Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Matthew 25:8
And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.
8. are gone out ] Rather, “ are going out.” Even the foolish virgins had not been quite unwatchful, they were nearly ready for the Lord’s appearing.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 8. Our lamps are gone out.] , are going out. So then it is evident that they were once lighted. They had once hearts illuminated and warmed by faith and love; but they had backslidden from the salvation of God, and now they are excluded from heaven, because, through their carelessness, they have let the light that was in them become darkness, and have not applied in time for a fresh supply of the salvation of God.
A Jewish rabbin supposes God addressing man thus:-I give thee my lamp, give thou me thy lamp; if thou keep my lamp I will keep thy lamp; but if thou extinguish my lamp I will extinguish thy lamp. That is, I give thee my WORD and testimonies to be a light unto thy feet and a lanthorn to thy steps, to guide thee safely through life; give me thy SOUL and all its concerns, that I may defend and save thee from all evil: keep my WORD, walk in my ways, and I will keep thy SOUL that nothing shall injure it; but if thou trample under foot my laws, I will cast thy soul into outer darkness.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
8. And the foolish said unto thewise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone outrather,as in the Margin, “are going out”; for oil will notlight an extinguished lamp, though it will keep a burning one fromgoing out. Ah! now at length they have discovered not only their ownfolly, but the wisdom of the other class, and they do homage to it.They did not perhaps despise them before, but they thought themrighteous overmuch; now they are forced, with bitter mortification,to wish they were like them.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And the foolish said unto the wise, give us of your oil,…. A graceless person may be able to see the grace of God in others, be convinced of it, and acknowledge it, as these foolish virgins did: they saw that the wise virgins had oil, that is, grace; this they knew by the bright burning of their lamps, by their readiness in trimming them, and that in a different way from them; by their sedate composure of mind, and confidence of soul, notwithstanding the midnight cry; and by their ardent and affectionate desire to meet the bridegroom. A graceless person may also see a need of grace: these foolish virgins had no such sense, when they first took up their profession; they went on a long time in a course of religion, without any thoughts of it; and the sense they had now was not of the need of it, in the vessels of their hearts, but in their lamps only; nor was it from the Spirit of God, but through the surprise and terror of the midnight cry. Such persons may also be desirous of the grace of God; not because of the intrinsic nature and worth of it, nor for the service and glory of God, but from a mere principle of self-love; and when they can go on no longer with the lamp of profession; and then they desire to have it any where, rather than from Christ, as did these foolish virgins; and who betrayed their folly by applying to saints for it. Had they asked their advice in this their distress, it would have been wisely done; or had they desired their prayers for them; or that they would impart some spiritual instructions to them; but to ask their grace of them was exceeding foolish; when grace only comes from God, who is the God of all grace, through Christ as mediator, in whom the fulness of it dwells, and by the Spirit, who is a Spirit of grace and of supplication; but is never to be had from men, no, not from the best men on earth, nor from the angels in heaven. The reason of this their request follows,
for our lamps are gone out; which may be said to be when professors neglect the duties of religion, drop, or deny the doctrines of the Gospel formerly professed by them, become bad in their principles, and scandalous in their lives, or withdraw themselves from the churches of Christ; though neither of these seem to be the case here: wherefore this going out of their lamps seems to intend the insufficiency of an external profession of religion to meet the bridegroom, and support a person with confidence and intrepidity in his presence: these foolish virgins now saw, when too late, that their lamps availed them nothing; they were gone out, and become useless and unprofitable, because they had not the oil of grace with them; or what they had was only counterfeit grace, or only an appearance of it; a mere form of godliness, without its power; or only gifts which are perishable, and now failed, ceased, and were vanishing away; wherefore this is no instance of the loss of true grace, nor at all militates against the perseverance of the saints.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Are going out (). Present middle indicative of linear action, not punctiliar or aoristic. When the five foolish virgins lit their lamps, they discovered the lack of oil. The sputtering, flickering, smoking wicks were a sad revelation. “And perhaps we are to understand that there is something in the coincidence of the lamps going out just as the Bridegroom arrived. Mere outward religion is found to have no illuminating power” (Plummer).
