(An Exegesis of Matthew 22: 2 –14 NKJV)
Estimated reading time: 5 minutes.
And Jesus answered and spoke to them again by parables and said: 2 “The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son, 3 and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; and they were not willing to come. 4 Again, he sent out other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding.”’ 5 But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business. 6 And the rest seized his servants, treated them spitefully, and killed them. 7 But when the king heard about it, he was furious. And he sent out his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. 8 Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. 9 Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.’ 10 So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests.
11 “But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. 12 So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
14 “For many are called, but few are chosen.”
Preface
All of holy Scripture is a challenge. The very nature of God’s communication to humankind will eliminate insincere and halfhearted seekers of truth. The Preacher tells us, “it is the glory of God to conceal the thing, but the honor of kings is to search out a matter” (Prov 25:2). The Apostle speaks many times of “the mystery” (Rom 16:25-26); meaning, of course, that truth revealed only to the initiate. The initiated are those who have believed on Christ and have received a true conversion of the soul, thereby producing a new creature (2 Corinthians 2:7-16) both in heart (will) and mind (knowledge). The Apostle expounds on this very point in 1 Corinthians 2:7-16. This passage reads, in part: “ But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory,…. But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God..… no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. 13 These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15 But he who is spiritual judges all things,… we have the mind of Christ.”
The parables of Jesus are hidden mysteries placed in the path of a generation of king-priest (1 Peter 2:9; Revelation 5:10) for them to demonstrate honor by searching the matter out. The disciples came to Jesus and ask, “Why do You speak to them in parables?” He answered and said unto them, “Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given ....” (Matt 13:10-11). The challenge is for the disciples to search out the truths hidden within the mysteries.
Introduction
The particular challenge presented by this parable is the presence of an individual at the wedding feast without the proper wedding garment. However, this article will show the marriage feast, to which this guest was invited, not to be the Marriage Supper of the Lamb (Rev 19:7-8), as so many have assumed.
An honest study of Scripture requires that the student harmonize all passages on a given subject. Therefore, to understand the marriage feast parable of Matthew 22:2-14 to be referencing the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, as recorded in Revelation 19:7-9, is to bring disharmony to the subject. Disharmony, because the Marriage Supper of Revelation 19 takes place after the resurrection and the rapture of the church. Therefore, to have an individual coming forth in the resurrection (or being caught up in the rapture) who was unprepared, is just not in harmony with the balance of Scripture which states: “the dead in Christ shall rise first….” (1 Thessalonians 4:16). This passage presupposes that those who have not died in Christ will not rise at his coming.
The purpose of this study is to set forth an understanding of Matthew 22:2-14 that will be in harmony with all the Bible teaches concerning the believers, the resurrection, the rapture and the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.
Commentary
Verse One: And Jesus answered and spoke to them again by parables.
A parable is an earthly story with a heavenly meaning. It was Jesus’ favorite manner of teaching. His disciples asked Him why He spoke to them in parables (Matt 13:10-13). Their Teacher’s answer was profound and worthy of our attention. Jesus answered the questioners by stating: “Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.” In other words Jesus said that the purpose of His parables were twofold: To reveal and, also, to conceal. To reveal to the initiated, but to conceal from the uninitiated.
Verse Two: The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son.
The phrase, “kingdom of heaven” is a common statement of Christ’s, as quoted by Matthew. Some writers have suggested that the terms “kingdom of heaven” and “kingdom of God” have different meanings. However, the two terms mean the same thing; only the writer’s preference is indicated. Matthew almost exclusively uses “kingdom of heaven” while, in contrast, Mark, Luke and John almost exclusively use “kingdom of God.” It is interesting to note, however, that “kingdom of heaven” is particular to Matthew because Matthew wrote to a Jewish community. The Jews had an aversion (then, as now) to the use of the term “God” for fear of taking the name of God in vain. It was a position on Exodus 20:7 that boarded on superstition.
Is like. This phrase is common to Christ’s teachings. Jesus is telling us that the story we are about to read is to be understood allegorically.
