The Parable of the Wedding Banquet
“Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come. “Then he sent some more servants and said, ‘Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’ “But they paid no attention and went off—one to his field, another to his business. The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.“ Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. So go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’ So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, the bad as well as the good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.
“But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. He asked, ‘How did you get in here without wedding clothes, friend?’ The man was speechless. “Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ “For many are invited, but few are chosen.” Matthew 22:1-14, NIV
Ok, so we can be pretty sure that the first group referred to are the Israelites—-God’s favored people….the nation who chose from all over the world to show His light, truth and love. The next group, the “bad as well as the good”, refers to the world—-to you and to me!
The great news is that we’ve all been invited to the greatest banquet in all eternity! This is about God’s invitation to join the feast. It’s about heaven…eternal life…the Kingdom of God.…and how much the Father loves the Son…..and how much He favors you and me for loving His Son. We are so special to Him! This is an invitation some of the folks that did not come to my sons party told me, later, that they had to watch a special Fox News Report, another said that the whole family was just tired. Friends, you don’t want to turn down God’s invitation to come to heaven!!!
The first thing Jesus points to is the indifference of the invited friends and families to join the celebration. Again, He was referring to the Jewish people, but it could also reference America and Europe today. A couple of years ago one of my boys asked many friends to come to our home for his birthday party. Forty or more friends were invited. But only two came. He was heartbroken, but I was angry. I have never invited those folks to a party again. I “get it” when Jesus describes the father’s anger. People had better things to do than come to Tommy’s party—-I never invited them again. A lot of people—in fact most people—think that they have better things to do than to celebrate Christ’s eternal banquet. Boy or boy, are they going to miss out and be disappointed.
It’s kind of shocking to listen to the harsh reaction the first guests and friends of the king showed when they were invited—they ignored, attacked even killed the ones that were merely sent to invite them! We that serve as pastors, preachers and missionaries, should not be amazed at the indifference or hostility we encounter when we invite people to the King’s celebration. People that should know better can be very cruel to the good new. It’s sad, but let’s not get confused about this.
But for those that do refuse His invitation, ignoring the requests, hesitating or post-poning…do so at their own peril. Don’t turn down His invitation….and why should you? Why would anyone refuse to be a part of such a feast?
These people were asked in advance to attend, and according to the actual verb used here, they did not merely refuse, but persistently refused to come. And as we said, it refers to the Jewish people here,, but also to folks living today that have heard the invitation time and time again, and still refuse to call Him Lord. They steadfastly refuse every explanation, argument and passionate request to receive the Son—-and a special seat at the banquet. How foolish. But you and I must not beat ourselves up to those refuse to listen to us when we share the good news to them. God loves them more than you and I ever could, and if Jesus could not convince some people when He was here, neither can you and I.
So these very special friends and relatives of the king refused to come—they turned up their noses, so to speak, to the invite. So the king invited “outsiders”, and once those folks were invited, I expect the special ones were all the more adamant about not joining the party! Similarly, the more some folks refuse to come to Christ, the more aggressive and violent they can also become. Friends, I am just glad I got invited to the party! I don’t care who is there—the most important thing in all the world to know is that I WILL BE THERE.
Just because folks are annoyed that you preach the good news is no reason to stop inviting everyone we come across to join the Kingdom of God. Don’t be discouraged! Jesus warned us that we could expect anger and hatred in response to our faithfulness to invite our neighbors and even family members to salvation and eternal glory.
In this parable, the king is patient and gracious, and keeps inviting the same ones that turned Him down time and time again. These wedding banquets were not simply a meals, but several days of feasting and relaxation. He told them, in effect, “it’s not too late—come on and be my guest.” Today is not too late for you either—the banquet is for eternity.
These ignored the invitation, mistreated the messengers and eventually killed the ones making the invitation. The king responded by killing the folks that murdered His servants and burned their city to the ground! What a colossal waste! Their lost their lives, their city and their nation because they would not accept a free invitation to come to an incredible festival.
Of course, throughout history, this was consistent of the Hebrew nation. They often killed the prophets that God sent to save them from destruction. And of course the same nation would kill the literal, one and only Son of the King one day. Jesus shared this parable right before the Jewish leaders caught Him and murdered Him—-just like their forefathers stoned and killed the prophets 1000 years earlier.
So in the parable, the select ones refused to attend and the king decides to invite as many others as would come to the feast. That’s what our heavenly Father does. He is generous King who invites "whosoever will” to join that feast. Have you received the invitation yet? Have you responded?
