In the parable of the ten virgins what is the oil that is being talked of? I'm quite certain it's not the "anointing" that some faith healers want you to top up on during soaking meetings and such. What is it though?
hi, wisdom... be ready today... now...do not look to the past or to the future.today is the day of salvation.jimp
The oil represents the Holy Spirit
1Sa 16:13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.
The point of the parable of the wise and foolish virgins is preparedness. Having their vessels full at all times. Ready the moment the bridegroom calls. Their vessels were full of the Holy Ghost. They were constantly making sure they stayed filled.
I have heard preached that the word is filled is progressive, be being filled.
We need the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
hi,go buy oil... can you buy the Holy Spirit?jimp
We can buy truth.
Proverbs 23v23, 'Buy the truth and do not sell it...'.
So what does that mean?
As for the Holy Spirit, haven't a clue.
"“Ho! Everyone who thirsts, Come to the waters; And you who have no money, Come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk Without money and without price." Is 55:1 NKJV
Ya'll asking for an argument with this one too! I must laugh over all this. I find it hilarious entertainment. You know what the oil is? IT'S OIL!
No kidding.
If oil is Grace then it makes good sense. Jesus was ALWAYS displaying the difference of religion(law/works) and the Father's Way(s). What can you present to Him w/o any Grace to do it? The "religious" who thought they were good and great, above all the rest on sermon index... I mean, the rest of the Jews, thought they can Act right, Behave good enough and keep the Law. The Lord NEVER said to keep it and He will make them Righteous. David and Moses both had it right when they displayed the Father's own heart is saying, "Lord, make me your own possession/ give me your perfect Righteousness."
Why do you think Jesus came? Because we have NONE of our own. He must give all Righteousness to us. And that, only through the Cross and through Grace. So-
If you show up to God with your own good merit, your foolish and are confounded by those who have full lamps, -"Give me Grace God... I messed up again today..."
Word of advise, Don't let the wounded Christian die.
Since many are put down due that they cannot complete man's rules for living for God. It's all spelled out in the story. Read it with the renewed mindset that you're a sinner and have need of His Righteousness.
(the lamps are gone out... could simply mean that the veil is over your face again. This is why people get excited at campmeetings. "We're gunna buckle down, clench our fists and show God we love Him... blah blah drivle LAW!!!!!!! It only lasts for a moment and then the feeling of power is gone out...) my friends, Grace is the answer to properly living for God. If you don't believe me then you try to live perfectly. You'll find yourself going down a steep mountain.
This parable remains the most shocking to me.
What sticks out whenever thinking about it is not the issue of the oil so much as all ten virgins were asleep...
Why i don't know, but what Jesus said in Luke 18 right at the beginning of the chapter is always thought of in relation to this. Maybe because when you sleep you are not praying?
"And he spake . . . unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint . . . And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?"
Lk. 18.1, 7-8
It's common to say the oil is the Holy Spirit, and while such an interpretation has some merit to it, I personally don't think the oil represents anything specifically per say. The "thrust" of the parable is about being prepared. Thus, those who did not have oil and whose wicks were not trimmed were simply those who were unready and who were not prepared for when the bridegroom came.
I think if one tries to assign any definite meaning behind the oil or the wick, one is interpreting this parable too allegorically. While sometimes parables have a sense of allegory to them, sometimes the items in them are incidental and exist simply to further the story along. Sometimes, like a well told joke, parables are just meant to be "got," and not disected for secret hidden meanings and allegories.
The only question really is then, did you "get" the parable of the wise and foolish virgins? And if so, have you taken it to heart?
That is the meaning of the parable.
*edited for additional thoughts after the fact*
"Sometimes, like a well told joke, parables are just meant to be "got," and not disected for secret hidden meanings and allegories."
Agreed, more errors are made about interpreting parables by us Greeks because we think allegorically than probably any other parts of scripture.
Parables are not allegories.
I would also like to suggest for consideration as well, that Parables are also not a culmination or continuation of biblical typology either.
Well, I would say each parable needs to be examined on an individual basis before saying that they never have allegory. Some of them most certainly do, as in the case of the parable of the sower. But, allegorical parables are rare. Generally, they need to be thought of in the "gotchch'a" sense.
