The Rejects and the Rejected
Sermon
Preaching the Parables
In 1971 the Shah of Iran gave a banquet in Persepolis in observance of the 2500th anniversary of the founding of the Persian empire by Cyrus the Great. It cost $100,000,000. Sixty-nine countries sent representatives. Among them were one emperor, nine kings, five queens, thirteen princes, eight princesses, sixteen presidents, three premiers, four vice presidents, two governor-generals, two foreign ministers, nine shieks, and two sultans. There were fifty heads of state. The banquet consisted of 25,000 bottles of wine, 7700 pounds of meat, 8000 pounds of butter and cheese, and 1000 pints of cream. The feast lasted for five and a half hours.
What an honor and joy it must have been to be invited to this banquet! Yet, there is even a greater banquet than this. In today's parable the King-God sends messengers to each of us to come to a feast in honor of his Son's wedding. The food is even better and more plentiful. The guests are a "royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own people." (1 Peter 2:9) The banquet continues through time and eternity. The parable of the wedding feast is God's invitation to enter his Kingdom where there is everlasting joy and peace.
Context
Context of the Church Year
Though this Sunday is the Twenty-first Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 23) and the end of the church year is only six weeks away, the parable in Matthew is given during Holy Week. Jesus triumphantly entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. He cleansed the temple of money-changers. The religious leaders asked him for his authority to do this. Because they would not answer his question, Jesus did not answer their query. In response, Jesus gave three parables: the two sons, the rebel tenants, and the marriage feast. All three deal with the fact that the religious leaders have failed to accept Jesus as the Christ. Consequently, the Kingdom of God has been given to others - to "sinners" and Gentiles. Because of their failure to accept him, Israel is subject to destruction and the kingdom is given to others. Today we deal with the third of these parables, the king's wedding feast for his son.
Context of the Parallel Passage (Luke 14:16-24)
In the Matthew and Luke accounts, scholars claim that we have two versions of an original parable. To this Matthew added a parable of the wedding garment. (vv. 11-14) Matthew's account is more theological and allegorical than Luke's version and is shorter. A comparison of the two:
1. Setting. Matthew has Jesus give the parable during his last days in Jerusalem. The parable is addressed to the religious leaders who are accused of rejecting God's invitation to the wedding feast of his Son. Luke records the parable in connection with Jesus' attendance at a banquet where the table talk deals with who should be invited to a dinner.
2. Host of the banquet. According to Matthew the host is a king who gives a wedding feast for his son. Luke says the host is just "a man." (v. 16)
3. Excuses. When the servants notify the invited that the banquet is ready, in Matthew they "made light of it" (v. 5) and went to their farms, businesses, or they became abusive of the servants. Luke makes much more of the excuses, a purchase of land, oxen, and a new bride.
4. Judgment. In response to the rejection of the invitation, Matthew has the king kill the people and burn their city. Luke is more merciful; he says the no-comers would not taste the banquet.
5. Guests. To get people to the feast, Matthew has the servants go to the thoroughfares and invite the people. In Luke, the first attempt to get people failed to fill the banquet hall. The servants are sent out a second time to the highways and hedges. Now the people are not invited but compelled to come. (v. 23) In Matthew the servants invite both good and bad people. This condition leads to the next parable of the wedding robe.
6. Robe. Only Matthew gives the parable of the guest without a wedding garment. (vv. 11-14)
Context of the Lectionary
The First Lesson. (Deuteronomy 34:1-12) This last chapter of Deuteronomy is also the last lection of fifteen dealing with the work of Moses. Before dying at age 120 on Mount Nebo, Moses is allowed to see the Promised Land in the distance. Up to this time there was not another man like him, for he knew Yahweh face to face.
The Second Lesson. (Philippians 4:1-9) The study of Philippians comes to a close with this Lesson. After making an appeal for unity in the congregation, Paul calls upon his people to rejoice in Christ and to imitate him that they might experience the peace of God.
Gospel. (Matthew 22:1-14) Two parables: the wedding feast and the wedding garment. This is the last in a series of five consecutive parables and the third in a series with the same theme.
Psalm. (Psalm 135:1-14) In connection with Lesson 1, the Lord is praised for his giving the land of Canaan as a heritage to Israel.
Prayer for the Day. In this prayer, we acknowledge God as the giver of all our blessings and ask that through the Spirit we may be grateful and obedient.
Hymn of the Day. "A Multitude Comes from East and West" The hymn describes the blessings received at the Messianic feast of salvation.
Context of Related Scriptures
2 Kings 10:18-27 - Baal worshipers are given garments.
Isaiah 61:10-11 - The robe of righteousness.
Matthew 10:5-15 - The fate of those who reject the Gospel.
Matthew 11:28-30 - Jesus' invitation.
John 12:36b-40 - Blind eyes and hard hearts.
Ephesians 4:22-24 - Putting off the old and putting on the new.
Revelation 3:4-5, 18 - White garments of the saints.
Revelation 19:5-9 - The marriage supper of the Lamb.
Content
Text of the Parable
Verse 1. In introducing the parable, Matthew says that Jesus spoke to the religious leaders in "parables." There follow two parables: the wedding feast and wedding garment. It is generally accepted that we have here Matthew's version of an original parable. As we have seen, Luke gives another version. Each gives the parable according to the situation he faced at the time of writing. The parable of the wedding garment may have been a separate parable which Matthew added to counteract the impression of the wedding feast that salvation was too easy.
