The Heavenly Wedding Banquet (Matthew 25,1-13)

[Stephan Choe]

September 3, 2026

The Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins

Key Verse 13: “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.”

Jesus is our best friend. He loves us above all else. His entire story is a love story meant for us. He lived among us. Then He died on the cross for our sins. Afterward, He rose from the dead and ascended into heaven.

He intends to return at the time appointed by God and lead us to His heavenly wedding banquet. He has already sent us His Holy Spirit as an invitation. It is crucial that we take part in it. That is why He tells us this parable.

The Wedding Celebration

Weddings in Israel were celebrated in the following way: in the evening, the bride waits for the groom at her parents' home, accompanied by her bridesmaids. When the groom arrives, the bridesmaids go out to meet and welcome him. Afterward, they escort the bridal couple to the groom's house, where the wedding celebration takes place.

For this procession, the bridesmaids carry torches instead of oil lamps, as the wind would immediately blow out the flame of a small oil lamp. Five wise bridesmaids have prepared an extra supply of oil in a vessel, while five foolish ones have not.

Ten bridesmaids are now waiting for the groom at the bride's house. However, the groom is significantly delayed, and the bridesmaids fall asleep. Then—at midnight—watchmen wake everyone up and call out, "Arise! The groom is coming! Take your torches and welcome him." All the bridesmaids rub their eyes, stand up, and prepare to receive the groom. Some have enough oil for their torches, while others have too little. The bridesmaids with sufficient oil hurry to meet the groom, welcome him, and escort the couple to the groom's house. The other five maidens first run to a shop, buy oil, and return. Unfortunately, they arrive too late! The bridal couple has long since departed for the groom's house. Those who arrived late hurry to the groom's house and knock. But the groom will have nothing to do with them.

What does Jesus want to tell us through this parable? I would like to mention three things:

First: Jesus invites us to the feast of all feasts.

For me, the encounter with Christ and my wedding were the most joyful events of my life. These two events brought lasting happiness into my life.

Let me first speak of the joy of my marriage to Esther.

We were married on October 15, 1977—a Saturday. Esther seemed to me like a little angel who had suddenly appeared and married me. I felt immense joy at the time, even though I hadn't really gotten to know her beforehand.

After the wedding ceremony, we spent the night at a hotel in Yuseong. On Sunday, we attended a church service. Afterward, we drove to Daegu to visit Kyungpook National University and then traveled on to Busan to visit Pusan National University. From there, we took a ship to Jeju Island, where we hiked to the summit of Mount Hallasan. As a wedding gift, God gave us magnificent weather, allowing us to look from the summit toward Germany—the country where we intended to proclaim the Gospel. The joy of our marriage has truly blessed our lives.

Our family members

Our friends

On the summit of Mount Halla.

Now I would like to share the joy of my life of faith with you. I came to faith in Jesus Christ in 1970, during my first semester at university. Until then, I could not believe in God because my mind could not grasp His existence. However, through studying the Gospel of John, I began to believe in Jesus Christ and in God. In the winter of 1970/1971, I realized—based on Genesis 1:31—that God views me as very beautiful because He created me wonderfully. Up to that point, I had struggled with feelings of inferiority due to an injury to my right hip. But the Word healed me; I was overjoyed, and the world seemed like a paradise to me. Filled with joy, I began inviting fellow students to the Bible study group and to faith.

When I was in Germany, some members of our congregation were invited to Stephan Schulzki’s wedding—but I was not among them. However, a missionary suggested that the groom would be very happy if I came. So, I accompanied the others to the wedding ceremony and the reception that followed. Place cards for the invited guests were laid out on the tables. Naturally, my name was not there, since I hadn't been invited. But the groom quickly made a place card for me and set it on the table.

Yet for all of us who believe in Jesus Christ, the heavenly tables are already set and our place cards are ready, for we have been invited by Christ Himself to His wedding. We absolutely must take part in this feast.

Perhaps our current life is sad for some reason, causing us to hesitate to accept Christ’s invitation to His wedding feast. Or perhaps our life in this world is so pleasant that we are inclined to decline the heavenly invitation. Yet Christ’s wedding feast is the most wonderful thing of all! On the other hand, we might grow drowsy while waiting for His wedding feast. Yet we must be patient and wait for the Bridegroom, Jesus. Then we will sit at the table, toast the bride and groom, listen to heavenly music, and celebrate the heavenly feast.

The world has never seen such a feast. This is the feast of all feasts. And we have already received the invitation—extended by Jesus Christ.

Second: Do I have a sufficient supply of oil for my torch?

This story tells of five wise bridesmaids who wait for the Bridegroom with extra oil for their torches. The other five bridesmaids, however, have no extra oil, as they assumed the Bridegroom would arrive soon. Unfortunately, the Bridegroom does not appear immediately—not even as the night wears on. Then, suddenly, the call goes out to the bridesmaids: "The bridegroom is coming! Hurry and welcome him with your torches!" At that moment, the five foolish bridesmaids run out of oil for their torches. The foolish ones ask the wise ones, "Please give us some oil from your supply!" But the wise ones reply, "My supply of oil is just enough for my own torch. Go to the merchants and buy oil for yourselves!" So the foolish ones run off to buy oil. Meanwhile, the bridegroom arrives and takes the bride—along with her five wise bridesmaids—into his house. The celebration begins, and the door is shut.