Do you mean it is allegorical in the sense that within it are multiple "ah ha's?" Or do you mean that there is "hidden meaning."
As another tip, Parables are not to be a springboard or catch basin for someone to isogete their favorite theological structure into.
There are two sermons I have heard on this website where the individuals dissect the parable of the pearl of great price, and because each individual has a separate theological way to approach scripture, they vehemently pit themselves against one another in their interpretation, one of which seemed to do so with a degree of anger in their tone that anyone would see it any other way than how he did.
BTW K.J. I did not say that Parables would not have a similarity to allegory. But a parable is a parable. It is a particular teaching style which we do not use in our culture in the way Jesus did. We interpret them with a modern Greek mind to our own folly.
There is a well known bible teacher whom I know of that confessed after years and years of having taught all the way through scripture numerous times that his greatest regret in teaching was on the parables because he had no idea how to interpret them.
I say what I say from experience...I have been rebuked about this by someone better than I, I am very appreciative that I was. It was a humbling and rather revolutionary moment. I see the gospels in a whole new and better light now. As I consider a parable, I do so with trepidation and a mind to scour away pre-conceived notions.
by Crux on 2010/8/19 3:48:31
In the parable of the ten virgins what is the oil that is being talked of? I'm quite certain it's not the "anointing" that some faith healers want you to top up on during soaking meetings and such. What is it though?
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What is it?
Every parable has at least three meanings, sometimes more, aside from the actual aggadah (story) being told.
Every aggadah Jesus told needs to be taken in context with the events leading up to the telling. If one does not see how they fit together, stick with the simple account of both the events leading up to the telling and the story itself.
When i was a child, it was always repeated to me that a parable is a story about earthly events with a spiritual meaning.
There is a particular word for this tendency to make metaphors and allegorize parables, most everybody should not have trouble pronouncing it either, no matter how practiced you are in pronouncing greek or not. the word is hogwash. Parables mean what they say and say what they mean relative to the events preceeding them.
There may be a spiritual meaning; but praytell, how does any human do anything spiritual without a body to do it?
All things are spiritual, and there is no division between spiritual and physical activity while dwelling in our flesh. Everything one does is spiritual, including exist.
Shalom,
g
Remember that parables can be over-analyzed and we can try to assign a literal meaning to everything in the parable and get a little off in our interpretation. There were 10 who were invited, but only 5 had that which they needed to be admitted. The others wanted to bootleg oil off of those who had it, but were told to go get their own (The fact that they were told to buy simply means "go get your own".). The ten who had it were watchful and not only had the lamps full of oil but the wicks trimmed. I believe the fullness of the lamps indicative of the fullness of a believer with the presence of the Holy Spirit. It indicates a current and active relationship with the Lord. It is a life that is being lived each day continually being in a state of being filled with the presence of the Holy Spirit.
If the wick is not trimmed the lamp doesn't burn bright.
What if these 10 asleep meant they were actually dead?
"What if these 10 asleep meant they were actually dead?"
Yeah! Now we are getting somewhere!
If you're still under the law of death and condemnation, that means you have no Grace working in your life. So then, indeed, you're dead.
Now, If there be that Grace, it is the same as saying that you've been Saved by denying your ways(way of the world) and you have a brand new, imputed Righteousness that is not of your own. Because it's Jesus' Righteousness. Hence, the need for Grace.
This parable is so very relevant for our day. It is the midnight hour, it is very dark, and Jesus is coming soon.
Without oil to fuel the lamp we cannot see in the darkness. We are blind to all that God desires to do in this hour of darkness. How do we get the oil to see?
"And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay, And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing."
(John 9:1-7)
He came seeing after going to the pool "Sent". When we are given over to His purpose, to work the work of Him who sent us, then we will come seeing with oil in the lamp.
Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh? Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy rereward. Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity; And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday:
(Isaiah 58:6-10)
When we are given to loose bands, break yokes, and deal bread to the hungry, then the darkness of the midnight hour shall be as noonday.
In Christ,
Ron
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