Verses 6 and 7. Scholars believe that these verses were added by Matthew to explain the fall of Jerusalem in A.D. 70, Matthew wrote his Gospel in approximately A.D. 80. In his version of the parable Luke makes no mention of it.
Verses 11-13. These verses give the parable of the wedding garment. The parable was probably an addendum to the previous parable in order to correct an impression that all people, good or bad (v. 10), were in the Kingdom of God.
Verse 14. "Many are called, but few are chosen." The verse does not apply to either of the two parables. It is for Matthew a customary way of concluding a parable. In the parable of the wedding feast, not a few but all invited the second time filled the banquet hall. In the parable of the garment, all were chosen but one ill-equipped person.
Parable as Allegory
To understand the parable it is necessary to see it as an allegory. The details of the parable cannot be taken literally because they do not make sense. We need to remember that Jesus is speaking to his enemies who are out to kill him. He uses a parable to show them that their opposition to him is causing the Kingdom of God to be given to others who repent and accept him.
The king of the parable obviously is God who is giving a wedding feast for his Son, Jesus the Christ. The people first invited are the Jews, especially the religious leaders: scribes, Pharisees, priests, and Sadducees. Though they refused to come to the feast, God sends his messengers again. The messengers or servants are the prophets and apostles. Their second refusal causes God to destroy them and their city, Jerusalem. Now God gives an open invitation to everyone and the banquet hall (the Kingdom) is filled. But, the people who responded contain both good and bad people. Since bad people cannot inherit the Kingdom, a follow-up parable tells of God's seeing an unworthy person in his Kingdom, a man without the proper attire. He is thrown out. Repentance and righteousness are conditions for belonging to the Kingdom of God.
Precis of the Parable
Jesus continued to tell parables to the people among whom were the religious leaders. The Kingdom of God is like a king who had a wedding feast for his son. He sent his servants to notify the invited ones to come for the feast was now ready. But, they refused to come. In patience he sent other servants to ask the invited to come, for the animals were butchered and the food was prepared. Again, they ignored the invitation. Some went to their farms; others went about their business. Some even became hostile and beat and killed the messengers. This made the king so angry that he ordered the refusals to be killed and their city burned. The king still wanted the banquet hall to be filled. He ordered his servants to go where people gathered and to invite them, both good and bad, to come. These accepted the invitation and the banquet hall was packed. However, the king came to the hail and saw one man without the proper wedding attire. He asked the man how he got in without the proper dress. The man had no word of explanation. Then the king ordered his servants to get rid of the man by throwing him into the darkness of hell.
Thesis:
God's Kingdom is open to all believers.
Theme:
Invitation to Life! Key Words in the Parable
1. "King." (v. 2) Who invites us to a banquet? The importance of the invitation depends on the person who invites. This is the king's invitation. Who dares to refuse a king? Consider the honor and privilege of being chosen by a king. Could one refuse to come to dinner in the White House? If the king invites, it indicates that he will be there and we have the wonderful opportunity to have fellowship with him.
2. "Marriage." (v. 3) This is an invitation not to a lecture nor to a funeral but to a marriage. It is a happy occasion. There will be laughter, fun, and good feelings. A wedding is one of the happiest occasions in life, even to the point of tears of joy.
3. "Feast." (v. 3) The invitation is not for any ordinary dinner. It is not a snack of a hamburger and french fries. It is not even a lunch with a shrimp salad. This is a feast, a banquet. The king offers only the best meats and vegetables. The amount of food is more than one can eat. The food is out of this world.
4. "Servants." (v. 4) The servants are the messengers of the king. They go with full credentials and with the authority of the king. They have an important message: the food is ready, come. Suppose the servants failed to give the invitation. Christians are God's servants who are to invite people to come to the Kingdom by accepting Christ. Is today's church not growing because we servants are not inviting the unchurched?
5. "Invited." (v. 4) Entrance into God's Kingdom is by invitation only. God does not use force on anyone to believe in him, to accept his Son, or to obey his laws. God respects the free will of a person. He invites, pleads, begs, woos, and will do anything except use force to get us into his Kingdom. All he says is "Come." (v. 4)
6. "Ready." (v. 4) The wedding feast was ready for the guests: furnishings, food, festivities. The tables and chairs are in place. Flowers are on the tables. The food is hot. It is important for us to see that all was done by God for our benefit. We do not bring even a dish of food. We bring only ourselves. God does all for our salvation. By grace are we saved.
7. "Angry." (v. 7) How does God feel about the refusal of those he invited? Does he take it lightly saying, "Well, it doesn't matter. They were probably busy about very important matters"? It does matter to God when we refuse him and his gifts. The refusal is an insult. It means considering someone or something else more important. This arouses the wrath of God, because he is a God of justice. He is a jealous God. Like a mother-animal, he fights for his kids.
8. "Garment." (v. 11) The garment is not a special one. It was not customary for the host to provide a special robe for the wedding. Rather the garment was to be freshly cleaned representing righteousness or good works. The invitation was to both "good and bad" people. The bad is represented by the lack of a wedding robe. As early as Irenaeus, the robe stood for righteousness. God cannot tolerate sin. Oil and water do not mix just as wickedness and righteousness do not mix. Christians are in the Kingdom because they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. In other words, Christians wear the robe of Christ's righteousness put on by faith. Consequently, we are acceptable to a holy God who permits us in the banquet hail.
