Tag Archives: Matthew 25:3

We now turn our gaze to a verse rich with theological and grammatical nuance, nestled within one of Jesus’ most vivid parables—the Parable of the Ten Virgins in Matthew 25:3.

αἵτινες μωραὶ λαβοῦσαι τὰς λαμπάδας ἑαυτῶν οὐκ ἔλαβον μεθ᾽ ἑαυτῶν ἔλαιον·

This verse captures a moment of irony and spiritual caution, where five foolish virgins bring lamps but no oil. But beneath its surface lies a syntactic architecture that subtly reinforces the narrative’s tension and moral weight.

A Pronominal Mirror: The Relative Clause That Defines Character

The verse opens with:

αἵτινες μωραὶ λαβοῦσαι τὰς λαμπάδας ἑαυτῶν

The relative pronoun αἵτινες (“which ones”) serves not merely as a connector, but as a literary lens.… Learn Koine Greek

Introduction: What They Failed to Bring

The final clause in this verse exposes the foolish virgins’ core mistake: οὐκ ἔλαβον μεθ’ ἑαυτῶν ἔλαιον — “they did not take oil with themselves.”

The verb ἔλαβον {elabon} is aorist active, and the phrase μεθ’ ἑαυτῶν is a reflexive dative with preposition, highlighting not just absence, but the absence-in-context: they brought lamps, but no oil along with them. The sentence structure masterfully captures the appearance of readiness without inner provision.

Αἵτινες μωραὶ, λαβοῦσαι τὰς λαμπάδας αὐτῶν, οὐκ ἔλαβον μεθ’ ἑαυτῶν ἔλαιον.

Let us explore the final clause of Matthew 25:3:

οὐκ ἔλαβον μεθ’ ἑαυτῶν ἔλαιον — “they did not take oil with themselves.”… Learn Koine Greek

Introduction: What They Took—And What They Didn’t

Matthew 25:3 reads: Αἵτινες μωραὶ, λαβοῦσαι τὰς λαμπάδας αὐτῶν, οὐκ ἔλαβον μεθ’ ἑαυτῶν ἔλαιον. “Those who were foolish, having taken their lamps, did not take oil with themselves.”

Here we focus on the participial clause λαβοῦσαι τὰς λαμπάδας αὐτῶν—a grammatically elegant way to show sequence and preparation. This action, though correct on the surface, becomes the setup for what was lacking. The participle describes temporal precedence: what they did before failing to take oil.

Αἵτινες μωραὶ, λαβοῦσαι τὰς λαμπάδας αὐτῶν, οὐκ ἔλαβον μεθ’ ἑαυτῶν ἔλαιον.

λαβοῦσαι τὰς λαμπάδας αὐτῶν — “having taken their lamps.”… Learn Koine Greek

Introduction: Those Who Were Foolish

In Matthew 25:3, part of Jesus’ parable of the Ten Virgins, the foolish group is introduced with the phrase: Αἵτινες μωραὶ, λαβοῦσαι τὰς λαμπάδας αὐτῶν, οὐκ ἔλαβον μεθ’ ἑαυτῶν ἔλαιον. “Those who were foolish, having taken their lamps, did not take oil with them.”

The use of αἵτινες instead of the regular relative αἵ gives the clause a classifying tone, functioning like “such as were foolish.” Grammatically, it creates a restrictive and descriptive clause that labels this subgroup of virgins and signals their defining characteristic: lack of preparation.

Αἵτινες μωραὶ, λαβοῦσαι τὰς λαμπάδας αὐτῶν, οὐκ ἔλαβον μεθ’ ἑαυτῶν ἔλαιον.… Learn Koine Greek