Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Matthew 25:1

"Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, who took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom." — Matthew 25:1 (ASV)

At the time of the return of the Son of Man, this parable will become relevant; the kingdom of heaven will become like the story of the ten virgins.

The setting is fairly clear from what we know of the marriage customs of the day. Normally the bridegroom with some close friends left his home to go to the bride’s home, where there were various ceremonies, followed by a procession through the streets—after nightfall—to his home. The ten virgins may be bridesmaids who have been assisting the bride; and they expect to meet the groom as he comes from the bride’s house. Everyone in the procession was expected to carry his or her own torch. Those without a torch would be assumed to be party crashers or even brigands. The festivities, which could last several days, would formally get under way at the groom’s house.

Jesus refers to ten (a favorite round number; e.g., Ruth 4:2) maidens who were invited to the wedding. The “lamps” are here either small oil-fed lamps or, more plausibly, torches whose rags would need periodic dowsing with oil to keep them burning. In either case the prudent would bring along a flask with an additional oil supply.