Oil for the lamps

June 12, 2025 | Read and think about Matthew 25:1-13

This parable illustrates the kingdom of Heaven through a story of 10 women. Each carried an oil-burning lamp. Each needed to keep her lamp burning in order to go out and greet the bridegroom. They didn't know when the bridegroom would come, so they didn't how much oil would be needed. Half of them brought an extra flask of oil for their lamps, and half brought only the oil that was in the lamp.

Using the simple structure of the prior post, this was the situation.

Then a significant and unexpected event occurred: the bridegroom was late, very late! The women all fell asleep. Awakening some time later to a loud shout, "The bridegroom has arrived!" all the women roused themselves.

There was a response by the ones who did not bring extra oil. They pleaded with the others to share what they had.

And a reply by the 5 who were wise. We don't have it to give you. We cannot save you from this error.

In the parable of Workers in a Vineyard we read in the prior post, God was the provider. He gave freely and abundantly to those answering the call. In this parable, the 5 women who brought oil for the lamps, human beings, simply didn't have it to give.

We can find our salvation only in God. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life.