Invited, yet Unfit
TRANSLATION
(1) And again Jesus spoke to them in parables saying, (2) “The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who prepared a wedding feast for his son. (3) He sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come. (4) Again, he sent out other servants saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “Look, I have prepared a feast. I have slaughtered my oxen and my fat calves, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.”’ (5) But they ignored (his invitation) and made their own plans. One went to his own farm, another to his business, (6) and the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them. (7) The king was furious and sent his troops to destroy those murderers and burn their city. (8) Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, but those who were invited were unworthy. (9) Go, therefore, to the street corners and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.’ (10) And his servants went out into the streets and gathered all they could find, both unworthy and worthy. So the wedding hall was filled with guests.
(11) “Now when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who was not wearing wedding clothes. (12) And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without wedding clothes?’ And he was speechless. (13) Then the king told his attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him into outer darkness. In that place will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (14) For many are called, but few chosen.’”
OBSERVATIONS
In the parables found in these paragraphs, Jesus expanded on the theme he had introduced in the previous segment, faulting Israel’s religious leaders for failing to welcome the Messiah whom God had sent. Repetitions help us grasp his message. “Wedding feast,” used five times (vss. 2, 3, 4, 8, & 9) along with “wedding hall” (vs. 10) and “wedding clothes” (vss. 11 & 12), were clearly emphasized. “King” was repeated (four times in vss. 2, 7, 11, & 13) along with “kingdom” (vs. 2). “Servants” appeared five times (vss. 3, 4, 6, 8, & 10) along with “attendants” (vs. 13). Other repeated terms included “sent” (vss. 3 & 7), “invite(d)” (vss. 3, 4, 8, & 9), “street(s)” and “find/found” (both in vss. 9 & 10) and “guests” (vss. 10 & 11).
OUTLINE
I. To replace those who had refused his invitation, the king sent his servants to welcome any who would consent to attend his son’s wedding. (1-10)
II. The king commanded that one of the guests who had not been garbed in appropriate clothing be removed and punished. (11-14)
IDEA STATEMENT
While the invitation to attend the wedding is extended to all, only those who are appropriately clothed can take part.
APPLICATION
These two parables maintain a fitting balance between two seemingly conflicting truths regarding God’s Kingdom. In the first we learn that the doors of heaven are opened wide to welcome everyone to participate in the wedding of the King’s Son regardless of status, kinship, or economic level. In the second we see that those who take part must be clothed appropriately.
The first truth is reinforced by the invitation issued in the last chapter of the Bible: “And the Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come.’ And let him that heareth say, ‘Come.’ And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely” (Rev. 22:17 in the KJV). In the words of the great old Gospel song written by P. P. Bliss, “Whosoever will may come.”
The second truth described a limitation found throughout Scripture, namely, that only those who believe in (trust in/rely upon) the work of Christ may take part in the festivities. In the introduction to John’s Gospel we read, “He came to his own (the Jews), and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God” (Jn. 1:11-13). Isaiah anticipated this limitation many generations earlier: “I will greatly rejoice in the Lord. My soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation. He has covered me with the robe of righteousness” (Is. 61:10). In essence, the invitation to the wedding feast is extended to all, but only those who are properly attired in “a robe of (Christ’s) righteousness” provided by God’s grace may remain to take part.