The Parable of The Wedding Feast
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Introduction
Have you ever been an honored guest at an event?…
Review/Preview
Jesus has returned to the temple after “cleansing it”
He drove out the merchants,
He overturned the tables of the money changers
He knocked over the seats of those selling pigeons
He called the temple “a den of robbers” rather than a “house of prayer”
Now that he has returned to the temple, in 21:3, we read that the “chief priests and elders if the people” challenged His authority. He pointed to John the Baptist and, while technically refusing to answer, clearly implied that His authority, as well as John’s came from God.
He then tells them 3 parables, two of which we went over when we were last in our series.
The parable of the 2 sons and the parable of the tenants
Both of these pointed to the rejection by the nation of its messiah.
They also both pointed to the giving of the messiah to another people.
Today’s text points to the
Begin Point 1
And again Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying,
Once again, we have a parable.
a parable is a story meant to illustrate a point.
remember, not every element of a parable has to represent something and it is not meant to be a perfect illustration but instead to make the point.
This parable is given to “them”
This group includes both the political and religious leaders of Israel, and the people as represented by their leaders.
“The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son,
As we discussed earlier, this parable does not include an explanation. It doesn’t need one.
The setting of the story makes the interpretation clear, especially when you understand His audience.
PARABLE SETTING: Kingdom of Heaven
What is it?
COMPARISON: A king throws a celebration
Wedding feast
ex. royal wedding
ANE Wedding
Week long or more celebration (King’s son)
Guests invited and accepted in advance
Guests were people of means
King would provide all food and lodging for guests
THE STORY…
and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come.
The King is snubbed
Snub 1, guests don’t arrive when invited
King’s response (1), send out servants to remind guests
Snub 2, guests don’t come, even when reminded
Again he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.” ’
Kings response (2), send out other servants, emphasizing that there place has been set/prepared
But they paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business,
Snub 3, guests are preoccupied with the things of life
while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them.
Snub 3B, invited guests, kill servants
Meaning of parable
Because of the audience, location, and context, the elements of the story are easily identified
The King: God
The invited guests: Israel’s leaders and people
The servants: The prophets (including John the Baptist and Jesus)
ISSUES AT STAKE:
Israel thought they were part of the Kingdom of Heaven by birthright
Israel had been given a unique privilege of having access to the message of God (the invitation)
This privilege does not mean that these “invited guests” don’t need to actually attend the wedding celebration.
I. There is no one who is part of the kingdom of heaven who is exempt from its’ requirements (1-6)
I. There is no one who is part of the kingdom of heaven who is exempt from its’ requirements (1-6)
You might be saying that this situation no longer exists.
You are right to a degree, but the issues at stake do.
The Jewish people no longer have the privilege as “invited guests”
History has not changed, God’s people are now contained within the visible church, including both Jews and Gentiles.
Yet within the visible church, I fear there are many who, like the Jewish people that Jesus is confronting, don’t actually follow Jesus
They trust in the fact that they “prayed a prayer” or have always been a Christian. They are part of a church. etc.
The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.
The King’s response (3)
The kings responds now as most would expect an ANE king to respond to being disrespected, insulted, and receiving an attack against His household. He destroys them and their city.
Notes: Troops better translation than “army”
Reminder: Not everything in a parable has to hold meaning. Some hold to the idea that this destruction of their city is a prophecy of the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. Though the city was destroyed, this does not seem to be a prophecy.
Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy.
The king then explains to His servants that they were not worthy.
In the story, worthy does not equate to being worthy for salvation for no one is “worthy except through Jesus.
The invited guests had the opportunity to be “worthy” but they failed to allow the king to provide.
In the story, the king was providing the celebration.
In the Kingdom of Heaven, God is providing salvation
In both situations, the King provides it all
II. Those who don’t meet the requirements for the kingdom are not able to partake of its’ blessings (7-8)
II. Those who don’t meet the requirements for the kingdom are not able to partake of its’ blessings (7-8)
Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.’
TRANSLATION: Since those who should have been “worthy” were not, go invite the “unworthy” instead
These are those who did not have the privilege of hearing God’s message are now going to hear it.
And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests.
These servants are now the church
Those who meet the requirements are welcomed to the Kingdom of Heaven
III. The kingdom is made up of the unworthy who are made worthy by the King (9-10)
III. The kingdom is made up of the unworthy who are made worthy by the King (9-10)
“But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment.
And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless.
Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
For many are called, but few are chosen.”
IV. Not all who are in the visible church are part of the kingdom but their punishment will be the same as those who are outside of it (11-14)
IV. Not all who are in the visible church are part of the kingdom but their punishment will be the same as those who are outside of it (11-14)
Gospel
Be on guard for those who are not of the kingdom but are in the church
These can be destructive false teachers
These can be people who misunderstand the requirements of kingdom citizens
These can be people who truly are part of the kingdom but require teaching.
1 on 1 discipleship
Confront sin