9. "Speechless." (v. 12) When the king asked the man without the garment how he managed to get into the banquet hall, he was silent. In contrast to those who made excuses for not accepting the king's invitation, he had no excuse. When it comes to explaining why we sin, we have no excuse. We have no one to blame but ourselves. Paul told the Romans, "Therefore, you have no excuse, O man." (Romans 2:1) Augustus Toplady has us sing, "Nothing in my hand I bring, simply to thy cross I cling." Why does one not come to God through Christ? Ultimately one has no excuse: one is speechless.
Contemplation
Insights
1. A King's Feast. The Kingdom of God is compared to a feast, a banquet, a wedding reception, a party. It is therefore an occasion of extreme joy resulting from fellowship with royalty, the best food, gaiety, music, and dancing. Many think of the Christian religion primarily in terms of solemnity, sadness, suffering, duty, and obedience to laws. The Christian faith for many is not a matter of having fun and a good time. Jesus compared coming to God as a happy, glorious, fantastic occasion of peace, love, and joy. Who would not want to come to such an affair? Happiness is coming to God's banquet honoring his Son.
2. An Invitation. To get to the banquet is by invitation only. The king sent servants to invite the guests. It is by invitation. God says, "Come." There is no use of force, no pressure of any kind. Acceptance is entirely voluntary. This eliminates the doctrine of election and predestination. The invitation comes from God, but we have the free will to accept or reject it.
3. By Grace Alone. The Gospel of grace shines through the parable. The invitation itself is an expression of grace. We cannot force or buy ourselves into the presence of the king. He opens the door for us. In addition God's grace is seen in having everything ready for the guests. All of the food, music, and furnishings are provided. No one can bring any food or make any contribution to defray the expenses of the banquet. By his grace, God has provided for us. His grace is seen, also, in the fact that God wants all to be saved. He as king desires that his banquet hail be filled. Accordingly, the servants are sent to invite any and everybody to the wedding feast. This does not mean universalism, for the unworthy, who are not properly clothed, are excluded.
4. Properly Dressed. The second parable in today's gospel lesson deals with the unworthy in the Kingdom. In going out and inviting every Tom, Dick, and Harry results in having people not properly prepared. It is symbolized by the attack of a wedding garment which represents repentance and righteousness. Sin and holiness cannot co-exist. The wicked cannot stand in the holy presence of God. A Christian is one who by faith in Christ puts on Christ's robe of righteousness.
5. Judgment. How does one feel when an invitation is ignored and rejected? How does God feel about our refusals to come to his wedding banquet? Matthew says the people who reject the invitation will be killed and their city destroyed. Luke says the rejectees will never taste the banquet food. The man not properly dressed was thrown into hell. Judgment falls upon all who refuse the Kingdom of light and love. The wrath of God comes upon all sinners. The Bible assures us of death and hell for all who despise God's invitation.
6. Excuses, Excuses. The people who were invited made excuses for not accepting the invitation. Some went to their farms or businesses. Others became violent in opposing the servants. Luke gives the excuses of the one who bought land, oxen, and who just married. The excuses were ridiculous. Who would buy land before inspecting it? Who would buy five a pair of oxen without first trying them out? Why would marriage prevent one from going to a feast? The excuses merely say the invitees just do not want to come. They would rather be doing something else. In other words, God is despised and rejected.
7. Evangelism. The parable deals with evangelism. The invitation of the king is a movement to those not in the king's household. Evangelism is the church's outreach to those not in God's household of faith. The king sends his servants to go to the people to invite them to come. The king cannot go, for this would be physically impossible. The servants to go as his representatives and spokesmen. Christians are God's servants go to the highways and byways to invite. If we do not invite people to come to Christ, are we faithful servants? Moreover, the king wants his banquet hall to be full. God desires all humanity to come to him and to be reconciled. The work of evangelism is not done until "every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord."
Homily Hints
1. When Religion Is Fun! (22:1-10) Many think of religion in negative terms: kill-joy or wet-blanket. They think of Christianity as a set of rules, discipline, and a cross. The parable sees Christianity as a feast with fun, joy, and festivity. Think of Christ and the church as a wedding banquet -
A. The honor of the king's invitation - vv. 2, 3.
B. The pleasure of good food and festivity - v. 4.
C. The privilege of royal fellowship - v. 2.
2. The Robe. (22:11-13) To be in the Kingdom of God one must wear a robe lest one be excluded. Only the properly dressed may inhabit God's Kingdom. What are some possible robes to be worn?
A. Robe of sacrifice - Joseph's robe - Genesis 37:29-33.
B. Robe of love - Samuel - 1 Samuel 2:19.
C. Robe of forgiveness - Prodigal son - Luke 15:22.
D. Robe of righteousness - Jesus - John 19:23-24.
3. Invitation to a Banquet. (22:1-13) How does one get to a king's banquet? How does one become a member of God's Kingdom? The parable tells us how -
A. By invitation only - v. 3.
B. By receiving an invitation from the servants - v. 4.
C. By accepting the invitation - v. 10.
D. By being properly attired - vv. 11-13.
4. Choose: Feast or Funeral. (22:1-13) In both parables there is a happy and a sad side, heaven and hell, salvation and judgment, life and death, feast and funeral. Jesus does not pull punches in teaching that rejection of God's invitation results in death and hell. The choice is before each person.
