The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 2 — Section 468

demanded. The contrast between the two Having me.de all preparations, the virgins olasses seems t.o lie In the foresight of the ceased for a. while to think of the bride- one and the negligent carelessness of the groom'• coming. The Fathers take this other. It hu been oommon from early sleep to be an image of death, the awe.king times to find In the lamps the symbol of to be the remrrection, when the rlifference faith, in the oil the good works that pro- between the two cla.asee is known and dis- ceed therefrom. The wise virgins exercise played. But this would imply that a.II the their faith in charity nnd good works ; the faithful will be dead when the Lord comes, foolish profess, indeed, the faith of Christ, which is contrary to 1 These. iv.17. Nor, but oarry it not out to the production of the on the other hand, is it conceivable that good works in which God ordained that they whose lamps are kept burning till they should walk (Eph. ii. 10). But this the day of death will be unprovided when exposition, time-honoured though it is, the Lord comes. surely does not meet the requirements of Ver. 6.-At mid.night. When sleep is the parable. What one wants is an interpre- deepest e.nd a.we.king most unwelcome. The tation which aha.U show how it is that the Lord will come "a.a a thief in the night" want of oil and its sudden failure debar one (eh. xxiv. 42--44; 1 Thees. v. 2). There was from meeting the bridegroom. If the oil be B cry ~de (-yl-yov•v, hath been made). The good works, and the believer ha.a gone on cry com~ either from the watchers or from doing these until the Lord's advent is the advancing company. We a.re told by signalled. why should he fail o.t the lo.at ? the apostle (1 Thees. iv. 16) that "the Lord How comes it that in a. moment he leaves himself shall descend from heaven with a. oft' doing hie duty, and making hie calling shout, with the voice of the archangel, and and election sure? These a.re questions with the trump of God." The suddenness whioh the patristic and medimval explan&- of the event is indicated by the tense of the tion leaves unsolved. I doubt not that the verb-" there hath been," "there is," a cry. right solution is to be found in regarding The bridegroom cometh! The best manu- the oil as symbolical of the Holy Spirit, or scripts omit the verb, which omission makes the graces of God. This is a truly eoriptural the expression more graphic. The bride- notion, o.s declared by the use of this sub- groom is Christ; he comes now to judge, to stance in holy rites. Accepting this view, punish and reward; and Christians have to we should say that the ten virgins had so meet him, and show how their duties have far a.like taken and need the grace of God. been performed, and how their personal pre- but that they differed in this-thut, while the paration has been ma.de. wise maintained the supply of grace by con- Ver. 7.-Tri.m.med their lamps. The etan t recourse to the means thereof, the trimming consisted in removing the charred foolish were satisfied with their spiritual portion of the wick, and raising the wick state once for all, and took no pains to keep itself by means of a. pointed wire which was their spirituo.l life healthful and aotive by fastened by II cha.in to ea.eh lamp. These the renewal of the Holy Spirit in their operations wonld be followed by the re- hearts. They retained the outward show plenishment of the vase with oil from the and form of faith, but neglected the true vessel carried for that purpose. In 11 inward life of faith; they had the appear- spiritual sense the dormant grace has to be ance without the reality. revived at the awful summons. It ho.d, Ver. 5.-While the bridegroom tarried indeed, come upon all unexpectedly at the (oh. xxiv. 48). We may suppose that a.11 moment; but while one p:i.rty was ready to had ligh led I heir lamps o.t first, in expecta- meet the emergency, the other was wholly tion of being immediately called to meet the unprepared. The foolish, indeed, got their bridegroom. But he came not. The ad- wicks ready to light, when they suddenly vent of Christ was not to be as speedy as discovered that they had no oil in their the diaciplee imagined. No one could divine lamps, and remembered that they had when it would take place. As St. Augus- brought no further supply with them. tine says, " Latet ultimus dies, ut observetur Ver. 8.-The foolish said unto the wise. omnis dies." See here a. figure of each They Rpply to their prudent companions for Christian's probation. They all slumbered aid at this crisis. 'l.'hey recognize now the ('v6u.-a{av) and elept'(',cit8eu3ov). The first superior wisdom of the others, and would verb implies the nodding and napping of fain have their assistance to hide their own persons sitting up at night; the second deficiencies. Are gone out ( u/3,vvuv-ra,, are means "they begnn to sleep," actually. All, going out). The lamps, fresh trimmed, ha<l wise and foolish, did this ; so in itself it wo.s burned for a. few moments, and then, having not sinful, it was only natural. To suoh no oil, soon wo.ned and died out. SpirituRlly drowsiness the best of Christio.ns are liable. speBking, the idea of these people seems to The bow cannot be kept 11lways strung; h11ve been the1t the merits of others could "Neque eemper a.rcum tendit Apollo." supply their ltlck, or that there was II g.ineral ~74 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. 'MA'l'THEW. [OB. xxv.1--48.