In the parable, this required the virgins to refill their lamps with oil, for their lamps were “about to go out.” But, alas! the foolish virgins found that they were unable immediately to refill their lamps; they had brought no receptacles filled with oil along with them, whereas the discreet virgins had done so. This led to a division among the virgins. Why? Matthew 25:8, 9 explains, saying: “The foolish said to the discreet, ‘Give us some of your oil, because our lamps are about to go out.’ The discreet answered with the words, ‘Perhaps there may not be quite enough for us and you. Be on your way, instead, to those who sell it and buy for yourselves.’”

20. Was it selfish on the part of the discreet virgins to refuse to share their oil with the foolish ones, and what was the resolve of the discreet ones?

²⁰ We can imagine what difficulty that would entail upon those foolish virgins, to go at that hour of the night and try to locate an open oil shop or oil dealers who would accommodate them with the needed oil. Well, then, was that not selfish on the part of the discreet virgins, not to share their supply with the indiscreet virgins? No! for had they done so, then none of the ten virgins would have got to the door of the bridegroom’s house and entered into the wedding feast. The divided supply of all the ten would have given out before they got there. The discreet virgins showed that they felt obligated to get there by bringing along an emergency supply of oil. This showed, also, that they all had determined to get there, and now these discreet virgins were not allowing themselves to be frustrated and come short of their good purpose to the honor of the bridegroom. Furthermore, oil was still available for the foolish virgins from other sources without their hindering or endangering the success of the discreet virgins.

22. In considering the question of sharing the “oil,” what should we remember that holding aloft the lighted lamp signifies, and the “oil” symbolizes what?

²² Why, then, in the fulfillment, do the “discreet” virgin class refuse to divide their “oil” with the “foolish” virgin class? We must bear in mind that the having of oil in one’s receptacle is the same as having the symbolic “oil” in oneself. Also, the holding aloft of the lighted lamp is the same as one’s letting one’s light shine, the same as one’s shining as a luminary, in order for people in this dark, benighted world to see our good works and to glorify God because thereof. (Matthew 5:14-16; Philippians 2:15) It is the symbolic “oil” that gives the illuminating power, and this “oil” pictures both God’s Word, which is as a lamp and a light to a worshiper of God (Psalm 119:105), and also God’s holy spirit, which illuminates God’s Word to us and produces in all its possessors the fine godly qualities that are called the “fruitage of the spirit.” (Galatians 5:22, 23; Ephesians 5:18-20) Well, then, should the “discreet” virgins reduce the amount of this “oil,” this illuminative power, in themselves? Finally, cease shining?

23. (a) What do the “foolish” virgin class desire the “discreet” class to do toward them? (b) What kind of “Christians” are the “foolish” virgin class?

²³ This is what the “foolish” virgin class would like the “discreet” ones to do. The “foolish” ones desire the “discreet” ones to compromise with them. The announcement of the heavenly Bridegroom’s invisible presence in 1919 C.E. posed a challenge to all those who professed to be “virgins” with a desire to meet and share the joy of that Bridegroom. Those who are like the “foolish” virgins have merely a profession of Christianity; they are largely nominal Christians, but do not meet the requirements of true Christianity. They may have some knowledge of the Bible, especially knowledge with a sectarian understanding of such Bible knowledge. They may have been influenced by what knowledge of Scripture that they have, but not to the point of having God’s powerful spirit in them for producing the “fruitage of the spirit.” Their conduct does not conform to the true Christian pattern. They shine merely as nominal or professed Christians in the religious formalisms of their sect in Christendom. They expect to go to heaven when they die!

24. (a) Does the religious development of the “foolish” virgin class enable them to accept the provable evidences of the Bridegroom’s presence? (b) To what level of Christian profession do the foolish want the discreet to bring themselves so as to keep together?

²⁴ However, their religious development does not enable them to meet the challenge when the midnight cry is made, “Here is the bridegroom! Be on your way out to meet him.” In fact, they do not discern, they do not accept the provable fact of the Bridegroom’s presence since the year 1914. They profess to believe in the Bridegroom and that the church is his bride, but they insist on meeting the Bridegroom and entering into his joy in their own way, their sectarian way. So, if there is to be a sharing of company between them and the “discreet” virgin class, there has to be a compromise. There needs to be an interfaith amalgamating of them all as professed Christians and heirs of heaven. The “discreet” class must take away from their own supply of spiritual “oil” and bring down their level of Christian development to that of the indiscreet religionists. Thus the “discreet” ones should make themselves religiously foolish in order to keep company with the “foolish,” indiscreet, imprudent professors of Christianity.