A. Acceptance means a feast - vv. 2-4.
B. Rejection means a funeral - vv. 7, 13.
5. Do You Have an Excuse? (22:5, 12) When we do not want to accept an invitation, instead of saying no, we tend to make excuses. Many excuses are inadequate, unreal, and ridiculous. There comes a time when we fail to give an excuse because we do not have one or can't think of one.
A. The excuses we make - v. 5.
B. When we run out of excuses - v. 12.
6. A Feast of Grace. (22:1-14) The parables in today's Gospel lesson reveal the Gospel. We see grace upon grace in the wedding feast story. Evidences of grace -
A. Invitation - God wants us - v. 3.
B. Provision - God supplies all our needs - v. 4.
C. Universality - God wants all to be saved - v. 10.
Contact
Points of Contact
1. This parable makes a point of contact in the membership of the church. How many members belong to the church and not to the Kingdom? Or, is the church and Kingdom identical? To be in the Kingdom is to be in the church, but to be in the church does not necessarily mean we are in the Kingdom. In the parable the king is desperate to have his banquet hall filled. Consequently, he orders his servants to go where people congregate and invite all sorts of people, good and bad, to the feast. Often the church does the same. She is interested primarily in numbers. She exists just to get new members. To get the new people a church may ask no questions, require no prior instruction, or make any moral requiremants. As a result, we have good and bad people in the church, people without a wedding garment.
2. Another point of contact this parable makes is in the manner of getting into the Kingdom. Some church members hold to the position that salvation is by election and predestination. Your being a Christian is totally God's choice and work. The individual has no free will. The parable teaches us that we become Christians by God's invitation which may be accepted or rejected. It is true that God calls us through the Holy Spirit and chooses us to be his children, but we may reject the call and shut ourselves out of the Kingdom. If we are in the Kingdom, it is by invitation only accepted by faith.
3. The making of excuses in the parable strikes a familiar note to a pastor. As he/she visits and invites people to come to worship, join the church, or accept a responsibility in the church, he/she hears daily one excuse after another. Every pastor feels as though he/she knows all the excuses that can be made.
4. Do you see yourself in this parable?
Do you see yourself making excuses?
Do you see yourself rejecting an invitation to come to Christ?
Do you see yourself as one subject to judgment?
Are you one without a wedding garment?
Do you see yourself as a servant going out to invite people?
Points to Ponder
1. A point to ponder: how can a preacher handle this parable in a nonrepetitive way when for the third time the theme is the same? There was the son who said no but later went to work. The rebel tenants spurned one messenger after another until the son came and they killed him. Now we have invitation after invitation declined, and the invitation is given to the unworthy. Judgment in terms of death and removal came in each case to the wicked and unresponsive.
2. Should the parable be taken literally? There is the problem of the robe. There is no explanation in the parable where the wedding garments came from, or why this one man did not get a robe. Since the guests were taken off the streets, how could they have secured a robe? If the robe was not provided by the host but rather the robe meant clean clothes, how could the guests get clean clothes so quickly when they went from the streets to the banquet hall?
Another item is the account that the king had the first people who were invited and who turned down the invitation, killed. Then their city was burned. If the people were already dead, what was the reason for burning down their city? Moreover, when the city was burned, the servants went into the streets for more guests. How could that be? These items indicate that a parable may be only a vehicle to convey a truth and is not meant to be taken as historical or literal facts.
Illustrative Materials
1. A Religion of Joy. "There is more joy to the square inch in Christ then there is to the square mile without him."
- E. Stanley Jones
"The trouble with many people is that they have just enough religion to make them miserable."
- Billy Graham
"A man will have to give an account on judgment day of every good thing which he might have enjoyed but didn't."
- A rabbinic statement
A newspaper ad: "Wanted: Household help/housekeeper. A Christian; cheerful, if possible."
2. Proper Dress. On the front door of many stores and restaurants there is a sign: "Shirts and shoes required." Some first-class restaurants require coat and tie for admission.
Some years ago a presidential reception was shocked when a senator's wife came dressed in a see-through blouse.
3. A Rope of Sand. A man went to his next door neighbor to borrow a rope. The neighbor said, "I'm sorry but I can't lend it to you, for I am about to use it myself. I'm going to tie up a pile of sand with the rope." "But," said the borrower, "You can't tie up a pile of sand with a rope." "Oh yes, you can," the other replied, "You can do almost anything with a rope you don't want to lend."
4. Objections to the Invited. When people are invited, do church members welcome them? A Methodist bishop tells of certain cases where new members are not welcomed by older members:
New young women members asked for a nursery. The older women said a nursery hadn't been needed for their babies and wasn't needed now.
One pastor helped young mothers organize a "Mom's Day Out:" and later a pre-school. The Sunday School teachers objected because of changes in their rooms.
One church pleaded for an enthusiastic pastor. When he was appointed, waves of new people joined the church. Because the older members lost their control of the church, they quit coming.
A pastor opened up the fellowship hall with good adult supervision for young people to come after Friday night ball games. Older people complained about the smell of popcorn and an occasional Coke bottle left in a window.
5. Excuses. The following excuses were sent to a public school teacher in Missouri for absences:
"Marge could not come to school because she was bothered with very close veins."
"Please excuse Joe Friday. He had loose vowels."
"Please excuse Johnny for being. It was his father's fault."
"Please excuse Diane from being absent yesterday. She was in bed with Gramps."
6. More Excuses. An insurance company received the following excuses describing their particular auto accidents:
"The other car collided with mine without giving warning of its intention."
