Bible in one year on 1/11/2022 Matthew Chapter 25-26 By Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce

 Bible in one year on 1/11/2022 Matthew Chapter 25-26

By Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce

Christian Arts Ministries: Biblical precepts & Gospel music; pastoral ministry & counseling

 

Chapter 25 The Ten virgins 25:1-13

At the time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and feel asleep.(vv.1-5)

At midnight the cry rang out “Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!” Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, “Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.” No. They replied, “There may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.” (vv.6-9)

 But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. Later the others also came, “Sir! Sir! They said. Open the door for us!” but he replied, “ I tell you the truth, I don’t know you” Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour. (vv.10-13)

 

 Lamp (v.1) signify the spirit of the believers (Prov.20:27) which contains the Spirit of God as the oil (Rom.8:16) the believers shine forth the light of the Spirit of God from within their spirit. Thus they become the light of the world and shine as a lamp in the darkness of this age (5:14-16; Phil2:15-16, bearing the testimony of the Lord for the glorification of God.

Went forth (v.1) signifies that the believers are going out of the world to meet the coming Christ.

The Bridegroom (v. 1) signifies Christ as the pleasant and attractive person (John3:29; Matt.9:15)

 Five is composed of four plus one, signifying that man (signified by four) with God (signified by one) added to him bears responsibility. The fact that five of virgins are foolish and five are prudent does not indicate that half the believers bear the responsibility of being filled with the Holy Spirit. Being foolish does not make these five virgins false. In nature they are the same as the five prudent ones.

Oil (v.2) signifies the Holy Spirit (Isa.61:1; Heb.1:9) the five prudent virgins not only have oil in their lamps but also take oil in their jars.

That they have oil in their lamps (v.4) signifies that they have the Spirit of God dwelling in their spirit (Rom.8:9, 16).

That they take oil in their jars (v.4) signifies that they have the Spirit of God filling and saturating their soul.

Becoming drowsy (v.5) signifies becoming sick. 

Sleep (v.5) signifies death. While the Lord delays His return, a majority of the believers become sick and then die.

Midnight (v.6) signifies the darkest time of this dark age (night), that time will be the end of this age, the time of the great tribulation.

Trimmed their own lamps (v.7) signifies the virgins’ dealing with the testimony in their living. This indicates that after we are resurrected, our living for the Lord’s testimony still needs to be dealt with if it has not been perfected before we die.

Going out (v.8) proves that the lamps of the foolish virgins were lighted; they contained some oil but did not have an adequate supply. The foolish virgins represent the believers who are regenerated with the Spirit of God and indwelt by the Spirit of God, but who have not been filled with Him sufficiently to have their whole being saturated with Him.

 Buy (v.9) indicates that a price must be paid. Having the filling of the Holy Spirit is at a cost, such as giving up the world, dealing with self, loving the Lord above all, and counting all things loss for Christ. If we do not pay this price today, we will have to pay it after we are resurrected. In verse 9 here those who sell oil must be the two witnesses who appear during the great tribulation, the two olive trees and the two sons of oil. (Rev.11:3-4 and Zech4:11-14).

The Lord’s coming to the air (Rev.19:9). We should be ready, always having oil in our jars, always being filled with the Spirit of God in our whole being. Watching and being ready should be our daily exercise for the Lord’s coming.

Ready (v.10), this is the rapture of the resurrected believers to the air (1Thes.4:17) at the time that the Lord’s coming (parousia) descends to the air.

            Wedding banquet (v.10) this is the marriage dinner of the Lamb (Rev.9:9), which will be spread in the air on the path of the Lord’s coming. It will occur before the manifestation of the kingdom and will be a reward of mutual enjoyment with the Lord, a reward to be given to the believers who are ready, who are equipped with the filling of the Holy Spirit before they die.

 Later the rest of the virgins came also (v.11), this is the resurrected believers’ coming before the Lord at a later time; if occurs later because of their uneasiness.

 I don’t know you (v.12) not know here carries the sense of not recognize, not approve as in Luke13:25. The foolish virgins had their lamps lighted, went forth to meet the Lord, died, and were resurrected and ruptured, but were late in paying the price for the filling of the Holy Spirit. Because of this the Lord would not recognize them, approve them, for participation in His wedding feast. They miss this dispensational reward but do not lost their eternal salvation.

Chapter 26 the Passover – the King’s feast

While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat, this is my body.” Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father’s kingdom.” (Matt.26:26-29)

            The Passover was a type of Christ (1Cor.5:7). Christ was pass over us, the sinners, as portrayed in type by the Passover in Exo.12. For the fulfillment of the type, Christ as the Passover lamb had to be killed on the day of the Passover.

        v. 26, The Lord and the disciples first ate the Passover. Then the Lord established His table with the bread and the cup (vv.26-28;Luke22:19-20;1Cor.11:23-26) to replace the Feast of the Passover because He was going to fulfill the type and be the real Passover to us (1Cor.5:7).Now we are keeping the real Feast of Unleavened Bread (v.17; 1Cor.5:8)

            v.26, The bread of the Lord’s table is a symbol signifying the Lord’s body, which was broken for us on the cross to release His life that we may participate in it. By participating in this life we become the mystical Body of Christ (1Cor.12:27), which also is signified by the bread of the table (1Cor.10:17). Hence, by partaking of this bread we have the fellowship of the Body of Christ.(1Cor.10:16)

        v.27 The Lord’s blood redeemed us from our fallen condition back to God and back to God’s full blessing. Concerning the Lord’s table (1Cor.10:21), the bread signifies our participation in life and the cup, our enjoyment of God’s blessing. Hence, the cup is called “ the cup of blessing” (1Cor.10:16). In it are all the blessings of God and even God Himself as our portion (Psa.16:5). In Adam our portion was the cup of God’s wrath (Rev.14:10). Christ drank that cup for us (John18:11), and His blood constitutes the cup of salvation for us (Psa.116:13), the cup that runs over (Ps.23:5). By partaking of this cup we have the fellowship of the blood of Christ (1Cor.10:16)

        v.28 The product of the vine (v.29) within the cup of the Lord’s table also is a symbol, signifying the Lord’s blood shed on the cross for our sins. His blood was required by God’s righteousness for the forgiveness of our sins (Heb.9:22)

        v.28, Some MSS insert, New. The Lord’s blood, having satisfied God’s righteousness, enacted the new covenant. In this new covenant God gives us forgiveness, life, salvation, and all spiritual, heavenly, and divine blessings. When this new covenant is given to us, it is a cup (Luke22:20), a portion for us. The Lord shed His blood. God established the covenant, and we enjoy the cup, in which God and all that is of Him are our portion. The blood is the price that Christ paid for us, the covenant is the title deed that God made for us, and the cup is the portion that we receive from God.  

 

 

Bibliography,

Lee, Witness. The New Testament (R.V.) Anaheim, CA: Living Stream Ministry, 1985.

Ryrie, Charles C. The Ryrie Study Bible (NIV).Chicago, IL: The Moody Bible Institute, 1986.