• This parable belongs as a triple parable with the parables of the Two sons and the Tenant in Matthew 21:28-46 that focuses mainly on judgment and election
• In this parable, Jesus:
  • Destroys the Jewish assumption of election
  • Exposes the Illogical and offensive rejection of Gods invitation to the kingdom
  • The ultimate judgment for those who reject, beat, and kill the messengers who bring the invitation

Matthew 22:1-3 – First invitation (Israel)

Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: ² “The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. ³ He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come.

• A king putting on a wedding for a prince was a big deal!
  • An invitation would be prized
  • Most social life surrounded meals and the table
    • Shame and honor
    • Who was invited…
    • Where were you placed at the table…
    • Who was served first….
• Rejection of wedding invitation would seem absurd, which highlights the absurdity of rejecting Gods kingdom and that they had no logical reason to do it

Matthew 22:4-7 – Second Invitation (Israel)

⁴ “Then he sent some more servants and said, ‘Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’⁵ “But they paid no attention and went off—one to his field, another to his business. ⁶ The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. ⁷ The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.

*My 11 year old birthday

• King persisted in His invitation
  • Those who reject the invitation the KING REALLY WANTED THERE!
  • In those days, a wedding invitation went out, but no date was set
    • Once the feast was prepared, then the king would send messengers out to inform those with invitations that the feast was ready

*Note: You do not show up to the feast and prepare your own meal or feast, rather it was ready and prepared for you

• The reaction of the invitees essentially says, let God do with His glory, His blessings, His oxen and fruit, but I will do with my glory, my blessing, my oxen, and my farm as I wish
• God judges the city
  • Jerusalem, the great city with the great righteous leaders murdered the messengers
    • The prophets
    • John the Baptist
    • Jesus
    • Disciples

*In 70 AD, Jerusalem was destroyed and the Sadducees who killed Jesus with it

Matthew 22:8-10 – Third Invitation (Gentiles)

⁸ “Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. ⁹ So go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’ ¹⁰ So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, the bad as well as the good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.

• When Israel rejected the invitation, it went out for ALL…good and bad
  • In both cases, both parties were undeserving of the invitation

*Israel was Gods elect, but rejected the invitation (calling), so the invitation went out to all i.e. all who accept the invitation (calling) become the elect

*Attendance at the banquet is based on response, not title

• Also note, the invitation to all did not omit the invitation to the first, rather, because the first rejected the invitation then it went out to all

Matthew 22:11-14 – Accepted Invitation but Denied the Robe

¹¹ “But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. ¹² He asked, ‘How did you get in here without wedding clothes, friend?’ The man was speechless.¹³ “Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’¹⁴ “For many are invited, but few are chosen.”

• Gentiles had a custom for royal weddings that a wedding garment was provided with the invitation
• God examines everyone who accepts the invitation for the appropriate garment
  • Wedding garment is described as righteousness in Revelation 19:8
  • Do you show up to the banquet of the kingdom wearing your worst?

*Jesus never actually said Come as you Are, He said come and be changed from WHO you are. The garment of the poor beggars did not hinder their invitation to the wedding, but it would have hindered their entrance to the kingdom!

• The man in the parable accepted the invitation but came dressed as he wanted but expected the same benefits to eat at the feast
  • The point of the feast was to honor the king and His son, but he had no intentions of honoring God only to reap the benefits of the Gods blessing
• We do not enter the kingdom on our terms
  • The man came clothed as he wanted to dress and suffers major consequences
  • The man asserted that he was a free man and will do what he likes…no king or God can tell him what to wear

*The modern church has deduced the appropriate response to the kingdom to ONLY the accepting the invitation…but has vastly ignored or omitted the idea being properly dressed.

*Attendance to the banquet is not about being clothed in culture, tradition, or heritage but by being clothed in righteousness

• Many are called, few are chosen
  • Same greek word for called = invited as used here
  • Same greek word for election = chosen as used here
  • i.e. another way to read this is many are invited, but few are really the elect

*God is throwing a Party, are you going to come dressed right?

THEOLOGY point: The invitation is for all and initiated by God, but our consideration into election is solidified with our response to the invitation and garment, to which God accepts or rejects

Questions for Guided Discussion

1. No matter how long you have been a Christian, do you think the judgment and holy expectation of God has been underemphasized, overemphasized, or emphasized enough? How do you think most Christians in America would answer this question?
2. In this parable, Jesus intends to communicate that many assume or believe themselves to be part of the elect, but are in fact not. What assumptions do we hold about election today? Do you, or have you assumed others to be elect based off their culture, schooling, or heritage? Are there others you assume are not for the same reasons like political positions, social status, nationality, or heritage?
3. The point of the banquet was to honor the King and His Son. God demands we honor Him and that we don’t enter the kingdom on our terms. We honor God by remaining faithful and obedient to His instruction. Sometimes, however, our life of faith can become a routine, culture, or tradition. Is your faith one of routine, tradition, and culture, or out of sincere honor, reverence, and obedience to Jesus? Does Jesus ever offend your routine, tradition, and culture?
4. How does this parable demonstrate both the grace and judgment of God? How does it demonstrate what He gives and what he demands?
5. The rejection of a royal invitation would have, and still seems absurd, but like those in the parable, Israel was distracted and not interested in spiritual things and missed the Gospel. Similarly, God invites all to His royal banquet. Why do people refuse the invitation of God to his party? Why do people accept His invitation but refuse to wear the appropriate garment of righteousness? What distracts them?
6. The parables of the Tenant, the two sons, and the wedding feast discuss the poor treatment of Gods messengers and Son. In each parable, they all ultimately receive harsh judgment. Does this fact about the character of God bother you? Does it encourage you He holds to justice and holiness? Does it scare you?