"A pedestrian hit me and went under my car."
"I pulled away from the side of the road, glanced at my mother-in-law and headed over the embankment."
"The telephone pole was approaching fast. I was attempting to swerve out of its path when it struck my front end."
"The indirect cause of this accident was a little guy in a small car with a big mouth."
What an honor and joy it must have been to be invited to this banquet! Yet, there is even a greater banquet than this. In today's parable the King-God sends messengers to each of us to come to a feast in honor of his Son's wedding. The food is even better and more plentiful. The guests are a "royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own people." (1 Peter 2:9) The banquet continues through time and eternity. The parable of the wedding feast is God's invitation to enter his Kingdom where there is everlasting joy and peace.
Context
Context of the Church Year
Though this Sunday is the Twenty-first Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 23) and the end of the church year is only six weeks away, the parable in Matthew is given during Holy Week. Jesus triumphantly entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. He cleansed the temple of money-changers. The religious leaders asked him for his authority to do this. Because they would not answer his question, Jesus did not answer their query. In response, Jesus gave three parables: the two sons, the rebel tenants, and the marriage feast. All three deal with the fact that the religious leaders have failed to accept Jesus as the Christ. Consequently, the Kingdom of God has been given to others - to "sinners" and Gentiles. Because of their failure to accept him, Israel is subject to destruction and the kingdom is given to others. Today we deal with the third of these parables, the king's wedding feast for his son.
Context of the Parallel Passage (Luke 14:16-24)
In the Matthew and Luke accounts, scholars claim that we have two versions of an original parable. To this Matthew added a parable of the wedding garment. (vv. 11-14) Matthew's account is more theological and allegorical than Luke's version and is shorter. A comparison of the two:
1. Setting. Matthew has Jesus give the parable during his last days in Jerusalem. The parable is addressed to the religious leaders who are accused of rejecting God's invitation to the wedding feast of his Son. Luke records the parable in connection with Jesus' attendance at a banquet where the table talk deals with who should be invited to a dinner.
2. Host of the banquet. According to Matthew the host is a king who gives a wedding feast for his son. Luke says the host is just "a man." (v. 16)
3. Excuses. When the servants notify the invited that the banquet is ready, in Matthew they "made light of it" (v. 5) and went to their farms, businesses, or they became abusive of the servants. Luke makes much more of the excuses, a purchase of land, oxen, and a new bride.
4. Judgment. In response to the rejection of the invitation, Matthew has the king kill the people and burn their city. Luke is more merciful; he says the no-comers would not taste the banquet.
5. Guests. To get people to the feast, Matthew has the servants go to the thoroughfares and invite the people. In Luke, the first attempt to get people failed to fill the banquet hall. The servants are sent out a second time to the highways and hedges. Now the people are not invited but compelled to come. (v. 23) In Matthew the servants invite both good and bad people. This condition leads to the next parable of the wedding robe.
6. Robe. Only Matthew gives the parable of the guest without a wedding garment. (vv. 11-14)
Context of the Lectionary
The First Lesson. (Deuteronomy 34:1-12) This last chapter of Deuteronomy is also the last lection of fifteen dealing with the work of Moses. Before dying at age 120 on Mount Nebo, Moses is allowed to see the Promised Land in the distance. Up to this time there was not another man like him, for he knew Yahweh face to face.
The Second Lesson. (Philippians 4:1-9) The study of Philippians comes to a close with this Lesson. After making an appeal for unity in the congregation, Paul calls upon his people to rejoice in Christ and to imitate him that they might experience the peace of God.
Gospel. (Matthew 22:1-14) Two parables: the wedding feast and the wedding garment. This is the last in a series of five consecutive parables and the third in a series with the same theme.
Psalm. (Psalm 135:1-14) In connection with Lesson 1, the Lord is praised for his giving the land of Canaan as a heritage to Israel.
Prayer for the Day. In this prayer, we acknowledge God as the giver of all our blessings and ask that through the Spirit we may be grateful and obedient.
Hymn of the Day. "A Multitude Comes from East and West" The hymn describes the blessings received at the Messianic feast of salvation.
Context of Related Scriptures
2 Kings 10:18-27 - Baal worshipers are given garments.
Isaiah 61:10-11 - The robe of righteousness.
Matthew 10:5-15 - The fate of those who reject the Gospel.
Matthew 11:28-30 - Jesus' invitation.
John 12:36b-40 - Blind eyes and hard hearts.
Ephesians 4:22-24 - Putting off the old and putting on the new.
Revelation 3:4-5, 18 - White garments of the saints.
Revelation 19:5-9 - The marriage supper of the Lamb.
Content
Text of the Parable
Verse 1. In introducing the parable, Matthew says that Jesus spoke to the religious leaders in "parables." There follow two parables: the wedding feast and wedding garment. It is generally accepted that we have here Matthew's version of an original parable. As we have seen, Luke gives another version. Each gives the parable according to the situation he faced at the time of writing. The parable of the wedding garment may have been a separate parable which Matthew added to counteract the impression of the wedding feast that salvation was too easy.
Verses 6 and 7. Scholars believe that these verses were added by Matthew to explain the fall of Jerusalem in A.D. 70, Matthew wrote his Gospel in approximately A.D. 80. In his version of the parable Luke makes no mention of it.
