Gospel of Matthew Chapter 25 Vs. 11

 The Parable of the Ten Virgins

Matthew 25:11 “Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.”

Afterwards came also... They were different from the wise, they were foolish ones; they were the unprepared ones. They were without and were now separated from the company of the wise virgins, with whom they had been so long. And what was worst of all, they were to be so forever.

These also came from buying oil. They came just as they went without any oil. They came to the door of the bride-chamber, being desirous to be let in, and hoping to partake of the marriage feast, and join in the celebration. But alas, they came too late, they came after the bridegroom was come, after those who were ready had entered in, and after the door was shut.

Then they cried out saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. They gave him that bare title, without having yielded their obedience, which was due unto him. They double the word, to show their importunity, earnestness, sense of danger, and confusion.

Lord, lord

Applying directly to the bridegroom, whose will was supreme, now that he had arrived at the bride's residence.

Their request to him is, that he would open the door unto them, and let them in. They were sensible that the door was shut, and that none but Christ could open it. But they did not at once conclude that their case was desperate but were willing to hope the door might be opened, through their entreaties, and what they had to say for themselves; for though no pleas or arguments are here mentioned.

Yet, as elsewhere, such as these will be made by the foolish virgins. Namely, prophesying in the name of Christ, casting out devils in his name, doing many wonderful works in his name, hearing his word preached, and eating and drinking in his presence; but all in vain, and to no purpose.

The same principles are applicable to the solemn close of the parable. The question has been asked, Why did not the Bridegroom open the door? Late though the foolish virgins were, they wished to enter, and why should they not be allowed? Again let us look beyond the letter of the parable to the spirit of it-to the great spiritual facts it pictures for us. If it were the mere opening of a door that would remedy the lateness, assuredly it would be done; but the real fact is, that the lateness is now beyond remedy.

So they had to go searching for oil and missed the arrival of the bridegroom. When they returned and found the wedding feast in progress, they sought admission but were denied (Mat. 25:10-12).

Book of Hosea Chapter 9 Vs. 3

 The Lord Will Punish Israel

They shall not dwell in the LORD'S land; but Ephraim shall return to Egypt, and they shall eat unclean things in Assyria. Hos. 9:3

They shall not... Who worship idols, and give my glory to them, depending on them, and ascribing to them what I alone give them.

dwell in the... Though they have been in possession many years, and though now they seem out of fear of losing it, being great at home and in peace with neighbors abroad, yet in midst of this prosperity and security.

return to Egypt... Return in trust, not literally that the whole nation went down into Egypt (Hos. 9:2; cp. 8:13; 11:5; Eze. 4:13). Many of Ephraim, for it is not meant of all or the most part. But of the more timorous, wary, and who consult their safety beforehand. Some shall flee into Egypt physically and shift out of the enemies’ reach (Hos. 9:6).

eat unclean things... This implies captivity to Assyria (2Kgs. 17:1-41; Eze. 4:13). The residue that fled not into Egypt shall be carried captives. And in Assyria be forced to eat forbidden meats, called here unclean, such as polluted the eater.

Let them note it, they shall not much longer dwell in the Lord’s land, which God gave them according to promise. With express condition that they should obey him and fear him, and Him only, (Deut. 6:2-3), and with express menace of exile and ruin if they forgot God, (Deut. 8:19-20). This land, which is the Lord’s propriety and theirs only on condition. And this condition broken, shall be their possession no longer.

We know from past lessons, that Egypt symbolizes the world. Notice, in the verse above, the LORD has taken the Promised Land back from Israel since they did not keep their covenant with God. It really did not matter anymore about the eating of unclean things, because they had broken fellowship with God. God would not accept the fact they were keeping the dietary laws, any more than He would accept them sacrificing to Him. They will actually be captive in Assyria.

They shall not abide in the land of Jehovah, but Ephraim shall return to Egypt, and in Assyria they shall eat what is unclean.