What does our spiritual torch look like?

Is my spiritual torch burning brightly, like the torches of the wise bridesmaids? Do I have a sufficient supply of oil for my torch? Or is my spiritual torch on the verge of going out because I have run out of oil? Some of us began our life of faith in childhood; others, like myself, only at the age of about twenty.

We have been waiting for Christ for many years, yet He has not yet returned. In the meantime, the oil in the torches of our faith has largely run low. Do I still have a sufficient supply of oil? Is my torch still burning brightly? Do I still feel enthusiasm for Christ and the heavenly wedding feast? Or is my torch merely flickering weakly? Experience shows that enthusiasm is often greatest when someone comes to faith at the age of 14 or older. For those who have believed since childhood, this enthusiasm may not be quite as pronounced as it is for those who come to faith later—at 14 or older.

Be that as it may, every believer bears the responsibility of keeping the fire of faith burning in their own heart. Everyone must possess a sufficient supply of oil.

We expend a great deal of spiritual energy in our daily lives. Therefore, everyone needs an adequate supply of oil. We must constantly renew our spiritual strength.

Our car has a gasoline engine; filling it with diesel would be disastrous.

We need the fuel that our Creator provides. Inappropriate television programs, harmful computer games, or bad company are not the right kind of fuel.

We should therefore reflect on this: What inspires me? What do I need to remain physically and spiritually strong and to serve God with joy?

Here are the key places where we can refuel:

Reading the Bible, prayer, and fellowship with God.

We do not live by bread alone. I need God’s Word. I must hear His voice and have fellowship with Him. I need His comfort, His forgiveness, His affirmation, encouragement, and guidance. In God’s presence, we find the greatest source of strength for our lives. Let us draw new vitality from God’s filling station!

Family and the church community are also important filling stations. Through family and the community, we can experience God’s love and draw new strength. We are called to strengthen one another through love and fellowship. However, when we quarrel within the family or the community, we quickly deplete our reserves of oil.

Sports and physical activity provide energy for our physical and spiritual health.

Scientists say that exercise or sports can boost our energy levels by up to 20% and help reduce stress. A healthy, nutritious diet is another source of strength for a healthy life.

Good friends, good books, and inspiring testimonies of faith also serve as sources of strength in our lives.

We should ask ourselves again and again: "Do I have enough oil to welcome Christ with joy?"

We must always ensure that we have a sufficient supply of oil so that our torches burn brightly and we can welcome Jesus with great joy. To do this, we must continually renew and strengthen our spiritual vitality.

Third: We are to be present at the heavenly wedding feast.

The bridegroom comes at midnight to take his bride to himself. Horns sound, and a crowd carrying torches moves along the street, heading straight for the bride’s house.

“But in the middle of the night, a loud cry suddenly rang out: ‘Look, the bridegroom is coming! Go out to meet him!’” (Matthew 25:6).

The Apostle Paul writes to the church in Thessalonica: “For the Lord himself will come down from heaven when the command is given, the archangel calls out, and the trumpet of God sounds. (...) Then we will be with the Lord forever” (1 Thessalonians 4:16–17).

Thus, Jesus Christ comes suddenly.

The five bridesmaids in Jesus’ parable are well prepared for the bridegroom’s arrival; they are able to welcome him, accompany the bride to the bridegroom’s house, and join in the joyful wedding celebration there. That is where the wedding feast takes place. Bride and bridegroom share this meal with the bridesmaids, family members, and friends. All the while, joyful music plays, and there is dancing.

This wedding feast vividly illustrates the bliss of our heavenly fellowship with Christ (see also Revelation 19:9). We, the redeemed believers, will share in Christ’s wedding feast. This will be the highlight of our lives.

What happened to those who had no supply of oil when the bridegroom arrived? They were late for the wedding feast because they first had to run to the merchant to buy oil. The door of the house where the wedding feast was taking place was already closed. So they knocked on the door and called out, “Lord, Lord, open the door for us!” Then the Lord answered, “I do not know you.” And he said to the doorkeepers: “Do not open the door for them! They must remain outside.”

Why does Jesus tell us this parable right now?

He wants to tell us that we should be well prepared for his return. We should await his coming with a sufficient supply of oil so that we can welcome him with joy and celebrate together with him in his kingdom of joy. Without proper preparation, we will stand before a closed door upon his return—with extinguished lamps.

To prepare ourselves to receive Christ, a sufficient supply of oil for our spiritual torches is essential.

However, those who do not possess enough oil find themselves in a crisis—a spiritual oil crisis. This crisis can arise from spiritual exhaustion or spiritual negligence. Those who merely deplete their strength without renewing it will soon find their oil supply running low and their spiritual torch going out. Those who are spiritually negligent fail to keep enough oil ready for their torches.

For some, spiritual oil is lost through hidden sin. Carrying around a grave, hidden sin is akin to spilling one’s own oil.

Therefore, we must possess sufficient spiritual oil and guard it well so that we may share in the joy of the heavenly wedding feast. We must not be spiritually negligent. Furthermore, we should cast off hidden sins and welcome Jesus Christ with all our hearts.

When we ask Jesus Christ for oil for our torches, he pours a sufficient amount into our vessels, for he generously bestows his Spirit upon us and ensures that our torch of the Holy Spirit burns brightly.

We must, therefore, receive sufficient oil from Jesus Christ.