Verses 11-13. These verses give the parable of the wedding garment. The parable was probably an addendum to the previous parable in order to correct an impression that all people, good or bad (v. 10), were in the Kingdom of God.
Verse 14. "Many are called, but few are chosen." The verse does not apply to either of the two parables. It is for Matthew a customary way of concluding a parable. In the parable of the wedding feast, not a few but all invited the second time filled the banquet hall. In the parable of the garment, all were chosen but one ill-equipped person.
Parable as Allegory
To understand the parable it is necessary to see it as an allegory. The details of the parable cannot be taken literally because they do not make sense. We need to remember that Jesus is speaking to his enemies who are out to kill him. He uses a parable to show them that their opposition to him is causing the Kingdom of God to be given to others who repent and accept him.
The king of the parable obviously is God who is giving a wedding feast for his Son, Jesus the Christ. The people first invited are the Jews, especially the religious leaders: scribes, Pharisees, priests, and Sadducees. Though they refused to come to the feast, God sends his messengers again. The messengers or servants are the prophets and apostles. Their second refusal causes God to destroy them and their city, Jerusalem. Now God gives an open invitation to everyone and the banquet hall (the Kingdom) is filled. But, the people who responded contain both good and bad people. Since bad people cannot inherit the Kingdom, a follow-up parable tells of God's seeing an unworthy person in his Kingdom, a man without the proper attire. He is thrown out. Repentance and righteousness are conditions for belonging to the Kingdom of God.
Precis of the Parable
Jesus continued to tell parables to the people among whom were the religious leaders. The Kingdom of God is like a king who had a wedding feast for his son. He sent his servants to notify the invited ones to come for the feast was now ready. But, they refused to come. In patience he sent other servants to ask the invited to come, for the animals were butchered and the food was prepared. Again, they ignored the invitation. Some went to their farms; others went about their business. Some even became hostile and beat and killed the messengers. This made the king so angry that he ordered the refusals to be killed and their city burned. The king still wanted the banquet hall to be filled. He ordered his servants to go where people gathered and to invite them, both good and bad, to come. These accepted the invitation and the banquet hall was packed. However, the king came to the hail and saw one man without the proper wedding attire. He asked the man how he got in without the proper dress. The man had no word of explanation. Then the king ordered his servants to get rid of the man by throwing him into the darkness of hell.
Thesis:
God's Kingdom is open to all believers.
Theme:
Invitation to Life! Key Words in the Parable
1. "King." (v. 2) Who invites us to a banquet? The importance of the invitation depends on the person who invites. This is the king's invitation. Who dares to refuse a king? Consider the honor and privilege of being chosen by a king. Could one refuse to come to dinner in the White House? If the king invites, it indicates that he will be there and we have the wonderful opportunity to have fellowship with him.
2. "Marriage." (v. 3) This is an invitation not to a lecture nor to a funeral but to a marriage. It is a happy occasion. There will be laughter, fun, and good feelings. A wedding is one of the happiest occasions in life, even to the point of tears of joy.
3. "Feast." (v. 3) The invitation is not for any ordinary dinner. It is not a snack of a hamburger and french fries. It is not even a lunch with a shrimp salad. This is a feast, a banquet. The king offers only the best meats and vegetables. The amount of food is more than one can eat. The food is out of this world.
4. "Servants." (v. 4) The servants are the messengers of the king. They go with full credentials and with the authority of the king. They have an important message: the food is ready, come. Suppose the servants failed to give the invitation. Christians are God's servants who are to invite people to come to the Kingdom by accepting Christ. Is today's church not growing because we servants are not inviting the unchurched?
5. "Invited." (v. 4) Entrance into God's Kingdom is by invitation only. God does not use force on anyone to believe in him, to accept his Son, or to obey his laws. God respects the free will of a person. He invites, pleads, begs, woos, and will do anything except use force to get us into his Kingdom. All he says is "Come." (v. 4)
6. "Ready." (v. 4) The wedding feast was ready for the guests: furnishings, food, festivities. The tables and chairs are in place. Flowers are on the tables. The food is hot. It is important for us to see that all was done by God for our benefit. We do not bring even a dish of food. We bring only ourselves. God does all for our salvation. By grace are we saved.
7. "Angry." (v. 7) How does God feel about the refusal of those he invited? Does he take it lightly saying, "Well, it doesn't matter. They were probably busy about very important matters"? It does matter to God when we refuse him and his gifts. The refusal is an insult. It means considering someone or something else more important. This arouses the wrath of God, because he is a God of justice. He is a jealous God. Like a mother-animal, he fights for his kids.
8. "Garment." (v. 11) The garment is not a special one. It was not customary for the host to provide a special robe for the wedding. Rather the garment was to be freshly cleaned representing righteousness or good works. The invitation was to both "good and bad" people. The bad is represented by the lack of a wedding robe. As early as Irenaeus, the robe stood for righteousness. God cannot tolerate sin. Oil and water do not mix just as wickedness and righteousness do not mix. Christians are in the Kingdom because they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. In other words, Christians wear the robe of Christ's righteousness put on by faith. Consequently, we are acceptable to a holy God who permits us in the banquet hail.
9. "Speechless." (v. 12) When the king asked the man without the garment how he managed to get into the banquet hall, he was silent. In contrast to those who made excuses for not accepting the king's invitation, he had no excuse. When it comes to explaining why we sin, we have no excuse. We have no one to blame but ourselves. Paul told the Romans, "Therefore, you have no excuse, O man." (Romans 2:1) Augustus Toplady has us sing, "Nothing in my hand I bring, simply to thy cross I cling." Why does one not come to God through Christ? Ultimately one has no excuse: one is speechless.
