Knowing The Word in Matthew 22:1-14

The Parable of the Wedding Feast

1 And again Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying, 2 “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast [symbolizes the blessings of God’s salvation] for his son, 3 and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast [they already received the invitation and now told the meal is ready], but they would not come [first refusal]. 4 Again he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.”’ 5 But they paid no attention [second refusal] and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, 6 while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them [a reference to John the Baptist and to the disciples]. 7 The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city [a reference to the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70]. 8 Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy. 9 Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.’ [The new people of God are invited.] 10 And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. [As the gospel is proclaimed it attracts many, and it is the problem of the “bad”—the weeds in an earlier parable—that means a further explanation in verses 11-14.] So the wedding hall was filled with guests.

11 “But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. [This is not a special garment but means clean clothes, preferably white for a wedding.] 12 And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. [God’s salvation is free to all, but it does not mean that it comes without standards. The new people of God cannot belong without an appropriate change of life. This is what got the old people of God into trouble.] 13 Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ 14 For many are called, but few are chosen.” [It appears that their fate—the miss-clothed guest, the farmer and businessman—depended on someone else’s (God’s) choice, bringing up the issue of election.]