Are You Wise or Foolish?
The Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins have intrigued many for centuries. Who are the wise? Who are the foolish? Mainstream teaching has concluded: The Wise are believers in Messiah and the Foolish are not. Is this true, or is there more to it? We will find out. Certainly we want to be found on the right side of this division, so let’s dig in and let the Word do the defining for us.
First, let’s read Matthew 25:1-13 where this parable is found. I will put in bold, words and phrases that needs to be define by the Word alone, not personal interpretations:
THEN shall the Kingdom of YAHUAH be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom comes; go ye out to meet him.
Matthew 25:1-6
Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, ADONAI, ADONAI, open to us. But he answered and said, Amein I say unto you, I know you not. Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of A’dam comes.
Matthew 25:7-13
Defining Key Terms
Now let us define the key terms that make the parable come alive; giving us the true meaning to what Messiah really taught here.
Lamps
And you shall make a menorah (seven branched candlestick) of pure gold: of beaten work shall the menorah be made: his shaft, and his branches, his bowls, his knops, and his flowers, shall be of the same.
Exodus 25:31
Notice, in many translations, the menorah/candlestick is referred to as a lamp stand:
You are that lampstand, you are the vessel:
Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it gives light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven
Matthew 5:14-16
also
The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks (lampstands) which you saw are the seven churches.
Revelation 1:20
&
“For you will light my candle: Yahuah my Elohim will enlighten my darkness.”
Psalm 18:28
What is filled in your lamp?
For the commandment is a lamp; and the Torah is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life
Proverbs 6:23
Oil
And you shall command the children of Yashar’el, that they bring you pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamp to burn always. In the Tabernacle of the assembly without the veil, which is before the testimony, Aharon and his sons shall order it from evening to morning before YAHUAH: it shall be a statute forever unto their generations on the behalf of the children of Yashar’el.
Exodus 27:20-21
Well, this verse seems to knit it all together! If the 7 branched lampstand/candlestick/menorah is a symbol of us, the Eklessia/Church/Assembly, and the oil is what fuels the light to burn continually — keeping in mind that Proverbs 6:23 defined the light as Torah. Wouldn’t it make sense that the wise virgins had their vessels filled with the oil of obedience? The light (Torah) was to burn forever within the hearts of his people for all nations to see, as Messiah Yahusha mentioned a moment ago (Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven).
Also, this is an interesting passage to consider:
Your anointing oils are fragrant; your name is oil poured out; therefore virgins love you
Song of Solomon 1:3
It’s no wonder that many of the passages to uncover who the ‘wise’ are in this parable, come from the ‘wisest’ man to ever live (other than Yahusha of course). Regardless of Solomon’s later fall, he did write these books with the Holy Spirit as his guide, no doubt about it. As for the name of Yahuah — we can take it both literally and spiritually. Many in these last days have come to find it an immense blessing to call upon the name of our Father instead of calling upon his titles; God, Lord etc… Even further, we know his name can also mean his character, his way which is revealed all throughout the Torah, prophets, writings, gospels, letters from the apostles and ultimately the Book of Revelation.
Buying and Selling
Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding
Proverbs 23:23
If we are to “buy the truth”, what is it?
Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and your Torah is The Truth
Psalm 119:142
The wise virgins had already bought the truth and were ready. The foolish had no oil for the light to shine, so they were properly instructed to go buy it. The wise couldn’t sell it themselves, as again: “Buy the truth, and sell it not“. It wasn’t theirs to sell.
The Wise
Therefore whosoever hears these sayings of mine, and does them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
Matthew 7:24-25
Whoever obeys what Yahusha has commanded are likened unto the wise. Considering this passage started with ‘therefore’, it would be wise of us to review Matthew chapters 5-7 to get the full message. For times sake, let’s review a small sample; this comes right after Yahusha discussed us being the light of the world and to show forth our ‘good works’ unto all:
Think not that I am come to destroy the Torah, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the Torah, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 5:17-19
The Torah of Yahuah is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of Yahuah is sure, making wise the simple
Psalm 19:7
A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels: To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings. The fear of Yahuah is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction. My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the Torah of thy mother: For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck.
Proverbs 1:5-9
‘Let your talk be with the wise, and all your communication in the Torah of EL ELYON.
Sirach (Ecclesiasticus) 9:15
‘A wise man hates not the Torah; but he that is a hypocrite therein is as a ship in a storm. ‘A man of understanding trusts in the Torah; and the Torah is faithful unto him, as an oracle.
Sirach (Ecclesiasticus) 33:2-3
There are at least 100 more we could go over, I would suggest doing a word search for wise, it will confirm more of what is already being revealed!
The Foolish
And every one that hears these sayings of mine, and does them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
Matthew 7:26-27
The wise were considered such, as they obeyed the sayings and Torah of Elohim. What you’ll find with the foolish is the complete opposite.
The wise in heart will receive commandments: but a prating fool shall fall
Proverbs 10:8
A wise man fears, and departs from evil: but the fool rages, and is confident
Proverbs 14:16
‘The sinner shall be left in his foolishness: both the evil speaker and the proud shall fall thereby.
Sirach (Ecclesiasticus) 23:8
I Never Knew You
The words none of us want to hear — this truly brings it all together. Remember this portion of the parable: “the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, ADONAI, ADONAI (Lord, Lord), open to us. But he answered and said, Amein I say unto you, I know you not”
Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Not everyone that says unto me, ADONAI, ADONAI (Lord, Lord), shall enter into the Kingdom of YAHUAH; but he that does the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, ADONAI, ADONAI, have we not prophesied in your name? and in your name have cast out devils? and in your name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye transgressors of the Torah.
MATTHEW 7:20-23
Some translations will render the end of that passage as: “ye workers of iniquity”. Upon investigation of the Greek, iniquity is the word ‘anomia’. Here is it’s definition:
With all the terms properly identified, let us read the Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins one more time:
THEN shall the Kingdom of YAHUAH be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom comes; go ye out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, ADONAI, ADONAI, open to us. But he answered and said, Amein I say unto you, I know you not. Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of A’dam comes.
Matthew 25:1-13
Can we conclude that the foolish are unbelievers? Not so — they called upon him as Adonai (Lord) just as the wise did, but the difference was obedience.
Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. You believe that there is one Elohim; you do well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Do you see how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled which says, Abraham believed Elohim, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of Elohim. You see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
James 2:18-26
Will you be wise or foolish? Will your lamp be filled with the oil (obedience) to make your light (good works of the Torah) shine before all men that you Father in heaven be glorified? Will the bridegroom open the gate for you, gaining entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven, or will you be shut out?
Open ye the gates, and let the righteous nation enter, which have kept the Torah with a perfect heart. In a perfect heart they shall preserve peace: peace shall be wrought for them, because they have trusted in thy Word. Trust ye in the Word of Yahuah for ever and ever: thus ye shall be saved by the Word, who is the fear of Yahuah, the mighty one to eternity
Isaiah 26:1-4 Aramaic Targums
