The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1901-01-31
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
February 3, 18O1-Parable Of
the Tea Virgins.
The LESSON TEXT.


lamps. and took no oil with them.
L. But the wise took oil In their vessels
with their lamps.
s. While the bridegroom tarried. they all
slumbered and slept.
6. And at midnight there was a cry made.
Behold the bridegroom cometh; go ye out
to meet Him.
7. Then all those virgins arose, and
trimmed their lamps.
s. And the foolish said unto the wise. Give
us of your oil: for our lamps are gone out.
9. But the wise answered, saying, Not so.
lest there be not enough for us and you;
but 60 ye rather to them that sell. and buy
for yourselves.
10 And while they went to buy. the bride
groom came: and they that were ready
went in with him to the marriage and the
door was shut
II. Afterward came also the other virgins,
saying. Lord. Lord, open to us.
Il. But He answered and said, Verify,
say unto you know you not.
10. Watch, therefore, for ye know neither
the day nor the hour wherein the Son OF
Man cometh.
GOLDEN TENT-Wntch, therefore
for ye know neither the day nor the
hour wherein the Son of Man comcth
Matt. 25:I3.
NOTES AND COMMENTS.
This lesson Immediately follows tn,
last lesson in point of time, being Tues
day afternoon. April 4, the third day be
fore the crucifNion. Jesus is on His
way from the temple to Bethany. on the
Mount of Olives, overlooking Jerusa-
lem. Through the parable of the vir.
gins He utters prophecies and warn
ings to His disciples. The lesson analy-
sis covers the following three points:
/. The Preparation for the Bridegroom
Yer. IA.
>. The Cry at Midnght-Ver. 50.
3. The Arrival OF the Bride ogroom.-Ner.
1913.
After silencing His enemies, the gen
tie. tender Jesus pronounced the most
terrible woes upon them because Of
their falScucss and misleading of the
people. closing with touching lament
over Jerusalem because Cf the evils
that would bcfall it on account of it,
rejection of Him. He saw poor widow
casting into the treasury her little of
fering, and praised her, for She haG
given all She had. His public ministry
was closed. As Jesus went out Of the
temple with His disciples, He prophc-
sled that the immense stones in the
temple foundations should all be
thrown down. On their way TO Beth
any they sat down ON the western slope
of the Mount Of Olives, where they
could look down upon the city. There
Jesus foretold the dreadful troubles
that were shortly to come.
AS they were still sitting on the
mountain side, Jesus described His
own coming again in great glory. No
one, lie said, would know the day of
His coming, but all ought to be doing
their duty faithfully and watching for
it. He told n number of parallels to
warn them that they must be ready,
or the hour of their salvation might
pass. You will notice the difference
between this parable and those in the
preceding chapter. Those warned the
servant to be awake and watching. But
the one we study to-day looks rather
to a preparation that should be made
long before. 1t was the custom to cclc-
brate a marriage by a procession from
the house of the bride to that of the
bridegroom. 1t was generally at night.
and everybody had to carry a lighted
lamp. Each of the girls should have
brought enough oil to last, and have
had it with her. This was something
they knew they would need, and could
have attended to it many DAYS before.
While waiting for the wedding process
sion there was no reason why they
should keep awake. The procession
would come with noise and music. Had
they been all ready they could have
been getting refreshing sleep so as to
be bright for the feast. But the prcpa-
ration had been neglected. 1t is not
mere watching we must learn from thi,
parable. 1t is to make sure of the prep
aration.
The claim for n share in thr rrost i
not sustained. Desire for Uc,v.r !.
not \ nossnort to Heaven VIII rnr
bliss is NOT nroor Of fitness for tbc corn.
panfonship of the holy: and only those
can he odmittoI IN tho cor,r,,,. or ,,,o
Ill L..