THE WEDDING FEAST

(Matthew 22:1-14)

   Parable- An earthly story with a heavenly meaning -  a short story illustrating a religious principle.

   For the casual bible reader the parables represent a story that Jesus shares with His listeners but have little meaning to those that refuse to dig into the hidden meaning. To those bible students that want to understand as much as possible from the scriptures the parables are treasures that can be discovered.

SETTING THE STAGE

   The last week before the crucifixion Christ had ridden triumphantly into the city on an asses colt fulfilling Zec. 9:9. The common people wanted to proclaim Him King but their leaders wanted to kill Him. Christ knew that He was going to be killed; Mat. 20:17-19; Mk. 10:33-34; Luke 18:31-33.

   The day following His entrance into the city Jesus cleansed the Temple of the money changers Mt. 21:12-13. The next day Jesus came into the Temple to teach. The religious leaders came to Him to trap Him into saying something that could be used against Him. They questioned His authority and He confounds them with parables. He gives them the parable of the two sons and the parable of the husbandman and His tenants Mt. 21:28-40. The leaders realize Jesus is describing them throughout the parables (Mt. 21:45-46) when He tells of publicans and harlots going to heaven but not them. 

PARABLE QUESTIONS

   The questions that arise from this Parable are many: 1. What kingdom is Jesus talking about? 2. Is there a wedding these people should know about? 3. Who are the servants? 4. Who was invited and why did they refuse to come? 5. What was the person to wear at the wedding that got him in trouble?

   The wedding banquet was one of the most important and joyous occasions in Jewish life and takes on great spiritual and prophetic importance throughout all the scriptures.

   Matthew 22:2 The Kingdom represents the millennium Kingdom of Christ in Rev. 20:4-6. The marriage of the son represents the marriage of The Lamb in Rev. 19:6-9.

   Matthew 22:3, 4, 8 Notice that the the words are the same in these verses them which were bidden.

This is referring to the Jews that Jesus came “to seek and to save” but refused to be saved.

   Matthew 22:3 The servants sent forth here represent the prophets of the Old Testament that were persecuted and killed by the religious leaders of their day who refused to hear them and repent.

   Matthew 22:4 The servants here represent Jesus disciples of Mat. 10:5-7 that He sent to the Jewish nation in hopes that they would believe and trust in Christ as their Messiah.

   Matthew 22:8 The only reason Jesus says of the Jews “they were not worthy” is because of their unbelief . This is the same reason they did not enter into the Promise Land Heb. 3:18-19.

   Matthew 22:7 Just like Jesus would tell of the destruction of the Temple and of the city, He foretells of the 70 A.D. destruction of Jerusalem in this verse of this particular parable.

   Matthew 22:9-10 Jesus now talks of filling the wedding banquet with “as many as ye shall find...both bad and good” this represents the Gospel to the Gentiles or the “whosoever” of Rom. 10:13.

   Matthew 22:11-12 Notice that this person didn't have on the wedding garment that is expected. The reason it is expected to be correct is that a poor person or one who has been invited unexpectedly would not have on a wedding garment but it would be provided for them by the king giving the invitation. This represents the fact that we are to have the right garments if we are to be properly accepted at the wedding of The lamb. The garments that have been provided for us is found in Rm. 13:14 (put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ), Col. 3:8-10 (put on the new man), Rev. 7:9 (white robes), Rev. 19:7-8 (fine linen, clean and white...the righteousness of the saints).