The judgment pictured in Hos. 9:2 would be accomplished ultimately through invasion and exile. The land belonged to the Lord (cf. Exo. 15:17; Lev. 25:23), who was responsible for its fertility (cf. Deut. 11:10-12). When the people attributed the produce of the land to Baal, they forfeited the blessing of living on it in peace and prosperity (Deut. 11:8-21). Egypt is again mentioned as a symbol of the place of exile (cf. Hos. 7:16; 8:13; 11:5). Assyria would be the actual location (2Kgs. 17:6). There in an unclean land (cf. Amos 7:17) Israel would be forced to eat ceremonially unclean food (cf. Eze. 4:13), rather than the fruits of God’s blessing. The punishment fit the crime. Israel had become defiled by her sin (cf. Hos. 5:3; 6:10). How appropriate, then, that she eat defiled food in a defiled land.

Gospel of Matthew Chapter 25 Vs. 10

 The Parable of the Ten Virgins

Matthew 25:10 “And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.”

While they went... What a dismal thing it is, not to discover the emptiness of one’s heart of all that is good, till it is too late to make any successful application for relief! God alone knows how many are thus deceived.

And while they went (ἀπερχομένων)

A present participle, and very graphic: while they are going away.

the bridegroom came... The bridegroom that got married to a certain young lady, not Jesus Christ coming for His saints.

and they that... They who were prepared, who had not only a burning lamp of an evangelical profession, but had oil in their vessels, the faith that works by love in their hearts, and their lives adorned with all the fruits of the Spirit.

They that were ready (αἱ ἕτοιμοι)

Lit., the ready or prepared ones.

to the marriage... The marriage of the young couple of this story, not the marriage supper of the Lamb of Rev. 19:1-10.

To the marriage (γάμους)

Marriage-feast, as Mat. 22:2, 22:3, 22:4; and so Rev.

door was shut... Doors were always locked to uninvited guests and for fear of thieves who would rob the guests or carry off the bride for a ransom. Sinners on a deathbed too often meet with those deceitful merchants, who promise them salvation for a price which is of no value in the sight of God. Come unto me, says Jesus, and buy there is no salvation but through his blood, no hope for the sinner but that which is founded upon his sacrifice and death.

The door was shut, dreadful and fatal words! No hope remains. Nothing but death can shut this door. But death may surprise us in our sins, and then despair is our only portion.

When the trumpet blows in the sky, those who have been expecting Him, and have lived their lives, accordingly, will enter in with the Lord. There is just one call. If you do not make the call, the door will be shut.

What a sad thing. Many churches teach salvation, but do not teach their people that they must walk in that salvation every day. The only way that it is possible to walk in our salvation daily is through the power of the Holy Spirit of God.

Again, That, again, belongs to the framework of the parable. The thought conveyed is plain enough to those who think not of the letter but of the spirit. It is simply this, that grace is not transferable. A man may belong to the warmest, devoutest, most gracious community. of disciples in all Christendom, but if he himself has been foolish, if he has not lived in communion with Christ, if he has not kept himself in communication with the Fountain of grace, not all the saints in whose company he has passed the night of the Lord’s personal absence, however willing they may be, will be able to lend him as much as one drop of the sacred oil.

Again, the lamps of the five virgins without extra oil were going out. So, they had to go searching for oil and missed the arrival of the bridegroom. When they returned and found the wedding feast in progress, they sought admission but were denied (Mat. 25:10-12).

Book of Hosea Chapter 9 Vs. 2

The Lord Will Punish Israel 

The floor and the winepress shall not feed them, and the new wine shall fail in her. Hos. 9:2

The floor and... (In verses 1 and 2), were the very places where sacred prostitution took place in an attempt to cause Baal to bring prosperity.

This is just saying that their sin has brought judgment from God, and their vineyards and their crops will fail.