Contemplation
Insights
1. A King's Feast. The Kingdom of God is compared to a feast, a banquet, a wedding reception, a party. It is therefore an occasion of extreme joy resulting from fellowship with royalty, the best food, gaiety, music, and dancing. Many think of the Christian religion primarily in terms of solemnity, sadness, suffering, duty, and obedience to laws. The Christian faith for many is not a matter of having fun and a good time. Jesus compared coming to God as a happy, glorious, fantastic occasion of peace, love, and joy. Who would not want to come to such an affair? Happiness is coming to God's banquet honoring his Son.
2. An Invitation. To get to the banquet is by invitation only. The king sent servants to invite the guests. It is by invitation. God says, "Come." There is no use of force, no pressure of any kind. Acceptance is entirely voluntary. This eliminates the doctrine of election and predestination. The invitation comes from God, but we have the free will to accept or reject it.
3. By Grace Alone. The Gospel of grace shines through the parable. The invitation itself is an expression of grace. We cannot force or buy ourselves into the presence of the king. He opens the door for us. In addition God's grace is seen in having everything ready for the guests. All of the food, music, and furnishings are provided. No one can bring any food or make any contribution to defray the expenses of the banquet. By his grace, God has provided for us. His grace is seen, also, in the fact that God wants all to be saved. He as king desires that his banquet hail be filled. Accordingly, the servants are sent to invite any and everybody to the wedding feast. This does not mean universalism, for the unworthy, who are not properly clothed, are excluded.
4. Properly Dressed. The second parable in today's gospel lesson deals with the unworthy in the Kingdom. In going out and inviting every Tom, Dick, and Harry results in having people not properly prepared. It is symbolized by the attack of a wedding garment which represents repentance and righteousness. Sin and holiness cannot co-exist. The wicked cannot stand in the holy presence of God. A Christian is one who by faith in Christ puts on Christ's robe of righteousness.
5. Judgment. How does one feel when an invitation is ignored and rejected? How does God feel about our refusals to come to his wedding banquet? Matthew says the people who reject the invitation will be killed and their city destroyed. Luke says the rejectees will never taste the banquet food. The man not properly dressed was thrown into hell. Judgment falls upon all who refuse the Kingdom of light and love. The wrath of God comes upon all sinners. The Bible assures us of death and hell for all who despise God's invitation.
6. Excuses, Excuses. The people who were invited made excuses for not accepting the invitation. Some went to their farms or businesses. Others became violent in opposing the servants. Luke gives the excuses of the one who bought land, oxen, and who just married. The excuses were ridiculous. Who would buy land before inspecting it? Who would buy five a pair of oxen without first trying them out? Why would marriage prevent one from going to a feast? The excuses merely say the invitees just do not want to come. They would rather be doing something else. In other words, God is despised and rejected.
7. Evangelism. The parable deals with evangelism. The invitation of the king is a movement to those not in the king's household. Evangelism is the church's outreach to those not in God's household of faith. The king sends his servants to go to the people to invite them to come. The king cannot go, for this would be physically impossible. The servants to go as his representatives and spokesmen. Christians are God's servants go to the highways and byways to invite. If we do not invite people to come to Christ, are we faithful servants? Moreover, the king wants his banquet hall to be full. God desires all humanity to come to him and to be reconciled. The work of evangelism is not done until "every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord."
Homily Hints
1. When Religion Is Fun! (22:1-10) Many think of religion in negative terms: kill-joy or wet-blanket. They think of Christianity as a set of rules, discipline, and a cross. The parable sees Christianity as a feast with fun, joy, and festivity. Think of Christ and the church as a wedding banquet -
A. The honor of the king's invitation - vv. 2, 3.
B. The pleasure of good food and festivity - v. 4.
C. The privilege of royal fellowship - v. 2.
2. The Robe. (22:11-13) To be in the Kingdom of God one must wear a robe lest one be excluded. Only the properly dressed may inhabit God's Kingdom. What are some possible robes to be worn?
A. Robe of sacrifice - Joseph's robe - Genesis 37:29-33.
B. Robe of love - Samuel - 1 Samuel 2:19.
C. Robe of forgiveness - Prodigal son - Luke 15:22.
D. Robe of righteousness - Jesus - John 19:23-24.
3. Invitation to a Banquet. (22:1-13) How does one get to a king's banquet? How does one become a member of God's Kingdom? The parable tells us how -
A. By invitation only - v. 3.
B. By receiving an invitation from the servants - v. 4.
C. By accepting the invitation - v. 10.
D. By being properly attired - vv. 11-13.
4. Choose: Feast or Funeral. (22:1-13) In both parables there is a happy and a sad side, heaven and hell, salvation and judgment, life and death, feast and funeral. Jesus does not pull punches in teaching that rejection of God's invitation results in death and hell. The choice is before each person.
A. Acceptance means a feast - vv. 2-4.
B. Rejection means a funeral - vv. 7, 13.
5. Do You Have an Excuse? (22:5, 12) When we do not want to accept an invitation, instead of saying no, we tend to make excuses. Many excuses are inadequate, unreal, and ridiculous. There comes a time when we fail to give an excuse because we do not have one or can't think of one.
