#22 The Wise and the Foolish
From Meditations on Matthew, by Samuel Froehlich
Matthew 25 verses 1 through 12. Then shall the kingdom of heaven 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 cometh; 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, LORD, LORD, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.
"Then" in the last times before Christ's return to judge apostate Christendom and to redeem His people-"shall the kingdom of heaven (i.e., the congregation of the believers on earth) be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth (out of the false church which has become the harlot of the state) to meet the bridegroom (and the bride that comes down from heaven)."
The ten virgins do not signify individual believers, but whole fellowships of believers, who agree with each other in certain things, but deviate from one another in other things. Therefore, they do not unite into one church, but present themselves in ten conditions and make distinctions one from another, and they do not come together. What they agree with one another on is chiefly that they should separate themselves (go out) from the State Church and return to the Word of God (believe). In that respect, they are virgins (have a virginal character compared to the great harlot) and for the most part also accept and introduce the baptism of believers and all this based on the faith that it is the last time and that the Lord is coming, Whom they go forth to meet.
Their lamps are burning, which they have lit from the Word of God, for they have recognized that it is night in the world and that the State Church (the realm of the Beast) has become darkened. However, with these lamps alone they will not hold out. They lack something essential that the wise virgins have, and it makes them essentially different from one another: the vessels of oil. The foolish have understanding and knowledge from the Word of God, which is an intellectual faith. However, the wise have their heart full of the Holy Spirit, love, and patience to endure. The difference lies chiefly in their baptism, which some consider an outward confession and work of obedience and not the washing of regeneration (bath of the rebirth) and renewing of the Holy Ghost (anointing).