The Last Judgment
And
The Second Coming of the Lord

Parable of the Ten Virgins

Selection from Arcana Coelestia ~ Emanuel Swedenborg

Then shall the kingdom of the heavens be likened unto ten virgins, who took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were prudent, but five were foolish. They that were foolish, when they took their lamps, took no oil with them; but the prudent took oil in their vessels with their lamps. And while the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. But at midnight a cry was made, Behold the bridegroom cometh, go ye out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. But the foolish said unto the prudent, Give us of your oil, for our lamps are gone out. But the prudent answered, saying, Perchance there will not be enough for us and you; but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. And while they went away to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the wedding, 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. Watch therefore, for ye know not the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh (Matthew 25:1-13).

That by this parable the Lord described His own coming, is evident from the particulars, and from the end, where He says, "Watch therefore, for ye know not the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh," as He also says in the foregoing chapter [Matt. 24], where He is speaking expressly of His coming: "Watch therefore, for ye know not what hour your Lord cometh" (Matt. 24:42). That His "coming" is the consummation of the age, or the last time of the church, has been shown before.

It is very evident that each and all things the Lord spoke in parables are representative and significative of the spiritual and celestial things of His kingdom, and in the highest sense, of the Divine things with Him; and therefore the man who does not know this must suppose that the Lord's parables have no more in them than ordinary comparisons. Such must be the case with the parable of the ten virgins unless it is known what is signified in the internal sense by the virgins, and also by ten and five, and by the lamps, the vessels, and the oil, and by them that sell, the wedding, and all the rest; and the same with all the other parables. The things which the Lord spoke in these parables appear in the outward form like ordinary comparisons; but in their inward form they are of such a nature as to fill the universal heaven. For there is an internal sense in every particular, which is of such a nature that its spiritual and celestial diffuses itself through the heavens in every direction like light and flame. This sense is quite uplifted above the sense of the letter, and flows from the several expressions, and from the several words, nay, from every jot. But what this parable involves in the internal sense will appear from what follows.

[1]Then shall the kingdom of the heavens be likened unto ten virgins.

This signifies the last period of the old church and the first of the new. The church is the Lord's kingdom on earth. The "ten virgins" are all who are in the church, namely, both those who are in good and truth, and those who are in evil and falsity. "Ten" in the internal sense denotes remains, and also fullness, thus all; and "virgins" denote those who are in the church, as also elsewhere in the Word.

[2] Who took their lamps;

signifies spiritual things in which is the celestial, or truths in which there is good, or what is the same, faith in which there is charity toward the neighbor, and charity in which there is love to the Lord; for "oil" is the good of love, as shown hereafter. But lamps in which there is no oil denote the same in which there is no good.

[3] And went forth to meet the bridegroom;

signifies their reception.

And five of them were prudent, but five were foolish;

signifies a part of them in truths in which there is good, and a part of them in truths in which is no good. The former are the "prudent," and the latter the "foolish." In the internal sense "five" denotes some, here therefore a part of them.

They that were foolish, when they took their lamps, took no oil with them;

signifies not having the good of charity in their truths; for in the internal sense "oil" denotes the good of charity and of love.

But the prudent took oil in their vessels with their lamps;

signifies that they had the good of charity and of love in their truths; their "vessels" are the doctrinal things of faith.

[4] And while the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept;

signifies delay, and hence doubt. To "slumber" in the internal sense is to grow sluggish from the delay in the things of the church, and to "sleep" is to cherish doubt - the prudent, a doubt in which there is affirmation; the foolish, a doubt in which there is negation.

But at midnight a cry was made;

signifies the time which is the last of the old church and the first of the new. This time is what is called "night" in the Word, when the state of the church is treated of. The "cry" denotes a change.

Behold the bridegroom cometh, go ye out to meet him;

signifies the same as the judgment, namely, acceptance and rejection.

[5] Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps;

signifies preparation of all; for those who are in truths in which there is no good are equally in the belief of being accepted as are those who are in truths in which there is good, for they suppose that faith alone saves, not knowing that there is no faith where there is no charity.

But the foolish said unto the prudent, Give us of your oil, for our lamps are gone out;

signifies that they desire good to be communicated by others to their empty truths, or to their destitute faith. For in the other life all spiritual and celestial things are mutually communicated, but only through good.

[6] But the prudent answered, saying, Perchance there will not be enough for us and you;

signifies that it cannot be communicated, because the little of truth that they had would be taken away from them. For as to the communication of good in the other life to those who are in truths without good, these as it were take away good from those who have it, and appropriate it to themselves, and do not communicate it to others, but defile it; for which reason no communication of good to them is possible. These spirits will be described from experience at the end of the next chapter [Gen. 37].

[7] But go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves;

signifies the good of merit. They who boast of this are "they that sell." Moreover, in the other life they who are in truth in which there is no good, above all others make a merit of all they have done which appeared good in the outward form, although in the inward form it was evil, according to what the Lord says in Matthew: 

Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied by Thy name, and by Thy name have cast out demons, and in Thy name done many mighty works? But then will I confess unto them, I know you not; depart from Me, ye workers of iniquity (Matt. 7:22, 23). 

And in Luke:

When the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, then shall ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, lord, open to us. But he shall answer and say to you, I know you not whence ye are; then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets; but he shall say, I tell you I know you not whence ye are, depart from me all ye workers of iniquity (Luke 13:26, 27).

Such are those who are here meant by the foolish virgins, and the like is therefore said of them in these words: "they also came, saying, Lord, lord, open to us; but he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not."

[8] And while they went away to buy, the bridegroom came.

This signifies their too late application.

And they that were ready went in with him to the wedding;

signifies that they who were in good and thence in truth were received into heaven. Heaven is likened to a wedding from the heavenly marriage, which is the marriage of good and truth; and the Lord is likened to the bridegroom, because they are then conjoined with Him; and hence the church is called the bride.

And the door was shut;

signifies that others cannot enter.

[9] Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us;

signifies that they desire to enter from faith alone without charity, and from works in which there is not the Lord's life, but the life of self.

 But be answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not;

signifies rejection. His not knowing them means in the internal sense that they were not in any charity toward the neighbor and thereby in conjunction with the Lord. They who are not in conjunction are said not to be known.

[10] Watch therefore, for ye know not the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh;

signifies an assiduous application of life in accordance with the precepts of faith, which is "to watch." The time of acceptance, which is unknown to man, and the state, are signified by their not knowing the day nor the hour in which the Son of man is to come. Elsewhere also in Matthew he who is in good, that is, he who acts according to the precepts, is called "prudent;" and he who is in knowledges of truth and does them not is called "foolish:"

Everyone that heareth My words and doeth them, I will liken him unto a prudent man; and everyone that heareth My words and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man (Matt. 7:24, 26).

(Arcana Coelestia 4635 - 4638 ~ Emanuel Swedenborg)