Gospel of Matthew Chapter 25 Vs. 8

 The Parable of the Ten Virgins

Matthew 25:8 “And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.”

And the foolish... A graceless person may be able to see the grace of God in others, be convinced of it, and acknowledge it, as these foolish virgins did. They saw that the wise virgins had oil, that is, grace. This they knew by the bright burning of their lamps, by their readiness in trimming them, and that in a different way from them, by their sedate composure of mind, and confidence of soul, notwithstanding the midnight cry. And by their ardent and affectionate desire to meet the bridegroom.

A graceless person may also see a need of grace: these foolish virgins had no such sense. When they first took up their profession; they went a long time in a course of religion, without any thoughts of it. And the sense they had now was not of the need of it, in the vessels of their hearts, but in their lamps only. Nor was it from the Spirit of God, but through the surprise and terror of the midnight cry.

Had they asked advice from the wise virgins in this their distress, it would have been wisely done. Or had they desired their prayers from them; or that they would impart some spiritual instructions to them. But to ask their grace of them was exceeding foolish, when grace only comes from God.

He is the God of all grace, through Christ as mediator, in whom the fullness of it dwells, and by the Spirit, who is a Spirit of grace and of supplication; but is never to be had from men, nor from the angels in heaven.

Give us of... Lamp oil, not the Holy Spirit, for He cannot be bought and sold or divided between people at their request. This no more refers to the Holy Spirit than oil in Gen. 28:18; 2Kgs. 4:1-6; Luke 7:46; 16:6; etc. These foolish virgins now saw, when too late, that their lamps availed them nothing; they were gone out, and had become useless and unprofitable, because they had not the oil of grace with them; or what they had was only counterfeit grace.

Are gone out (σβέννυνται)

The A. V. misses the graphic force of the continuous present, denoting something in progress. They see the flame waning and flickering, and cry, our lamps are going out!

But see, five of them are going out almost as soon as they are kindled! What is the reason? There is no store of oil. Here, then, is the difference between the wise and the foolish, and here lies, therefore, the main point of the parable.

What, then, are we to understand in the spiritual sphere by this distinction? That the wise and the foolish represent the watchful and the unwatchful is plain enough; but is there not something here to let us deeper into the secret of the great difference between the one and the other? In order to get this, it is not at all necessary to ask for the significance of each separate detail-the lamp, the wick, the oil, the oil vessel. The details belong to the drapery of the parable; the essentials are manifestly the light and the source whence it comes. The light is the very familiar symbol of the Christian life; the source whence it comes is Divine grace, abiding unseen in the heart. Now, there is a certain superficial goodness which shines for the moment much as the true light of grace shines but is connected with no perennial supply; there is no oil vessel from which the lamp can be constantly replenished. There may be a flaring up for a moment; but there is no steady enduring light.

Or only an appearance of it; a mere form of godliness, without its power; or only gifts which are perishable, and now failed, ceased, and were vanishing away. Wherefore this is no instance of the loss of true grace, nor at all militates against the perseverance of the saints.

Here too is a sad situation describing of the falling away in the church. Their light (Jesus) had gone out of their lives. They had gotten caught up in the world and overlooked the more important thing of walking daily in their salvation.

When they saw the coming of Christ, they hurriedly wanted to get back in good standing with their Lord. They wanted to meet the bridegroom (Jesus), because of their association (membership), with the righteous. The five foolish wanted to hang on to the coat-tails of the five wise virgins, but it was too late.

All which points to the conclusion that the foolish virgins represent those professing Christians who have religious emotion enough to kindle their lamp of life and make it glow with a flame which looks marvelously like true devotion, but which is little else than the blazing up of natural feeling.

Five others had lamps but no extra oil.