Matthew 22:1-14

Matthew 22:1-14

There are a great many religions that are more comfortable than Christianity. This parable would not have been very uncomfortable to the original hearers and it ought to strike a discomforting tone for us as well. Parables were not meant to reflect real life, although sometimes they did, they were meant to teach a point and on occasion exaggeration was necessary. To focus on the real life details might cause us to miss the real point of the parable.

In the parable Jesus reemphasizes that the people of Israel, especially their current leadership, were by the rejection of the Messiah going to find themselves “outside” and replaced by other people. This was no fluke accident or oversight. There was a willful rejection of the Messiah. Some were simply indifferent to the Messiah (who by the way had just purified the temple) and some were overtly hostile. In the parable the king responds in two ways to the offense of his invitation being rejected. First was destruction of the cities of those who rejected the Messiah. This was most likely a prophecy of the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. Second was the king calling new people.

The invitation is to the good and evil people. Note this is not an invitation to a group of good people with one evil person, but plenty of both. The gathering of non-Jews at the wedding is the Church. But the king does find one person inappropriately dressed. Stressing the wrong point here will keep us from understanding what Jesus was teaching. Verses 11 through 13 are not about election, predestination or free will. This is about righteousness in the life of a disciple. The wedding garment need not be pressed to be repentance or specific good works; but rather, the Holy life that is appropriate for God's people. In the last parable the tenants were to pay appropriate proceeds. Those in the dinner were to be appropriately dressed for the occasion. Jerusalem was destroyed because of rejection of the Messiah.In the same way there will be in the Church, those who are not part of the community of the chosen ones. And that is seen by the evidence of their lives.

"Lord, grant that in your grace, I will live my life in holiness to your honor. AMEN"