The Wise and Foolish Virgins (Parable of the Ten Virgins) 

Basic Info

Matthew 25: 1–13

The setup for this parable is simple: The disciples have asked Jesus how they will know when the second coming is close. Jesus tells first of calamities and tribulations as the signs of his return. He then warns the disciples that no one will know the day and hour, so everyone should stay ready if they want to get into the Kingdom of Heaven. To emphasize this point, He relates the Parable of the Ten Virgins, who are sometimes referred to as the ten bridesmaids or the ten maidens.

Jesus likens the Kingdom of Heaven to the situation of the five wise and five foolish virgins. They all went outside in the evening to greet the Bridegroom when he arrived. The wise ones brought extra oil with their lamps; the foolish ones brought only the lamps. The Bridegroom was late arriving, so they all snoozed for a bit. Soon the foolish ones needed more oil to keep their lamps lit. They asked the wise ones to share, but the wise virgins said there wasn’t enough. The foolish ones went off to get more oil (trying to wake a shopkeeper in the middle of the night?) and had not yet returned when the Bridegroom arrived. The wise virgins welcomed the Bridegroom and escorted him into the wedding celebration. After he entered, the doors were locked and the foolish virgins were excluded from the ceremony.

The expectation is that one won’t be closed out of the feast just because one went off to do an errand. The twist is that one can enter through the door only with the Bridegroom. Running off to attend to other details means missing the Bridegroom and thus missing the party. The idea behind this parable is to always be prepared for the arrival of the Bridegroom (Jesus Christ in the second coming), in other words, make sure that you have no unfinished business to attend to. What is less clear is what it means to be prepared. What unfinished business might take people away or distract them from being aligned with Jesus just before the second coming?

Historical Notes

The parable was especially popular in the High Middle Ages in Gothic Cathedrals.

What to Look For

• Marks or characteristics that distinguish the wise virgins from the foolish virgins
• Indications of unpreparedness or not being ready to walk with the Bridegroom
• The relationship or interactions between the virgins and the Bridegroom
• The physical appearance of the Bridegroom
• The expressions and gestures on all of the figures

Questions to Focus a General Interpretation

Does the artwork take a clear stand on the importance of preparedness? Does the artwork relate the story of getting into the Kingdom of Heaven?

Questions to Guide a Personal Interpretation

Does the artwork offer any suggestions that might translate into today’s world as far as what it means to be prepared to walk alongside Jesus Christ to get into the Kingdom of Heaven?

Questions to Suggest a Historical Interpretation



What might have been the conventional theological wisdom on getting into Heaven in the artist’s time and place? Does the artwork seem to reflect that understanding?