The father of the groom, the King, sends out even more servants that invite many, many new people that are delighted to find out that they’ve been invited! This is my job friends—and yours too! We’re supposed to go out, into all the world, even after we’ve been rejected again and again within our family or even our nation, and tell all people of the earth, that the King of Kings has invited them especially to this never-ending banquet and celebration.
There’s no provision made for those that did not hear of the invitation or were never invited by a servant of the King. They must hear the invitation! This is why we have missions and evangelists and why each one of us is required to testify! It’s why we are called to make disciples of all nations, preaching and teaching them of this fabulous gift.
Notice that all people were invited by the King—the good and the bad—-all that could fit into the enormous banquet hall. He did not only invite one race, one gender, or ethnicity—or just the pretty people only, or the smartest or most affluent—He invited them all—-and He invites everyone still. That’s good news isn’t it? That’s what our camp represents and this little church.
The focus of this parable is upon what the father was doing for his son, and what the father expected friends and family members to do in response. I was invited to a wedding by a wealthy friend a few years ago; it was a big celebration for his only daughter. He spent a fortune and sent out invitations that were quite clear: Black tie, formal. That meant “wear a tuxedo if you’re a male and a full length gown if you are female. It would have been insulting and not ignored by the father if you came dressed inappropriately. You would not have fit in and the ushers would have asked you to leave—-I don’t doubt it for a moment. This was the biggest day for his little girl and he was going to be sure it was special. Get a vision of that proud daddy, and multiply times infinity when you consider the banquet God will be throwing for His Son in heaven one day and how He expects us to dress.
This wedding event was a serious matter. Full of joy, yes, and lots to eat and drink, etc. But the father of the groom expected the guests to be there to honor his son. So when the father finds that someone came to party shabbily dressed, he got upset with that guest. He doesn’t merely ask the man to leave, but has the man bound hand and foot, and cast into darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. Jesus described this means of judgement more thank once, in His stories. Be careful how you treat God’s invitation to grace.
Any reasonable person would be ready to come to the greatest feast of all time, and to have mistake, blunder, bad choice or evil action and thought obliterated…but is something else required of those invited? Yes, we have to wear the proper clothes. I’ve become courageous enough to take Tommy and Tyler to some of the nicer restaurants in our area, lately, and the upscale places have dress codes. And the nicer places don’t say “please”, they tell you what’s required. Your opinion does not matter, and these establishments are so popular, they really don’t care of you chose to come or not if you disagree with the required attire.
Our Father has invited all of us to a never ending kind of banquet—but the party is not for you if you don’t want dress proper. Some of those invited will not be permitted to stay.
What is true attire? Clothing ourselves with true humility, confession, repentance, submission and faith (in Jesus Christ.) Jesus said in Revelation, that if your choice of clothes, spiritually speaking, are the following, you will be removed:
“But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars….” Many folks, then as now, want heaven, but on their terms and the are not prepared to yield to Him, call Him Lord, and allow Him to change their hearts. Are you one of them? Is He Lord? He spoke of wolves entering into the flock of sheep at times——i.e. those masquerading as one thing, but being another. Are you washed in the blood of the Christ——-are you confirmed, sealed and properly dressed? Are you ready to meet the Father of the Groom?
But the last thing Jesus said in this parable is perhaps the most surprising: “For many are invited, but few are chosen.” The invitation has gone out to all who care to listen, but some just refused, and some wanted to come but refused to put on wedding clothes. Those Jesus refers to the "chosen" as the people who respond to the invitation to come, and respond in the proper manner so that they are prepared to enter the kingdom. God is sad, but not surprised by the acceptance of some and the rejection of most—He created us to make up our own minds by giving us a free will.
In Jesus’ experience the invitation to the glorious banquet has been extended to the Jews first, those who had the promise of the covenant, the kingdom, and the King; but they refused. But then Jesus began to turn to the others, and as many as believed in him would enter the kingdom in the place of the others, even if the ones who believed were formerly prostitutes and sinners rather than scholars and sages.
More people will reject the invitation, or fail to meet the requirement of humbly placing their faith in Christ, than those who are the chosen ones, that is, those who truly believe and enter the kingdom. Did you hear that? And more will reject us the time grows short, as well. We must carry the invitation to the world, even if the world might refuse the invitation we present, or even treat us violently.
“For many are invited, but few are chosen.” Matthew 22:1-14, NIV
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