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 for his son, 3 and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come.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 and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, 6 while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them. 7 The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. 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.’ 10 And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. 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. 12 And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless.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.”

Comments

In this prophetic parable, the wedding feast symbolized the blessings of God’s salvation to which God, the king, invited all his people. They rejected him and killed one of the servants, which likely referred to John the Baptist’s death. In response, the angry king burned the city, referencing the future destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70. Then called new people to attend.

As Jesus proclaimed the gospel, it attracted many. The problem of the “bad” weeds in an earlier parable, required a further explanation. The wedding garment meant clean clothes, preferably white for a wedding. While free to all, God’s salvation came with standards. The new invitees cannot belong without an appropriate change of life. This was what got the old people of God into trouble.

Prayer

Father, forgive the cold love of the years,

While here in the silence we bow,

Perish our cowardice! Perish our fears!

Kindle us, kindle us now.

Lord, we believe, we accept, we adore,

Less than the least through we be.

Fire of love, burn in us, burn evermore

Till we burn out for thee.

(Amy Carmichael, 1868-1951)