The Great Wedding Feast
Matthew 22:1-14, NLT - Jesus also told them other
parables. He said, “The Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a
king who prepared a great wedding feast for his son. When the banquet was
ready, he sent his servants to notify those who were invited. But they all
refused to come!
“So he sent other servants to tell them, ‘The feast has
been prepared. The bulls and fattened cattle have been killed, and everything
is ready. Come to the banquet!’ But the
guests he had invited ignored them and went their own way, one to his farm,
another to his business. Others seized
his messengers and insulted them and killed them.
“The king was furious, and he sent out his army to
destroy the murderers and burn their town. And he said to his servants, ‘The
wedding feast is ready, and the guests I invited aren’t worthy of the honor. Now
go out to the street corners and invite everyone you see.’ So the servants
brought in everyone they could find, good and bad alike, and the banquet hall
was filled with guests.
“But when the king came in to meet the guests, he noticed
a man who wasn’t wearing the proper clothes for a wedding. ‘Friend,’ he asked, ‘how is it that you are
here without wedding clothes?’ But the man had no reply. Then the king said to his aides, ‘Bind his
hands and feet and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be
weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
“For many are called, but few are chosen.”
I’m
just going to say it – I don’t like this story.
Scholars who are much more qualified than me interpret this parable in
dozens of very different ways, some interpretations being the exact opposite of
others. I believe part of the problem is
that there are cultural elements underlying the structure of this story that
are somewhat lost to us in the twenty-first century. So one
of my encouragements for today is to do your own wrestling with scripture even
when you don’t always like it. Over the
years, I keep coming back to this difficult passage and each time, it causes me
to do a little more wrestling. This is a
good thing.
As Matthew includes this story, it
is a third story told against the Chief Priests and Temple Elders. We talked about the first two (in Matthew 21)
in our last reflection. The “Man with
Two Sons” makes the point that Israel (God’s chosen people) were asked to obey and
they promised to do so. However, they did
not keep that promise. However, gentiles
who were never obedient before are now deciding to obey God’s instructions and
are entering the Kingdom of God. The
second parable was about the wicked tenants who rejected and/or killed the landowner’s
servants and even his son when they came to collect the proceeds from the vineyard. Those tenants are removed and the vineyard is
entrusted to outsiders by the jilted landowner. This parable adds a further indictment on the
religious leaders. Because of their
disobedience and refusal to accept Jesus has caused God to take away their
stewardship of God’s Kingdom and give it to “outsiders” who are willing to
obey.
This third story reinforces this indictment
and adds yet another surprising announcement.
The Wedding Feast hosted the King and his son is ready, but the guests
are nowhere to be found. The King sends
His servants out to gather the guests, but the guests still don’t come. In fact, they beat and kill the
servants. Not surprisingly, the King
deals harshly with those who have not only refused his invitations, but they
have killed his servants. The surprise
is what comes next. The King invites
anybody and everybody to the feast until the feast is full.
What is clear is that the King and his
Son are God the Father and God the Son. Furthermore.
the issue this first part of the story raises is who will now be invited to the
Feast of God’s family. After all, a
wedding is primarily a family affair. What
is also clear now is that, there are no pre-qualifications to get into the
feast. Everyone is given an invitation. However, there is caveat that is provided by
the second part of the story.
Once everyone is seated at the
banquet, the King spots someone who is not dressed properly and, long story
short, the guest is kicked out. This aspect
of the parable is what gives all the biblical scholars the most trouble. Without hashing all of the scholarly
arguments out, let me simply say this. However
you interpret this, what is clear is that, while all are invited to the feast,
not all belong there. The question of whether
or not one belongs at the feast has to do with them making the proper
preparations to be there. And the
preparations are not that extensive. One
only has to wear the proper clothing. It’s
a simple thing to do and it’s something anyone can do it. But that simple preparation is required.
Jesus sums up the whole thing with
the eight words, “For many are called, but few are chosen.”
Again, scholars argue to know end
about the specific meaning of Jesus’s conclusion. I’m certainly not going to settle the issue
here. But here’s where I am with this
story at this point in time. God has
indeed expanded the invitations to the Great Feast to anyone who is willing to
come. This is amazing news for us
all. I don’t know about anyone else, but
I’m quite certain I was not on the original list. To now be welcomed at God’s table is a privilege
I hope to never take for granted.
However, God expects more from me than just showing up. I think what constitutes “putting on proper
clothing” looks different for each of us, but whatever that is, it is expected
by the King. My response to the invitation
should demonstrate that I understand just how amazing an opportunity I have
been given.
Question: What do you
believe God expects from you personally?
Prayer: God, thank
you for the invitation to sit at Your table and enjoy the feast that you have
prepared. Help me to understand how I
might adequately express my gratitude for your amazing grace.
Prayer Focus: Pray
for a clearer sense of God’s calling for your life right now.
Song: Come to the
Table – Sidewalk Prophets
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