Gospel of Matthew Chapter 25 Vs. 12

 The Parable of the Ten Virgins

Matthew 25:12 “But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.”

know you not... This was true, for they were friends of the bride, not necessarily the bridegroom who is called Lord in Mat. 25:11. You were not in the company of those who attended me to the marriage-feast, and are unknown to me. These virgins had only a profession of religion, but no real piety. This is saying, I do not know or acknowledge you as Christians. I do not approve of you, or delight in you, or admit that you are my friends.

The word know is often used in the sense of approving, loving, and acknowledging as real friends and followers (see Mat. 7:23; Psm. 1:6; 2Tim. 2:19; 1Thes. 5:12).

This is the same cry that we read about in a few lessons back, when they stood before Jesus and said, Lord, Lord, have I not cast out demons, healed the sick, (etc.). He said depart from me; I never knew you.

You see, it is very dangerous to have a form of religion without having a love relation to the Lord Jesus. He not only wants to be our Savior, but He wants to be our Lord, if we are His. Not some watered-down religion of dos and don'ts, but a true love relation with Him. He must be everything to us. We should be happy as any bride who is waiting for her Groom.

The door cannot be opened. Ponder the solemn words: I know you not. It is a question of the union of the life with Christ. The wise virgins had lived a life that was always, even in sleep, hid with Christ in God; the foolish virgins had not: they had lived a life which had transient shows of devotion in it, but no reality-a mistake too fatal to be in any wise remedied by the spasms of a few minutes at the close of the age.

Again, when they returned and found the wedding feast in progress, they sought admission but were denied (Mat. 25:10-12). For neither the friends of the bride nor those who did not truly know Christ were exempted from the Fiest.