Matthew 22:1-14
Jesus again in reply spoke to the chief priests and elders of the people in parables, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son. He dispatched his servants to summon the invited guests to the feast, but they refused to come.
A second time he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those invited: “Behold, I have prepared my banquet, my calves and fattened cattle are killed, and everything is ready; come to the feast.”‘
Some ignored the invitation and went away, one to his farm, another to his business. The rest laid hold of his servants, mistreated them, and killed them. The king was enraged and sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. Then he said to his servants, ‘The feast is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy to come. Go out, therefore, into the main roads and invite to the feast whomever you find.’
The servants went out into the streets and gathered all they found, bad and good alike, and the hall was filled with guests. But when the king came in to meet the guests, he saw a man there not dressed in a wedding garment.
The king said to him, ‘My friend, how is it that you came in here without a wedding garment?’ But he was reduced to silence. Then the king said to his attendants, ‘Bind his hands and feet, and cast him into the darkness outside, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.’
Many are called, but few are chosen.
BACKGROUNDER
The mystery of God’s choice for us is beyond our understanding. There is no way to predict how God will make himself known to us until we experience it. But how we respond is up to us.
The parable of the wedding feast tells of people who had been invited, but who refuse to come. The king actually wanted them to come, but they refused because they were preoccupied with their own agendas. Their excuses sound legitimate: tending to their farms or businesses. Innocent enough, but indicating that they are living life as if they were the centre of the world, not God.
The king then chooses whoever can be gathered by his servants – good and bad alike. How surprising that our worth or lack of worth are not what saves us. Rather, it’s God’s choice. But accepting the invitation is not straightforward. The guests must have their heart in it. The proper wedding garments, provided by the host, indicate a heart ready to celebrate.
The one guest not wearing the festive robe would have actually to cast it aside. An ungrateful heart is evident in this attitude.
But what about us today? We are neither the Jewish leaders of Jesus’s time, nor are we characters in a story. Yet our hearts may be reflected in this parable. Jesus tells us that all are welcome: our worthiness doesn’t matter. This point may challenge established Christians to open our hearts and minds.
For we are also being sent out to gather people in. We are not to screen people by their worthiness. Rather we are to invite all we meet to the joy of the heavenly banquet. God chooses you and me, and invites us to share this joy.