of the Holy Spirit. Since God is criticizing five of the virgins there must be something lacking in their faith that is at fault.

In fact, it is not something that is lacking; it is something that is non-existent! They are not called wise and foolish in the Bible comparing smart people to dumb people or intelligent people to ignorant people or anything like that. The Bible is clear. Wisdom is a synonym for those who have faith; foolish (moron in the Greek) is a synonym for unbelievers.

It is not that the oil was insufficent. It only was a symptom of the larger problem in that the foolish virgins did not believe that the groom would be so late. They had a view of him that did not necessitate additional oil because he would come within the time frame that they regarded as appropriate. The wise, on the other hand, knew that the bridegroom was not one who could be put into a box. Therefore, they were ready for whatever decision he made.

The parable is simply differentiating that those who are ready for the return of the bridegroom are those of faith while those who are not ready are those of unbelief. There is no preparation one can make for that return on one’s own. Instead, the children of God are already prepared for the return of the Savior because faith has been planted in their hearts by the Holy Spirit.

To make it clear: the parable is not advising any of us as to how to prepare for the coming of the Judge as though we can have enough oil–whatever that is–to be counted worthy to enter the banquet. Instead, God is revealing to us that those who are ready for Judgment Day are believers while unbelievers are not ready. From God’s point of view that is clear by the way each group has or does not have the faith to trust the groom rather than attempt to put him in a box that sounds reasonable and acceptable.