This Parable about the Wedding Guests for the King’s Son tells us what happens to those who refuse to come when invited.
Mat 22:1 And Jesus answered and spake again in parables unto them, saying,
Mat 22:2 The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a certain king, who made a marriage feast for his son,
Mat 22:3 and sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the marriage feast: and they would not come.
Mat 22:4 Again he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them that are bidden, Behold, I have made ready my dinner; my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come to the marriage feast.
Mat 22:5 But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his merchandise;
Mat 22:6 and the rest laid hold on his servants, and treated them shamefully, and killed them.
Mat 22:7 But the king was wroth; and he sent his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned their city.
Mat 22:8 Then he says to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they that were bidden were not worthy.
Mat 22:9 Go ye therefore unto the partings of the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage feast.
Mat 22:10 And those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was filled with guests.
Mat 22:11 But when the king came in to behold the guests, he saw there a man who had not on a wedding-garment:
Mat 22:12 and he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding-garment? And he was speechless.
Mat 22:13 Then the king said to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and cast him out into the outer darkness; there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.
Mat 22:14 For many are called, but few chosen. A.S.V.
Introduction.
This chapter is a continuation of Christ's discourses in the temple, two or three days before he died. His discourses then are largely recorded, as being of special weight and consequence. In this chapter, we have, I. Instruction given, by the parable of the marriage-supper, concerning the rejection of the Jews, and the calling of the Gentiles (Mat_22:1-10), and, by the doom of the guest that had not the wedding-garment, the danger of hypocrisy in the profession of Christianity (Mat_22:11-14).M.H.
Mattew 22:1 Again Jesus spoke to them in figurative language.
Notes
figurative language. i.e. Parables
A parable is a succinct, didactic story, in prose or verse, which illustrates one or more instructive lessons or principles. It differs from afable in that fables employ animals, plants, inanimate objects, or forces of nature as characters, whereas parables have human characters.[1] A parable is a type of analogy.[2]
The idea here is, “God deals with man in his kingdom, or in regard to the dispensation of the gospel, as a certain king did,” etc. This parable refers, undoubtedly, to the rejection of the Jews and to the calling of the Gentiles. The gospel, with all its privileges, was offered to the Jewish people; but through their wickedness and pride they rejected it, and all its blessings were offered to the Gentiles and accepted. This is the general truth. Many circumstances are thrown in to fill out the narrative which cannot be particularly explained. Barnes
Mat 22:2 "The Kingdom of the Heavens," He said, "may be compared to a king who celebrated the marriage of his son,
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| Turkish Husband and Wife share their wedding banquet with four thousand Syrian Refugees |
Mat 22:3 and sent his servants to call the invited guests to the wedding, but they were unwilling to come.
Notes
"The Kingdom of the Heavens," He said, "may be compared to …...
So here is the Analogy. The Kingdom of heaven is like or compared to.. We will get an understanding of the Reign of the Kingdom of Heaven on earth through this story.
a king who celebrated the marriage of his son,
A marriage for his son - Rather a “marriage-feast,” or a feast on the occasion of the marriage of his son. The king here doubtless represents God providing for the salvation of the world. Barnes Notes
Note the Marriage supper of the Lamb
Rev_19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. Rev_19:9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.
the invited guests to the wedding, but they were unwilling to come.
Jesus came first to the Lost Sheep of the House of Israel. His Ministry was almost exclusively given to the Jews except for the Syro - Pheonician woman and the Samaritan woman at the well at Sychar.
But they were unwilling to come. The Jews in general refuse Him as their Messiah after all the Prophetic predictions in the Old Testament about Him and how to recognise Him. He fulfilled them all concerning His first coming to earth. The Jews are still hardened against the Messiah, Our Lord Jesus, the Christ.
They will one day after many trial realise that He is their Messiah.
Mat 22:4 "Again he sent other servants with a message to those who were invited. "'My breakfast is now ready," he said, 'my bullocks and fat cattle are killed, and every preparation is made: come to the wedding.'
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| Jewish Wedding |
Notes
Other servants - Who might press it on their attention. So God repeats his message to sinners when they reject it.
My dinner - This word literally denotes the meal taken about noon. It is also taken for a meal in general. As marriages were, among Eastern nations, in the evening, it refers here to a meal taken at that time.
