Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of man comes.
All Commentaries on Matthew 25:13 Go To Matthew 25
Augustine of Hippo
AD 430
"The lamps" which they carry in their hands are their works, of which it was said above, “Let your works shine before men.”
Or, by the five virgins, is denoted a five-fold continence from the allurements of the flesh; for our appetite must be held from gratification of the eyes, ears, smell, taste, and touch. And as this continence may be done before God, to please Him in inward joy of the conscience, or before men only to gain applause of men, five are called wise, and five foolish. Both are virgins, because both these men exercise continence, though from different motives.
For there die of both kinds of men in this interval of time before the resurrection of the dead, and the Lord’s coming shall be.
“At midnight,” that is, when none knew or looked for it.
Or, that the virgins go forth to meet the bridegroom alone, I think is to be understood that the virgins themselves constitute her who is called the bride -as we speak of the Christians flocking to the Church as children running to their mother, and yet this same mother consists only of the children who are gathered together. For now the Church is betrothed, and is to be led forth as a virgin to the marriage, which takes place then when all her mortal part having past away, she maybe held in an eternal union.
They “trimmed their lamps,” that is, prepared to give an account of their deeds.
From habit, the mind seeks that which uses to give it pleasure. And these now seek from men, who see not the heart, witness to God, who sees the heart. But their lamps go out, because those, whose good works rest upon the testimony of others, when that is withdrawn, sink into nothing.
Or we may suppose it not meant as advice what they should do, but as an indirect allusion to their fault. For flatterers sell oil, who by praising things false, and things unknown, lead souls astray, recommending to them, as foolish, empty joys, and receiving in return some temporal benefit. "Go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves,” i.e. Let us now see what they can profit you who have used to sell you their praise. “Lest there be not enough for us and you,” because no man is profited in God’s sight by the testimony of others, because God sees the heart, and each man is scarce able to give testimony concerning his own conscience.
Or otherwise; “While they went to buy,” that is, while they turned themselves to things without, and sought to find pleasure in things they had been accustomed to, because they knew not inward joys, came He that judges; and they "that were ready,” i.e. they whose conscience bore witness to them before God, "went in with him to the wedding,” i.e. to where the pure soul is united prolific to the pure and perfect word of God.
When they have been taken in who have been changed into angelic being, all entrance into the kingdom of heaven is closed; after the judgment, there is no more place for prayers or merit.
For indeed we know the day and the hour neither of that future time when the Bridegroom will come, nor of our own falling asleep each of us; if then we be prepared for this latter, we shall also be prepared when that voice shall sound, which shall arouse us all.
There have not been wanting those who would refer these ten virgins to that coming of Christ, which takes place now in the Church; but this is not to be hastily held out, lest any thing should occur contradictory of it.
