The Parable of the Wedding Feast

I. INTRODUCTION

A. Are you prepared to enter the kingdom of heaven? This is the question we are caused to ponder by the teachings of Jesus in the parable of the wedding feast (Matt. 22:1-14).

B. In the third lesson of this series, we studied the parable of the vineyard owner in Matthew 21:33-46. The parable of the wedding feast was given by Jesus on that same occasion.

1. On a day during the week leading up to His crucifixion, Jesus was in the temple when the chief priests and elders questioned Him about His authority (Matt. 21:23).

2. Although Jesus did not answer their question, He did give them the answers that they needed to hear in the form of three parables.

a. The first parable described two sons (Matt. 21:28-32). In this parable, Jesus led the chief priests and elders to admit the truth about themselves, for they had claimed to follow God but rejected God's messenger John. They had also admitted that the tax-gatherers and harlots, who received John, were closer to the kingdom of God than they were.

b. The second parable was the parable of the vineyard owner, which we noticed in Lesson 3. This parable illustrates how that those who reject the Son of God forfeit the kingdom.

c. The third parable was the parable of the wedding feast, which we will study presently.

II. THE PARABLE OF THE WEDDING FEAST

A. Like many of the Lord's parables, the parable of the wedding feast teaches a lesson concerning the kingdom of heaven (Matt. 22:1).

1. As we have noticed before in this series, the Lord often used parables to teach unfamiliar, spiritual lessons by the use of familiar, temporal activities. By these comparisons, certain points concerning the kingdom of heaven can be understood by their similarity to earthly situations.

2. In this particular parable, the wedding feast is likened to the kingdom of heaven.

a. This was no ordinary feast, but rather it was a royal celebration of the prince's wedding. It was an exceptional occasion, for even the common men were called to the feast.

b. In this setting, the king represents God, and His Son is Christ.

B. The first group of invited guests represents the Jews, who had the first opportunity to enter the kingdom (Matt. 22:2-6).

1. Recall that Jesus is addressing the chief priests and elders who challenged His authority (Matt. 21:23).

a. These were the leaders of the Jews who would have Jesus crucified just a few days later.

b. This parable reveals the severity of their sin in a different light than the first two parables Christ gave in answer to their challenge.

i. In the parable of the two sons, Jesus exposed the Jewish leaders' hypocrisy in failing to keep their commitment to God by rejecting John.

ii. In the parable of the vineyard owner, Jesus showed how the Jewish leaders had broken their covenant with God by rejecting His prophets and His Son.

iii. This parable shows how the Jewish leaders had rejected the kind and gracious invitation of God to enter the kingdom of heaven through Christ.

2. The Lord describes two separate calls that were extended to the Jews, who were the first to be invited into the kingdom.

a. The invitation to the wedding guests evidently occurred before the feast was ready, for the slaves went out to call those who had already been invited. It was the Jews who were the chosen people of God and had first access to the gospel (Acts 13:46).

b. The first call of the invited people was answered with an unwillingness to come.

c. The second call was more explicit, declaring the abundance and readiness of the feast. The response to the second call was answered not only with indifference but also with violent aggression, for the king's slaves were abused and killed.

d. These calls may have reference to several attempts of God to call His people in Israel to the kingdom of heaven through Christ.

i. The initial calls of God trace back to the Messianic prophecies given to the Jews in the Old Testament.

ii. Another call to the Jews happened by the ministry of John the baptist, who went to them to prepare the way of the Lord (Mark 1:1-8).

iii. Jesus Himself came and called His people to the kingdom through His teachings even in parables such as this one.

iv. After Christ's crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension, the call went out yet again to the Jews through the full gospel message. At this point, the feast was abundant and ready.

v. Each of these calls was typically met with the same response, which was indifference at best and violent persecution at worst.

3. Because the invited guests rejected the call of the king, they were destroyed.

a. Verse 7 says that "the king was enraged, and he sent his armies and destroyed those murderers and set their city on fire."

b. This expressed the righteous wrath of God over the offense of the Jewish leaders' repeated rejections of Him, His prophets, and ultimately His Son. The fulfillment of this verse was likely the destruction of Jerusalem that occurred in A.D. 70.

C. The second group of invited guests represents the Gentiles, who were given an equally abundant opportunity to enter the kingdom (Matt. 22:8-13).

1. "Those who were invited were not worthy," which indicates that the Jews who rejected Christ forfeited their place in the kingdom by their faithlessness (see Rom. 9-11).

2. The king's invitation to "as many as you find" represents God opening up the kingdom of heaven to all men, both Jews and Gentiles.

a. The gospel call has gone out to all the world (Matt. 28:18-20; Col. 1:23), and it is for whosoever will (Matt. 11:28-30).

b. Notice that the king's slaves "gathered together all they found, both evil and good; and the wedding hall was filled with dinner guests" (Matt. 22:10). Truly, the gospel is for all (see Matt. 21:31-32).

3. Not everyone who came to the wedding feast was allowed to stay, for one was improperly attired.

a. It was the custom of that day for wedding garments to be provided by the host of the feast. Therefore, everyone at the feast should have been appropriately attired.

b. When the king saw a man without wedding clothes, the man had no excuse ("he was speechless").

c. This man represents those who attempt to enter the kingdom by their own methods. "For not knowing about God's righteousness and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God" (Rom. 10:3).

D. The main lesson of the parable is found in verse 14 -- "For many are called, but few are chosen."

1. It is a sad and tragic fact, but the truth is that most souls will be lost. The Lord Himself affirmed this on several occasions (Matt. 7:13-14; Luke 13:23-30).

2. Just as this parable teaches, God's invitation to the kingdom of heaven has been opened to all. It will not be for a lack of opportunity that many souls will be lost. God wants all men to be saved and all to come to repentance (1Tim. 2:4; 2Pet. 3:9).

3. This message is often too hard for the world to accept. Many men say that most if not all souls will enter into the kingdom of heaven by nearly any way they choose. However, the word of God still declares, "For many are called, but few are chosen."

III. CONCLUSION -- APPLYING THE PARABLE

A. Have you accepted the invitation to enter the kingdom of heaven?

1. Some of the invited guests were indifferent, and some responded with violent aggression. In either case, the king said that they were unworthy.

2. If you spurn the invitation of God to come to the kingdom of heaven through Christ, then you will offend God and kindle His wrath.

3. Don't turn down the invitation of God. Come today!

B. If you have accepted the invitation, then are you entering the kingdom properly attired?

1. Both the good and the evil were invited into the feast, but they all were expected to put on the proper attire. No excuses were accepted.

2. When we accept the invitation into the kingdom of heaven through Jesus Christ, we must put on the proper attire as well. We must put on Christ in baptism (Gal. 3:26-27). We must put off the old man and put on the new (Col. 3:5-14). We must put on righteousness (Rev. 19:7-9).

3. Put on the white garments from Jesus, and get dressed for the kingdom today (Rev. 3:18).