Some Teach That The foolish virgins Must Have Had Some Oil for Their Lamps to Light Up at All and What the Actually Lacked Was Extra Oil. Is This True
No. That is not true. The parable draws a sharp line: some had oil; some did not.
Scriptural explanation:
- “They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them” (Matthew 25:3). The wise “took oil in their vessels with their lamps” (Matthew 25:4). That’s the Spirit-supplied life within.
- When the cry came, the foolish said, “Our lamps are going out,” and they tried to borrow and then went to buy (Matthew 25:8-10). If they had the Oil, they wouldn’t need to borrow or buy at midnight.
Simple clarifying logic:
- The lamp is the outward profession; the oil is the Holy Spirit. You can trim a wick and get a momentary flare, but without oil there is no lasting light. That’s why their lamps went out at the crisis.
- The text never says “some” oil or “only lacked extra.” It says they took no oil with them, while the wise had a supply in their vessels. Either you have the indwelling Oil or you don’t—you cannot borrow it, and you cannot rush out to purchase it when the Door is opening.
Short reinforcement:
Now notice, the shut door proves it: those without Oil were not ready. It’s not a matter of “not enough extra,” but of not having the Spirit’s supply when the Bridegroom came.
Ask a Follow-up Question
What did the Laodicean Church Age (our age) Angel (- messenger) Say about this?
Ranked passages from the local William Branham sermon and Church Age Book database. Relevance is relative, not a statement of doctrinal certainty.
Seals 3: The First Seal
63-0318 §47
Now, remember, the true Bride... Now, there is a false bride. We get that in Revelation 17. She says, "I am a widow and have no need of nothing," sitting upon the scarlet-colored beast, and so forth, (or beast rather). But the true Bride will be made up of thousands times thousands of people. But it will be the Elect out of every Church Age-every time a message went forth and the people believed it, and accepted it in all of the light it was, when they were sealed away until that day of Redemption. Don't Jesus spea...
The Seven Church Ages
54-0512 §69
Now, notice these golden candlesticks. This oil poured into these candlesticks. Now, the oil was what was put in the lamp, to burn. Now, Aaron was... It was his duty to light these lamps. And these lamps had to be lit. Hold it on now. Look. Keep reverent, and listen. These lamps had to be lit by the fire that God had lit. (Aaron's sons went in with some strange fire and God slew them in the door; that's right, strange fire.) The fire that God started!
To whom shall we go?
60-0604 §20
Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth." And another thing, the third thing, Jesus, we have to come to Him: He's the only light there is. That's right. Oh, we want to differ with that, but it's true. Jesus is the only light there is. You say, "I'm a Russellite, Campbellite," whatever you might be, it's a false light. You might be in the Russellite church, you might be in the Campbellite church, or some other "lite" church, but until you get in Jesus you're not in light. You're still in darkness. You don't have light...
Church Ages, part 9: The ten virgins, and the 144,000
60-1211M §169
Let's get on our walking shoes, church. Keep walking in the light, beautiful light, Come where the dewdrops of mercy are bright; Shine all around us by day and by night, Jesus, the light of the world. Let's sing it now: We'll walk in the light, beautiful light, Come where the dewdrops of mercy are bright; Shine all around us by day and by night, Jesus, the light of the world. All ye saints of light proclaim, Jesus, the light of the world; Then the bells of heaven will ring, Jesus, the light of the world. We'll walk...
Church Ages, part 2: The Patmos Vision
60-1204E §144
You feel real good? Don't you feel good? Aren't you happy you're a Christian? Shake hands with somebody that's sitting near you now, while we're going to sing a hymn. "We'll Walk in the Light," this beautiful light---the light of the Lord Jesus Christ being manifested in flesh. We'll walk in the light, such a beautiful light, Come where the dewdrops of mercy are bright; Shine all around us by day and by night, Jesus, the light of the world. Sing it, everybody: We'll walk in this light. It's a beautiful light, Come...