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Are gone out [] . The A. V. misses the graphic force of the continuous present, denoting something in progress. They see the flame waning and flickering, and cry, Our lamps are going out! So Rev.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
8. And the foolish said to the wise. This is a reproof of the late repentance of those who never think of what they are in want of, till the door is shut against every remedy. For those who do not make provision for a long period are charged with folly, because they are careless, and flatter themselves amidst their poverty, and allow the season of mutual intercourse to pass in such a way as to despise the aids which were offered to them. As they do not, in proper time, bethink themselves about procuring oil, Christ, mocking the knowledge which they have acquired when it is too late, shows how their stupidity will be punished, when they shall see themselves to be empty and unprovided, while there is no remedy.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(8) Our lamps are gone out.Better, as in the margin, are going out. They were not quite extinguished; the flax was still smoking.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
8. Give us of your oil Here is expressed, in dialogue form, the fearful condition of the soul that wakes in eternity without the grace of God. He finds his own case deficient. He looks to others for aid. Alas! he that is wise is wise for himself, and he that scorneth alone must bear it.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And the foolish said to the wise, “Give us of your oil, for our lamps are going out.” ’
The foolish suddenly realised that they had failed to provide extra oil for themselves. They thus knew that they had nothing suitable with which to welcome the Bridegroom, for without further oil the drying out torches would not continue to burn. Their torches were already ‘going out’. The oil simply refers to the divine provision that they had failed to obtain, and which therefore resulted in their lives not shining out. They had been content with the old oil which was drying out. They had not responded to the word of God (Mat 15:3; Mat 15:6), they had not been open to the work of the Holy Spirit (Mat 3:11), they had not pure their real trust in the Lord (Mat 8:10; Mat 9:28-29; etc), they had not benefited from the blessing of God (Mat 5:3-9; Mat 11:25; Mat 13:16). Note these things all go together. Had they responded truly to Him their lives would also have shone out, for they would have enjoyed all of them. It would have been inevitable.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.
Ver. 8. Our lamps are gone out ] They were not lighted lamps, but sparks of their own tinderboxes; fantastic fire, an ignis fatuus, foolish fire, a painted flame, which neither heats nor lights. The glowworm seems to have both heat and light, but touch it, and it hath neither. Alchemy gold may seem brighter and better than true gold, but it can neither pass the seventh fire, nor comfort the heart as a cordial: so here. A man may live by a form, but he cannot die by it. They that kindle a fire, but not of God’s sanctuary, and compass themselves about with specious sparks, they may walk here for a while in the light of their fire, and in the sparks that they have kindled. But when all is done, this is all they shall have of God’s hand, they shall lie down to sorrow, Isa 50:11 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
8, 9. ] ., are going out, not as E. V., and even recently Bp. Wordsw. to support his interpretation of Mat 25:5 , ‘ are gone out :’ and there is deep truth in this: the lamps of the foolish virgins are not extinguished altogether .
. . ] see Psa 49:7 ; Rom 14:12 . No man can have more of this provision than will supply his own wants.
] This is not said in mockery, as some (Luther, Calv.) suppose: but in earnest.
are the ordinary dispensers of the means of grace ultimately of course God Himself, who alone can give his Spirit. The counsel was good, and well followed but the time was past. (Observe that those who sell are a particular class of persons no mean argument for a set and appointed ministry and moreover for a paid ministry. If they sell , they receive for the thing sold: cf. our Lord’s saying, Luk 10:7 . This selling bears no analogy with the crime of Simon Magus in Act 8:1-40 ; cf. our Lord’s other saying, Mat 10:8 .)
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Mat 25:8 . , are going out, as in R.V [135]
[135] Revised Version.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
are gone out = are going out.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
8, 9.] ., are going out,-not as E. V., and even recently Bp. Wordsw. to support his interpretation of Mat 25:5,-are gone out: and there is deep truth in this: the lamps of the foolish virgins are not extinguished altogether.