The plentiful harvests were about to end (Hos. 9:2; cf. 2:9-12). In fulfillment of several covenant curses (cf. Deut. 28:30, 28:38-42, 28:51) the Lord would take away her grain and wine (cf. Hos. 2:9; 7:14). Wine presses (yeqeḇ) were used for both grapes and olives (cf. Joel 2:24). Since wine is specifically mentioned (in the last line of Hos. 9:2), yeqeḇ may allude primarily to oil in this context (cf. grain, wine, and oil in Hos. 2:8, 2:22).

Threshing-floor and wine-vat shall ignore them, and the new wine shall play them false.

The plentiful harvests were about to end (Hos. 9:2; cf. 2:9-12). In fulfillment of several covenant curses (cf. Deut. 28:30, 28:38-42, 28:51) the Lord would take away her grain and wine (cf. Hos. 2:9; 7:14). Winepresses (yeqeḇ) were used for both grapes and olives (cf. Joel 2:24). Since wine is specifically mentioned (in the last line of Hos. 9:2), yeqeḇ may allude primarily to oil in this context (cf. grain, wine, and oil in Hos. 2:8, 2:22).

Gospel of Matthew Chapter 25 Vs. 9

 The Parable of the Ten Virgins

Matthew 25:9 “But the wise answered, saying, [Not so]; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.”

Lest there be... These had all been companions in the Christian course, and there was a time when they might have been helpful to each other; but that time is now past forever. None has a particle of grace to spare, not even to help the soul of the dearest relative!

Not so, lest, etc. (μήποτε οὐ μὴ ἀρκέσῃ)

The Greek does not give the blunt negative of the A.V. It is a more courteous form of refusal, making the reason for refusing to supply the place of the negative. Give us of your oil, say the foolish. The wise reply, lest perchance there be not by any means (οὐ μὴ, the double negative) enough. The Rev. gives it very happily. Peradventure there will not be enough, etc.

The grace which every man receives is just enough to save his own soul; he has no merits to bequeath to the Church; no work of supererogation which can be placed to the account of another.

Psalm 49:7 “No man can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for him.”

but go ye… The advice is the best possible. Everyone had to procure for himself the needful grace and piety.

Salvation is an individual thing. Even if we wanted to, we could not share our salvation or Holy Spirit with anyone else. We can tell them where to get it, and how to get it, but they must get it for themselves.

While the wise virgins represent those whose constant habit is devotion, whose grace is something they carry with them always, so that at any moment the light of it may shine, the flame glow, pure, bright, steady, inextinguishable. They may be as much engaged in the business of life as the others, so that no flame of devotion may be seen; but deep down, hidden out of sight, like the oil in the vessel, there is abiding grace, which is only waiting the occasion to burst into a flame, of prayer or praise or joyful welcome of the bridegroom at whatever moment He may come. The distinction, therefore, is between those worldly Christians, whose devotion is a thing of now and then, and those thorough Christians whose devotion is habitual, not always to be recognized on the surface of their life, not always to be seen of men, not so as to hinder their engrossment in business hours with the ordinary duties of life, but so as to be always there, the deep abiding habit of their souls. There is the secret of watchfulness, there the secret of readiness for the coming of the Lord.

This explains why the wise virgins cannot help the foolish. It is not that they are selfish and will not do it; but that it cannot be done. Some commentators, men of the letter, have puzzled themselves as to the advice to go to them that sell and buy. That, again, belongs to the framework of the parable. The thought conveyed is plain enough to those who think not of the letter but of the spirit. It is simply this, that grace is not transferable. A man may belong to the warmest, devoutest, most gracious community. of disciples in all Christendom, but if he himself has been foolish, if he has not lived in communion with Christ, if he has not kept himself in communication with the Fountain of grace, not all the saints in whose company he has passed the night of the Lord’s personal absence, however willing they may be, will be able to lend him as much as one drop of the sacred oil.

In the parable, five of the virgins had made adequate preparation for they possessed the necessary lamps and extra oil in jars (Mat. 25:4). Five others had lamps but no extra oil.

