“And Again, Jesus Spoke to Them in Parables.”

“And again Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son, and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come.”  (Matthew 22:1-3 ESV).

 Before we delve into the meaning of this parable in Matthew 22:1-14, let’s define what a parable is and why Jesus used them in his earthly teachings. So, let’s define a parable as “a teaching aid that illustrates spiritual truths by using familiar earthly items or activities.” This was a standard method of teaching by Jewish Rabbis in the 1^st century. Just as we do today, when we use everyday activities to help explain spiritual truths. I think most of us understand the concept of parables, but one thing we often get wrong is trying to extend the parable's intended use way past its limits. We take the illustration or example of some earthly activity and try to take it to its earthly logical conclusion, which was not the point of the parable or illustration.

When we read the Parables that Jesus used, we need to keep in mind two essential things. 1) Jesus was teaching Old Covenant Jews, and not every parable He used was meant for New Covenant believers. 2) We must not force the parables to answer questions that Jesus was not addressing. We need to see the parable for what it was intended to be, an example explaining a specific spiritual truth. By the way, we need to do that today as well with our Bible teachers and preachers. We must not take the illustration or example that they use to a far-reaching “logical” conclusion. Take them for what they were intended to be: an example or illustration to help explain a specific spiritual truth. Don’t try to make it answer every theological question you can imagine.

Jesus has been speaking to a general audience, including his disciples, the Chief Priests and Pharisees, the Jewish elders, and “the people”. So, His audience was very mixed, but all were Jewish, which is why He chose to use this parable that his Jewish audience would immediately relate to.

In this parable of the Marriage Feast in Matthew 22:1-14, what was Jesus trying to convey to his listeners? If you will remember back in Matthew 21:45, we read “When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he was speaking about them.”;  and were furious about the truth Jesus was teaching about the Kingdom of God being taken away from the Jewish leaders and being extended to the Gentiles. They refused to accept that the message that Jesus was preaching was condemning the Jewish leadership and was extending salvation to any who would accept His gift of eternal life.

This specific parable was once again to let his listeners know that it was God, the King, who was preparing the wedding feast for His Son. The people had nothing to do with making the feast happen; it was not dependent on them doing anything to make the feast ready; it was all on the order and command of the King. This, in and of itself, was a direct charge against the Jewish leaders, who constantly preached that it was the people’s responsibility to keep the Law in order to be worthy of God.

This parable is teaching the complete opposite. We read that the initial call to those who were invited to the wedding feast, the Jews, and that it was time and they should come. This, of course, was God calling “His Lost Sheep”, the Jews, to accept His beloved Son, Jesus. However, we see that “they were unwilling to come”; they refused to accept Jesus as the promised Messiah. The invitation was then extended to a greater audience, and the King commanded, “Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.”

At this point, this parable becomes personal to us Gentiles; God’s invitation of salvation through His Son has been extended to us as well as to the Jews. That’s why the Apostle Paul says in Galatians 3:28, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Because of what Jesus has done, all are invited to the Kingdom of God, or, as is stated in this parable, to the Wedding Feast.

But the question that faces each of us is, what is our response to this personal invitation that God is extending to us? Will we be like the initial group of invitees, “But they paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business,” and ignore the invitation of Salvation by Grace through faith in the Lord Jesus?

We know what happens to all who refuse to accept the gift of salvation: they will stand before the Great White Throne of Judgement and be judged by their deeds, and will all be found guilty of their sins, and will be cast into the lake of fire and brimstone for all of eternity.

But, my friend, this does not have to be your fate! You can accept the invitation to the Wedding Feast that God has prepared, you may come as a guest of the Son, and have everlasting life, all because of what Jesus has done.

Accept the invitation today; tomorrow may be too late.

"Living in Grace is not about what I can do, but about what Jesus has already done!"