. .] see Psa 49:7; Rom 14:12. No man can have more of this provision than will supply his own wants.
] This is not said in mockery, as some (Luther, Calv.) suppose: but in earnest.
are the ordinary dispensers of the means of grace-ultimately of course God Himself, who alone can give his Spirit. The counsel was good, and well followed-but the time was past. (Observe that those who sell are a particular class of persons-no mean argument for a set and appointed ministry-and moreover for a paid ministry. If they sell, they receive for the thing sold: cf. our Lords saying, Luk 10:7. This selling bears no analogy with the crime of Simon Magus in Act 8:1-40; cf. our Lords other saying, Mat 10:8.)
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Mat 25:8. , are being extinguished[1084]) this very moment, miserably.
[1084] E. V. are gone out.-(I. B.)
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Give: Mat 3:9, Luk 16:24, Act 8:24, Rev 3:9
for: Mat 13:20, Mat 13:21, Job 8:13, Job 8:14, Job 18:5, Job 21:17, Pro 4:18, Pro 4:19, Pro 13:9, Pro 20:20, Luk 8:18, Luk 12:35
gone out: or, going out, Heb 4:1
Reciprocal: Job 12:5 – a lamp Pro 21:20 – but Pro 24:20 – candle
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
LAMPS BURNING LOW
Our lamps are gone out.
Mat 25:8
We might more literally translate the words, Give us of your oil, for our lamps are going out. The appeal is for more oil for lamps that are burning low.
I. Signs of a flickering lamp.What is it that causes the light that is in us to become darkness; and what are the signs that mark a flickering or extinguished lamp? We are not bidden to kindle our lamps ourselves, but only to trim them continually, and see that they burn brightly. Man is born with a sinful nature, but he is born with a light already in himvery faint, perhaps, a higher will, which tells him that to indulge that sinful nature would be sin. And this is true of all. In Holy Baptism a new light is kindled in each one of us; the Oil of Grace was given to feed it; and fresh stores were promised if we only seek for it. What, then, is our case? Is that lamp shining brightly?
II. In ordinary Christians.Look at the case of those who are commonly held to be good ordinary Christians. People who set before themselves a dull mediocrity never succeed in the world; and, in spiritual matters, those who are content with thinking that if they are not great saints, at least they are not great sinners, can never rise to a state of preparedness for their Lord. Such think their lamp only wants trimming. But there is no oil in it. Its light is almost out, and they are taking no trouble to replenish it. Theirs is a Sunday God. It is because their lamps have gone out, because there is no more oil in them, no real living faith which must show itself.
III. In half-and-half people.But there is a large number of people who have not yet let their lamp burn so low, but every day it burns less brightly, and every day the Advent of the Bridegroom is nearer. These are the half-and-half people who, in difficulty, never think of turning to the light within them to guide through the darkness, but turn at once to some one who they think is living a Christian life, as if a borrowed light would do. That is a sure sign that our own light is growing faint.
IV. Advent thoughts.Advent bids you trim your lamps if they be yet burning; it bids you, if they are extinguished, to go, while there is yet time, and buy yourselves oil. He Who sells it bids you buy without money and without price. Through a wicked or a careless life your lamp may be extinguished, the light may be rekindled by Him Who is the Light of the World.
Canon Aubrey L. Moore.
Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary
25:8. Putting the lamps in order would include lighting them as well as pinching off the charred end of the wick. Not until after lighting them did the foolish virgins realize they had neglected to “fill their lamps.” There would be enough of the oil still retained in the wicks to start the light, but in a short while they would begin to grow dim. Gone out is rendered “going out” in the margin which is correct. When the flame began to go down they realized what was the trouble and appealed to the wise virgins for oil from their vessels.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Mat 25:8. For our lamps are going out, not have gone out The trimming of the wick made this apparent. Merely outward Christian appearance will show its insufficiency in the midnight when the Bridegroom comes, yet even then be only going out.This natural request represents what will occur in various forms in the hour here prefigured.