Book of Hosea Chapter 9 Vs. 1

 

The Lord Will Punish Israel

Rejoice not, O Israel, for joy, as other people: for thou hast gone a whoring from thy God, thou hast loved a reward upon every cornfloor. Hos. 9:1

Rejoice not, O... The 11th prophecy in Hosea (Hos. 9:1-17, fulfilled). Next, Hos. 10:1.

Twenty-one Predictions—Fulfilled:

1. Your crops will fail (Hos. 9:2).

2. Ephraim will trust in Egypt for help, but it will not save her; she will be defeated and taken captive to Assyria (Hos. 9:3).

3. They will not offer wine offerings to the Lord (Hos. 9:4).

4. They will not be pleasing to the Lord.

5. Their sacrifices will be to them as bread for mourners who refuse to eat.

6. They will be destroyed (Hos. 9:6).

7. Egypt will gather them up and bury them.

8. Nettles will be in their treasure houses, and thorns in their homes.

9. Israel will know the time of her visitation and the days of her recompense (Hos. 9:7).

10. God will remember and visit the iniquity of the prophets (Hos. 9:8-9).

11. The glory of Ephraim will fly away like a bird (Hos. 9:11).

12. Israel will be cut off in conception, in the womb, and in birth.

13. I will destroy their children (Hos. 9:12).

14. There will not be a man left.

15. I will depart from Israel.

16. Ephraim will bring forth children to be murdered (Hos. 9:13).

17. I will drive them out of My house because of their sins (Hos. 9:15).

18. I will love them no more (meaning that generation, and others should they continue in the same sins).

19. They will bear no fruit, yet if they do have children, I will slay them (Hos. 9:16).

20. God will cast them away (Hos. 9:17).

21. They will be wanderers among the nations.

for thou hast... Two great sins of Israel:

1. They had gone a whoring from God which would cause them to commit other sins.

2. They loved rewards (i.e., they took bribes).

reward upon every... It was customary and right for people to rejoice at harvest time. Israel, however, was commanded not to do so, because she attributed the abundance, she experienced on the cornfloor (Hebrew goren dagan, a place where the harvest of grain was processed), to the idols she worshiped, instead of God who sent it. The harvest festivals were probably accompanied by shameful fertility acts (4:13-14).

There is no rejoicing in sin. Sin brings great sorrow. The instant the sin is committed, guilt sets in and sorrow from that guilt begins. This is almost as if God is saying, the least you could do is be sorrowful for your sin.

This could have taken place at harvest time, which was generally a time of rejoicing, because the corn-floor was mentioned. They wanted all the blessings of God, but they were not willing to be faithful to God. God promised to bless them, if they kept His commandments. Since they had not kept His commandments, they did not deserve a blessing.

THE EFFECTS OF EXILE

Hosea now turns to describe the effects of exile upon the social and religious habits of the people. It must break up at once the joy and the sacredness of their lives. Every pleasure will be removed, every taste offended. Indeed, even now, with their conscience of having deserted Jehovah, they cannot pretend to enjoy the feasts of the Ba’alim in the same hearty way as the heathen with whom they mix. But, whether or not, the time is near when nature-feasts and all other religious ceremonies-all that makes life glad and regular and solemn-shall be impossible.

Rejoice not, O Israel, to the pitch of rapture like the heathen, for thou hast played the harlot from thy God; a harlot’s hire hast thou loved on all threshing-floors.

Israel’s Guilt and Punishment Reiterated

This judgment message contains four subunits. The first (Hos. 9:1-9) begins with a direct address to Israel, which serves as a formal marker of a new section (cf. Hos. 6:4). Each of the other subunits begins with an allusion to Israel’s early history (Hos. 9:10; 10:1; 11:1).

Israel’s hostility punished.

Israel was not to rejoice in expectation of a plentiful harvest (cf. Hos. 9:2) because her unfaithfulness had precluded any further divine blessing (Hos. 9:1; cf. Hos. 2:8-9).

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.