Parable of the Marriage Feast

[missmuffet]

What is your interpretation of this parable?

Parable of the Marriage Feast

Matthew 22: 1-14

 

22 And Jesus answered and spoke to them again by parables and said: “The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son, and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; and they were not willing to come. Again, he sent out other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding.” ’ But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business. And the rest seized his servants, treated them ^[a]spitefully, and killed them. But when the king heard about it, he was furious. And he sent out his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.’ So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests.

“But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, ^[take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

¹⁴ “For many are called, but few are chosen.”

[Marathoner]

The key to understanding this parable which is to say, whom the Lord was addressing through this parable, is found earlier in the Gospel of Matthew when the disciples asked the Lord why He spoke in parables.

Then the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: 

“You will indeed hear but never understand,
    and you will indeed see but never perceive.”
For this people's heart has grown dull,
    and with their ears they can barely hear,
    and their eyes they have closed,
lest they should see with their eyes
    and hear with their ears
and understand with their heart
    and turn, and I would heal them.’"
(Matthew 13:10-15 ESV)

We know who "they" are: the Pharisees, the scribes, the lawyers, and the Sadducees. The Lord spoke to them in parables because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. They fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah.

The parable of the wedding feast describes how the Lord was neither received nor believed by His countrymen --- those who were invited to His wedding --- and how some of them seized and killed His servants whom we know of as the prophets (John the Baptist). The Lord was wrathful and sent His armies to destroy them and their city (Jerusalem) and henceforth sent His servants to the highways (the nations of gentiles), to invite those who weren't invited at first to attend His wedding feast, the marriage supper of the Lamb. 

The last portion of the parable is interesting indeed. 

[Waggles]

Judah and the Jews will not come to the wedding feast although they are invited, and they will be destroyed by the armies of the King. 

Then gospel of salvation shall be preached to multitudes of peoples in the world.

Many will believe it and profess to being of the bride betrothed to the promised Bridegroom.

But in the end not all will find that the Bridegroom accepts them and they are without wedding garments.

So many will be cast away - out of the presence of the Bridegroom into the outer darkness.

Thus OSAS is again denied by the scriptures. 

Edited April 20, 2021 by Waggles

[debrakay]

4 minutes ago, Marathoner said:

The last portion of the parable is interesting indeed. 

I agree.  It sounds to me like the "wolf" in "sheep" clothing who tries to sneak in will be discovered and thrown out of the wedding feast. Basically the ones who say; 

Matthew 25:11 (KJV) Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.

Matthew 7:21 (KJV) Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

Matthew 7:22 (KJV) Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

The Good Shepherd knows His sheep.  They know His voice.  He knows their true heart and spirit. There will be no one sneaking into the kingdom.

[Dennis1209]

15 hours ago, missmuffet said:

What is your interpretation of this parable?

Parable of the Marriage Feast

Matthew 22: 1-14

 

22 And Jesus answered and spoke to them again by parables and said: “The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son, and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; and they were not willing to come. Again, he sent out other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding.” ’ But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business. And the rest seized his servants, treated them ^[a]spitefully, and killed them. But when the king heard about it, he was furious. And he sent out his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.’ So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests.

“But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, ^[take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

¹⁴ “For many are called, but few are chosen.”

My thoughts?

An invitation was sent to the chosen people (the Jews), via God's chosen way of communication of the time, the prophets. The Jews scorned, rejected and murdered all the prophets the Lord sent to them. The Jews rejected the invitation to the wedding supper and the kingdom so, the offer was extended to the Gentiles (church). The Jews experienced those armies and wrath causing the diaspora, and will ultimately experience it again during the tribulation. I believe the man with no wedding garment was a pretender, not saved and not covered with the blood of the Lamb. He probably covered himself in his own righteousness.  

[Whyme]

I wonder if the marriage clothes could be white garments? Im not sure.

 

Revelation 3:18 I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see.

Revelation 4:4 Around the throne were twenty-four thrones; and upon the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white garments, and golden crowns on their heads.

Revelation 7:9 After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands;

[Whyme]

Revelation 19:6 Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out,

“Hallelujah!
For the Lord our God
    the Almighty reigns.
7 Let us rejoice and exult
    and give him the glory,
for the marriage of the Lamb has come,
    and his Bride has made herself ready;
8 it was granted her to clothe herself
    with fine linen, bright and pure”—

for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.

9 And the angel said[a] to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.”

Edited April 21, 2021 by Whyme

[Guest SelahSong]

23 minutes ago, Whyme said:

Revelation 19:6 Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out,

“Hallelujah!
For the Lord our God
    the Almighty reigns.
7 Let us rejoice and exult
    and give him the glory,
for the marriage of the Lamb has come,
    and his Bride has made herself ready;
8 it was granted her to clothe herself
    with fine linen, bright and pure”—

for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.

9 And the angel said[a] to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.”

A m e n!

"Onward Christian Soldiers, marching as to war!" Ok, ok; that’s enough.

Rev. 19:11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.

[12] His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns; and He had a name written, that no man knew, but He himself.

[13] And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.

He shed His blood for you and me. He is the Word of God.  Always has been!

Rev. 19:14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.

It seems everyone who rides with Him is fully clothed in white linen!

[15] And out of His mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.

[Whyme]

16 minutes ago, SelahSong said:

A m e n!

"Onward Christian Soldiers, marching as to war!" Ok, ok; that’s enough.

lol, amen.

[Who me]

It is what we see today.

People are busy with their activities, too busy to give a moment's though to eternity and when disturbed they reject the gospel with violence, either verbally or physically.

Among those who do respond are those who will not accept all that the gospel teaches.

 

In regard to Israel when Jesus told the parable, they had a previlleged background, having the OT but hadn't learnt from it, with regard to today, we have had the benefit of Christian teaching, morality etc in our society yet people are ignorant of this, ignorant of Christianity and unwilling to learn.