Mateo 25:1

The introductory "then" ties this parable to the subject of the preceding instruction, namely, the Second Coming of the Son of Man. The beginning of the kingdom of heaven is in view. It will be similar to what the following story describes.

Jesus probably chose 10 virgins as a good round number that He could later divide into two groups easily. Such a number was also fairly common for marriages of His day. [Note: Edersheim, The Life . . ., 2:455.] The number probably does not have symbolic significance. Likewise that the women were virgins (Gr. parthenos, cf. Matthew 1:23) probably has no other significance than that they were young women who were friends of the bride and groom. Their virginity is not a factor in the parable. The "lamps" (Gr. lampas) could have been either torches or smaller lamps with wicks. "To meet" (Gr. hypantesis) connotes an official welcome of a visiting dignitary. [Note: M’Neile, p. 360.]

Most premillennial commentators have taken these virgins as representing Jews during the Tribulation. However some argued that they stand for Christians in the present age. [Note: E.g., Gaebelein, 2:225-36. Cf. Carr, p. 275; and Plummer, p. 343.] The arguments in favor of the second view are primarily what the passage does not contain such as the title "Son of Man," the phrase "times or seasons," and Old Testament quotations. However, arguments from silence are never strong, and they are unconvincing here. The better explanation is that this parable deals with the same time and people as the immediately preceding and following parables do. The ten virgins represent Jewish disciples in the Tribulation waiting for the coming of the King. That is not to say, however, that the principle of watchfulness that this parable teaches is not applicable to Christian disciple who await the Lord’s return for us at the Rapture.

Some background information concerning weddings in the ancient Near East is helpful in understanding this parable. [Note: See Yamauchi, 241-52; Jeremias, The Parables . . ., pp. 173-74; and Trench, Notes on . . ., pp. 200-201.] First, the parents arranged the marriage with the consent of the bride and groom. Second, the couple passed an engagement period of many months in which it would become clear, hopefully, that the bride was a virgin. Third, on the day of the wedding the groom would go to the bride’s house to claim his bride from her parents. Friends of his would accompany him. Fourth, the marriage ceremony would take place at the bride’s home. Fifth, on the evening of the day of the wedding the groom would take his bride home. This involved a nighttime procession through the streets. Sixth, the bride and groom would consummate their marriage at the groom’s home the night of the wedding ceremony. Seventh, there would be a banquet that would often last as long as seven days. This often took place at the groom’s home.

The scene in this parable is at night as the bride’s friends wait to welcome the couple and to enter the groom’s house where the banquet would begin shortly. All ten of the virgins knew that the groom’s appearing would be soon.