Fatlings - This word does not refer to any particular species of animals. It denotes any fat animals. As oxen are also mentioned, however, it refers here, probably, to lambs or calves, 2Sa_6:13; 1Ch_15:26. Barnes
Mat 22:5 "They however gave no heed, but went, one to his home in the country, another to his business;
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| The banquet is Ready |
Notes
These were so preoccupied with their own affairs and making money they did not heed the invitation.
Mat 22:6 and the rest seized the king's servants, maltreated them, and murdered them.
Notes
These others were more violent in their reaction. Without respect for the King nor His Son's Wedding even though they were invited guests they abused and killed the King's servants.
Mat 22:7 So the king's anger was stirred, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burnt their city.
Notes
There are dire consequences for refusing to heed God's Invitation. This King was angry and so will God be against those who despise Him and His Invitation.Cp v.13
Mat 22:8 Then he said to his servants, "'The wedding banquet is ready, but those who were invited were unworthy of it.
Notes
He said to his servants, "'The wedding banquet is ready, but those who were invited were unworthy of it.
Because they made light of it, and would not come; preferring earthly things to heavenly blessings. Throughout the Middle East, refusal to come to a marriage feast, when invited, is considered a breach of the law of God.
It was probably considered in this light among all the oriental nations. This observation is necessary, in order to point out more forcibly the iniquity of the refusal mentioned in the text. A man may be said to be worthy of, or fit for, this marriage feast, when, feeling his wretchedness and misery, he comes to God in the way appointed, to get an entrance into the holiest, by the blood of Jesus. J.Gill
Mat 22:9 Go out therefore to the crossroads, and everybody you meet invite to the wedding.'
Mat 22:10 "So they went out into the roads and gathered together all they could find, both bad and good, and the banqueting hall was filled with guests.
Notes
Go ye therefore into the highways - Διεξοδους των οδων, cross or by-paths; the places where two or more roads met in one, leading into the city, where people were coming together from various quarters of the country. St. Luke adds hedges, to point out the people to whom the apostles were sent, as either miserable vagabonds, or the most indigent poor, who were wandering about the country, or sitting by the sides of the ways and hedges, imploring relief. This verse points out the final rejection of the Jews, and the calling of the Gentiles. It was a custom among the Jews, when a rich man made a feast, to go out and invite in all destitute travelers. J.Gill
Mat 22:11 "Now the king came in to see the guests; and among them he discovered one who was not wearing a wedding-robe.
Notes
….He discovered one who was not wearing a wedding-robe.
In ancient times, kings and princes were accustomed to make presents of changes of raiment to their friends and favourites, to refuse to receive which was an expression of highest contempt, Gen_45:22; 2Ki_10:22; Est_6:8; Est_8:15. It was, of course, expected that such garments would be worn when they came into the presence of the benefactor. The garments worn on festival occasions were chiefly long white robes, and it was the custom of the person who made the feast to prepare such robes to be worn by the guests. This renders the conduct of this man more inexcusable. Barnes
Mat 22:12 "'My friend,' he said, 'how is it that you came in here without a wedding robe?'
Mat 22:13 "The man stood speechless. Then the king said to the servants, "'Bind him hand and foot and fling him into the darkness outside: there will be the weeping aloud and the gnashing of teeth.'
Notes
'Bind him hand and foot and fling him into the darkness outside: there will be the weeping aloud and the gnashing of teeth.'
You cannot come to God’s wedding feast in the manner you decide but wearing what he has provided.
Cast him into outer darkness - See the notes at Mat_8:12. This, without doubt, refers to the future punishment of the hypocrite, Mat_23:23-33; Mat_24:51.
Mat 22:14 "For there are many called, but few chosen."
Notes
Our Saviour often uses this expression. It was probably proverbial. The Jews had been called, but few of them had been chosen to life. The great mass of the nation was wicked, and they showed by their lives that they were not chosen to salvation. The Gentiles also were invited to be saved, Isa_45:22. Nation after nation has been called; but few, few have yet showed that they were real Christians, the elect of God. It is also true that many who are in the church may prove to be without the wedding garment, and show at last that they were not the chosen of God.
2Pe_1:10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:
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