A. The excuses we make - v. 5.
B. When we run out of excuses - v. 12.
6. A Feast of Grace. (22:1-14) The parables in today's Gospel lesson reveal the Gospel. We see grace upon grace in the wedding feast story. Evidences of grace -
A. Invitation - God wants us - v. 3.
B. Provision - God supplies all our needs - v. 4.
C. Universality - God wants all to be saved - v. 10.
Contact
Points of Contact
1. This parable makes a point of contact in the membership of the church. How many members belong to the church and not to the Kingdom? Or, is the church and Kingdom identical? To be in the Kingdom is to be in the church, but to be in the church does not necessarily mean we are in the Kingdom. In the parable the king is desperate to have his banquet hall filled. Consequently, he orders his servants to go where people congregate and invite all sorts of people, good and bad, to the feast. Often the church does the same. She is interested primarily in numbers. She exists just to get new members. To get the new people a church may ask no questions, require no prior instruction, or make any moral requiremants. As a result, we have good and bad people in the church, people without a wedding garment.
2. Another point of contact this parable makes is in the manner of getting into the Kingdom. Some church members hold to the position that salvation is by election and predestination. Your being a Christian is totally God's choice and work. The individual has no free will. The parable teaches us that we become Christians by God's invitation which may be accepted or rejected. It is true that God calls us through the Holy Spirit and chooses us to be his children, but we may reject the call and shut ourselves out of the Kingdom. If we are in the Kingdom, it is by invitation only accepted by faith.
3. The making of excuses in the parable strikes a familiar note to a pastor. As he/she visits and invites people to come to worship, join the church, or accept a responsibility in the church, he/she hears daily one excuse after another. Every pastor feels as though he/she knows all the excuses that can be made.
4. Do you see yourself in this parable?
Do you see yourself making excuses?
Do you see yourself rejecting an invitation to come to Christ?
Do you see yourself as one subject to judgment?
Are you one without a wedding garment?
Do you see yourself as a servant going out to invite people?
Points to Ponder
1. A point to ponder: how can a preacher handle this parable in a nonrepetitive way when for the third time the theme is the same? There was the son who said no but later went to work. The rebel tenants spurned one messenger after another until the son came and they killed him. Now we have invitation after invitation declined, and the invitation is given to the unworthy. Judgment in terms of death and removal came in each case to the wicked and unresponsive.
2. Should the parable be taken literally? There is the problem of the robe. There is no explanation in the parable where the wedding garments came from, or why this one man did not get a robe. Since the guests were taken off the streets, how could they have secured a robe? If the robe was not provided by the host but rather the robe meant clean clothes, how could the guests get clean clothes so quickly when they went from the streets to the banquet hall?
Another item is the account that the king had the first people who were invited and who turned down the invitation, killed. Then their city was burned. If the people were already dead, what was the reason for burning down their city? Moreover, when the city was burned, the servants went into the streets for more guests. How could that be? These items indicate that a parable may be only a vehicle to convey a truth and is not meant to be taken as historical or literal facts.
Illustrative Materials
1. A Religion of Joy. "There is more joy to the square inch in Christ then there is to the square mile without him."
- E. Stanley Jones
"The trouble with many people is that they have just enough religion to make them miserable."
- Billy Graham
"A man will have to give an account on judgment day of every good thing which he might have enjoyed but didn't."
- A rabbinic statement
A newspaper ad: "Wanted: Household help/housekeeper. A Christian; cheerful, if possible."
2. Proper Dress. On the front door of many stores and restaurants there is a sign: "Shirts and shoes required." Some first-class restaurants require coat and tie for admission.
Some years ago a presidential reception was shocked when a senator's wife came dressed in a see-through blouse.
3. A Rope of Sand. A man went to his next door neighbor to borrow a rope. The neighbor said, "I'm sorry but I can't lend it to you, for I am about to use it myself. I'm going to tie up a pile of sand with the rope." "But," said the borrower, "You can't tie up a pile of sand with a rope." "Oh yes, you can," the other replied, "You can do almost anything with a rope you don't want to lend."
4. Objections to the Invited. When people are invited, do church members welcome them? A Methodist bishop tells of certain cases where new members are not welcomed by older members:
New young women members asked for a nursery. The older women said a nursery hadn't been needed for their babies and wasn't needed now.
One pastor helped young mothers organize a "Mom's Day Out:" and later a pre-school. The Sunday School teachers objected because of changes in their rooms.
One church pleaded for an enthusiastic pastor. When he was appointed, waves of new people joined the church. Because the older members lost their control of the church, they quit coming.
A pastor opened up the fellowship hall with good adult supervision for young people to come after Friday night ball games. Older people complained about the smell of popcorn and an occasional Coke bottle left in a window.
5. Excuses. The following excuses were sent to a public school teacher in Missouri for absences:
"Marge could not come to school because she was bothered with very close veins."
"Please excuse Joe Friday. He had loose vowels."
"Please excuse Johnny for being. It was his father's fault."
"Please excuse Diane from being absent yesterday. She was in bed with Gramps."
6. More Excuses. An insurance company received the following excuses describing their particular auto accidents:
"The other car collided with mine without giving warning of its intention."
"A pedestrian hit me and went under my car."
"I pulled away from the side of the road, glanced at my mother-in-law and headed over the embankment."
"The telephone pole was approaching fast. I was attempting to swerve out of its path when it struck my front end."
"The indirect cause of this accident was a little guy in a small car with a big mouth."
