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The King’s Invitation
It’s one thing to have a wedding. It’s another thing for a king to have a wedding. And to be invited to a wedding put on by a king for his own son would have been a very high honor indeed. The wedding imagery there, particularly of the son, is, of course, an obvious reference to the relationship between Jesus and His church (Rev. 21:2, 9; Eph. 5:21–23).
Read Matthew 22:1–8. How does this part of the parable fit in with what we saw in the preceding chapter? What same theme appears?
Notice, too, how all the preparations were done by the king: he arranged for the marriage, he prepared the dinner, he had the animals slain. Indeed, “all things are ready: come unto the marriage” was the message. In the end, all the people had to do was accept what was offered them.
Notice, too, the things that caused the people to scorn the invitation. Some made light of it: that is, they just didn’t take it seriously, didn’t think it mattered, didn’t think it important. That could symbolize those today who just don’t take the claims of God seriously, who for various reasons never open themselves up to truth. Others “went their ways.” Jesus said that the path to salvation is narrow (Matt. 7:14); people can find all sorts of excuses to avoid and reject the invitation. For others, it was simply the lure of material things. And finally, while some just ignored the invitation, others actually persecuted those who gave the it. Whatever the reason, they all were left out. Think, too, about the words of the king, saying that those who had rejected the invitation “were not worthy.” How do we understand that, in light of the universality of all human sin and sinfulness? Are any of us really worthy to be invited to the king’s feast? In the end, as we’ll see, “worthiness” in the biblical sense comes from what Christ does for us; our worthiness is not in ourselves but in what we allow God to do for us—and in us.
Of the reasons given above for those who rejected the invitation, which one do you find the most difficult to deal with in your own life? What promises can you claim that will enable you to resist it?
| MONDAY | June 6 |
It’s one thing to have a wedding. It’s another thing for a king to have a wedding. And to be invited to a wedding put on by a king for his own son would have been a very high honor indeed. The wedding imagery there, particularly of the son, is, of course, an obvious reference to the relationship between Jesus and His church (Rev. 21:2, 9; Eph. 5:21–23).
Read Matthew 22:1–8. How does this part of the parable fit in with what we saw in the preceding chapter? What same theme appears?
Notice, too, how all the preparations were done by the king: he arranged for the marriage, he prepared the dinner, he had the animals slain. Indeed, “all things are ready: come unto the marriage” was the message. In the end, all the people had to do was accept what was offered them.
Notice, too, the things that caused the people to scorn the invitation. Some made light of it: that is, they just didn’t take it seriously, didn’t think it mattered, didn’t think it important. That could symbolize those today who just don’t take the claims of God seriously, who for various reasons never open themselves up to truth. Others “went their ways.” Jesus said that the path to salvation is narrow (Matt. 7:14); people can find all sorts of excuses to avoid and reject the invitation. For others, it was simply the lure of material things. And finally, while some just ignored the invitation, others actually persecuted those who gave the it. Whatever the reason, they all were left out. Think, too, about the words of the king, saying that those who had rejected the invitation “were not worthy.” How do we understand that, in light of the universality of all human sin and sinfulness? Are any of us really worthy to be invited to the king’s feast? In the end, as we’ll see, “worthiness” in the biblical sense comes from what Christ does for us; our worthiness is not in ourselves but in what we allow God to do for us—and in us.
Of the reasons given above for those who rejected the invitation, which one do you find the most difficult to deal with in your own life? What promises can you claim that will enable you to resist it?
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