2The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, 3And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come. 4Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage. 5But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise: 6And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them. 7But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. 8Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy. 9Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. 10So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests. 11And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: 12And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. 13Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 14For many are called, but few are chosen. (King James Version)
This is an amazing parable that Jesus spoke to the priests and elders of Israel. The rest of the public were there to hear those words from our Lord. It is prophetic in nature. It shows a bit of the past but reveals so much more of the future. The priests and the elders will know that Jesus is talking against them. They will not however understand its full meaning. Parables are used to hide the full meaning of what is said. On the other side of his resurrection we can understand it more clearly.
2The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, 3And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come.
We know that the son in this parable is the representation of Jesus and the king is God the Father. We are coming up to the point in history where Jesus is to be revealed as the Messiah. The Messiah has a two fold ministry. First he comes to Israel as a priest of the order of Melchizedek , then later He is to be King as well. This Saviour/King will gather his people together and form a new kingdom. The inauguration of this kingdom is the wedding feast of Jesus to the believers.
Moses and many of the prophets, including John the Baptist, preached about this coming wedding of God (the Word of God who is Jesus) and his people. John the Baptist was the last of the old testament prophets to point to this event and invite the people to come. Jesus himself, with the apostles and disciples, also are going out and inviting the people to this event. This is the first invitation to the people. Many are called and some listened. He had a gathering of thousands. Near the end of his life, being led away to be crucified, those numbers were reduced dramatically. What of the majority of people and leaders? They would not accept the invitation that Jesus was laying out to them. Too few looked with anticipation for Jesus to come into his kingdom. One reason people could not believe or accept Jesus is because they were looking for a mighty king to arrive. They did not understand that the Lamb of God needed to show up first and be sacrificed. Later the kingdom would come into existence. Later the wedding feast would take place. Though bidden to join Jesus, they would not come during this period.
4Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage. 5But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise: 6And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them.
How about a God of second chances? That is what our Father does. That is who Jesus is. After his death and resurrection the leaders and people had another chance to accept the new covenant that God revealed through Jeremiah 31.31 "Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:" They now have a second opportunity to join their Messiah. To be accepted. To become one with him, as two people become one in marriage. The apostles preached this invitation to the people. A good number of people who now heard the invitation began to join themselves to Jesus. Yet once again most of the leadership, priests and elders of Israel would not come. "Who are these apostles? And Jesus? He is dead." They continued to live their lives as they always have done. The same government structures. The same heart. The same everything.
To turn their backs on this invitation to be one with Jesus is bad enough. What more did they do? They took the apostles, disciples and followers of Jesus and treated them badly. They beat them, stoned them, tortured them and killed them. Unknown to them they were driving a huge wedge between themselves and their God. This is the history of the Jewish people. God would woo them like a young lover to a maiden. He would show them great wonders. He would deliver them out of terribles circumstances. What was their collective response? Gladness and obedience... for a short time. Too soon they would reject God's ways and then reject God.
7But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. 8Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.
They went too far. For a period of forty years the God of Israel waited patiently to see if the people would repent and join themselves to his Son. Some did. Most did not. God is patient. The life of the saints is precious in His eyes. But there comes a point when grace spurned exacts a toll. Rome becomes the instrument of God wrath upon this wicked and adulterous generation. Jerusalem is destroyed. The Temple is gone. The sacrifices cease. The people are dispersed throughout the known world. This rebellion towards God continues. It is a continual struggle that has come down through the ages to our present day.
9Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. 10So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.
Would God destroy the world? No! For there is always a remnant of the people who would believe. Who would be saved. And some Jews enter this new relationship with God. Something wonderful then happened. Even though many Jews were cut off from God, and God, in his grace, extended the invitation to join his Son, to us. We are the people described here as the good and the bad. Gentiles who had no part in God's previous covenant now have become the called ones. For that I am extremely thankful. I have a new understanding of the world and who God is. Imagine, I am in a covenant relationship with the creator of the universe and heaven. This invitation is given to all who hear his words.
11And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: 12And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.
So the good and the bad are called to the wedding feast. I am called and perhaps you also are called to join the feast. Many people enter into "the church." Yet God does have standards. He expects everyone who accepts the invitation to get ready. Does this mean that we need to work and earn our way into the banquet hall? No! God does however expect us to change. In essence, to be born again. To put on the new man. To be lead by his Holy Spirit. It is not we who change ourselves but God, who lives within us, does the changing. All we need to do is walk with Him. Spend time with Him. All this is done by faith, not works of some written law.
13Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
There is judgement for those who are wanting to come to the wedding. At this present time though there is not condemnation. God judges what you are doing. You will be asked to stop doing some things and encouraged to do others. Not by obeying some written law, but by obeying His Spirit within you as He takes the words of the invitation, the new testament that we read, and convicts you of sin. He will ask you to change your behaviour. It may take time. It may take plenty of repenting over the same things, time and time again. But as long as you point your heart to Jesus, he will forgive and lead you on.
Those who do not walk with God; have no intention of changing; are self-willed and stubborn; will find themselves out in the darkness. You may show up for the wedding but...
14For many are called, but few are chosen.
That is a truthful statement. Can't be any clearer. I would like you to be among the few. For those who would like a better clarification of the many and chosen read Matthew 13 vs 1-23.
Hopefully we will see each other at the wedding!
Webite administrator: Joseph A Raymond
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada