Matthew 25:3 - Printer Friendly

ESV: For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them,

NIV: The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them.

NASB: For when the foolish took their lamps, they did not take extra oil with them;

CSB: When the foolish took their lamps, they didn't take oil with them;

NLT: The five who were foolish didn’t take enough olive oil for their lamps,

KJV: They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:

NKJV: Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them,

Ten young women, likely bridal attendants, are waiting to meet the groom as part of a wedding celebration. The scenario may be that they have gone to the bride's home to wait. When the groom arrives, he will collect his bride and they will all walk back to his home together for a wedding feast (Matthew 25:1–2).

Weddings during this time were often multi-day events. This procession through the streets to the groom's house apparently took place after dark. These bridal attendants planned for this, but some did not plan well enough. Jesus has called them foolish. They thought to bring lamps for the procession, but they did not bring oil for the lamps.

Commentators suggest these "lamps" were likely more what modern people would identify as "torches," rather than small clay containers. The torches would have been sticks with rags wrapped around one end and held aloft to provide the most light while walking. The rags would have been soaked in oil and then soaked again as that oil dried out or was used up.

It's possible that the five foolish young women soaked their rags in oil before leaving home, but the rags dried out as they were waiting for the groom to arrive. They may have expected him to arrive sooner. Since they did not bring enough oil, they had no way to fuel their lights for the parade back to the groom's home.

Matthew 25:1–13 presents Jesus' parable of the ten virgins. These unmarried young women gather to wait for the groom to arrive during a wedding celebration. They plan to join in a procession to a great feast when he comes after dark. Five of the young women foolishly forgot to bring sufficient oil for their lights. When the groom arrives, they scramble to get more oil but are not admitted to the feast when arriving late. Jesus urges His followers to be prepared and watch for His return.

Jesus uses two additional parables to illustrate a state of constant readiness for His return after He has gone. His followers should be working for Him while they wait. They must not be like the foolish young women who missed a wedding feast because they forgot oil for their lamps. They must be like the servants who doubled their harsh master's investments while He was away. Jesus concludes with a third descriptive passage, showing how He will judge between the righteous and evil when He returns as King.

Matthew 25 concludes the "Olivet Discourse:" Jesus' teaching to the disciples about future things as they sit on the Mount of Olives. This follows His dire predictions about the Temple and Jerusalem in chapter 24. He gives two more parables to emphasize that they must be prepared for His return. Finally, Jesus describes the moment of His return, after a time of tribulation, when He will judge all who live on earth at the beginning of His kingdom. This leads into Matthew's account of Jesus' Last Supper, betrayal, and arrest in chapter 26.

The Gospel of Matthew clearly shows the influence of its writer's background, and his effort to reach a specific audience. Matthew was one of Jesus' twelve disciples, a Jewish man, and a former tax collector. This profession would have required literacy, and Matthew may have transcribed some of Jesus' words as they were spoken. This book is filled with references to the Old Testament, demonstrating to Israel that Jesus is the Promised One. Matthew also includes many references to coins, likely due to his former profession. Matthew records extensive accounts of Jesus' teaching, more than the other three Gospels.