A certain king. Christ’s reference to “a certain king” allegorically identifies Yahweh. So, in that Yahweh making a marriage for His Son speaks of the union of deity with humanity. The marriage of God to flesh in Mary’s womb pre-shadowed the marriage of Christ to the Church (Ephesians chapter 5). This wedding, of which Jesus speaks, in its truest meaning, is not a marriage in the conventional sense, but rather a bonding, a union, if you would, of the King with His Kingdom. A wedding of subjects to their King. (One should note the parable’s stress on the need for guests.) When we view the marriage as an inauguration, as the putting forth of the Son as King, then the importance of the guests becomes apparent, and paramount. That is to say, without the guests, there could be no marriage. Consequently then, as we have seen in the parable, the lack of guests prevented the marriage.
Throughout Israel’s history she was betrothed to Yahweh, thus, the wife of Yahweh. Biblically, so little difference exists between betrothal and marriage that although Mary was only espouse to Joseph the angel referred to her as his wife (Matt 1:20). Israel’s betrothal to God is illustrated by the fact that any time she went after other gods it was considered spiritual adultery (Jeremiah chapter 3).
Yahweh’s husband/wife relationship with Israel was damaged by their rejection of Him as their HOUSE-BAND (husband), in favor of earthly kings. “They have rejected me,” Yahweh said, “that I should not reign over them ... they have forsaken me, and serve other gods” (1 Sam 8:7-8), said Yahweh. This was considered fornication, and even adultery. It forced Yahweh to threaten them with a bill of divorce (Jeremiah chapter 3). Although Yahweh’s courtship with Israel had been stormy (Israel kept leaving, Yahweh would punish her but always take her back. See the book of Hosea.), He was not yet ready to put her away for good, now, with the coming of Yahweh in the flesh, in the person of Christ Jesus, the marriage was ready.
The carnal state of man stood in the way of the acceptance of a spiritual King; so, the spiritual King condescended to the kingdom of men, inviting them to share His throne. “To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne,” the Kings said (Rev 3:21). Although His kingdom would not be of this world (John 18:36), He would offer them a King– a Husband- that they could see and touch. As Yahweh put on His wedding garment (namely: flesh, John 1:1-3, 14; 1 John 1:1-2; Phil 2:5-11), God’s hope was made clear: That which Israel rejected as invisible, they would, perhaps, accept being visible (1 Tim 3:16; Col 1:15).
Verse Three: ... and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; and they were not willing to come.
The servants of the king, in this analogy, would be such as: John the Baptist and the Seventy Disciples of Christ’s.
John the Baptist came from the wilderness for the express purpose of introducing the Son of God to Israel. Here, we read his testimony: “I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water” (John 1:31). Upon witnessing the sign promised by God (the dove descending and remaining) the Baptists exclaimed, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29). Truly, John was the “messenger” sent before the face of Yahweh (Matthew 11:10; Isaiah 40:3). A messenger, to turn the hearts of the children to their fathers (Mal 4:5-6). He was a “man sent from God” (John 1:6), whose mission it was to bring those that were bidden (Israel) to the marriage. His invitation was simple, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!”
(Matthew 3:2).
After the Baptizer’s departure, the seventy disciples of Christ travel the countryside, preparing each city and hamlet to receive the Gospel of the Kingdom (Luke 10:1-16; Matt 4: 23; 24:14).
The Baptist and the Seventy attempted to furnish the wedding with guest from among those who were “bidden.” Jesus, Himself, said: “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matt. 15:24). In giving His servants (the Disciples) instructions concerning whom to invite into the Kingdom, Jesus said, “Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans. 6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” (Matt 10: 5-6). The message on the Disciples’ invitations read the same as on the Baptist’s, “REPENT, THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS AT HAND” (Matt. 3:2; 10:7; Mark 1:15). Or, to put the words into the spirit of the parable, “Turn from (repent) the kingdom of sin unto the Kingdom of God, because the marriage is ready (the Kingdom is at hand).”
That those who were bidden would not come is sadly attested to by John the Evangelist as he writes about John the Baptist: “There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe… He (The Light) came to His own (Israel) and His own did not receive him” (John 1:6, 7, 11). We can hear the disappointment in the young Prince’s voice as He laments over those who have been bidden: “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, ... How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing!” (Luke 13:34 ESV).
To be continued
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The Apocalypse, is the introduction to the biblical book of Revelation. Here Bishop Hayes also gives a verse by verse commentary of the first three chapters of the Apostle John's Revelation of Jesus Christ, covering the letters addressed to the seven churches of Asia Minor. The Bible student will thrill at the Bishop's easy evangelistic style of presenting deep and unique truths never before published. In this study a wealth of information will be shared with the disciples of Christ on each verse of this great manuscript.
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