Matthew 22:1-10

Matthew 22:1-10

And after Jesus answered He again spoke in a parable to them while saying, “The kingdom of heaven was being compared to a human king, who made a wedding celebration for his son.  And he sent out his slaves to call the ones who have been summoned to the wedding celebration.  And they were not desiring to come.  Again He sent other slaves while saying, ‘Tell the ones who have been summoned: Behold! I have prepared my meal!  My oxen and fatted calves that have been slaughter and everything else is ready.  Come into the wedding celebration!’  And the ones who paid no attention to him went away – in one case into his own field, in another case into his own trade, and the remaining ones who seized his slaves mistreated and killed them.  And the king became angry and sent his army to destroy those murderers and he set their city ablaze.  Then he says to his slaves, ‘In one case the wedding celebration is prepared.  But in the other case the ones who have been summoned were not worthy.  Therefore journey out upon the major places of travel upon the roads and call as many as you should find into the wedding celebration.’  And those servants who went out into the roads assembled all who they found: evil and good.  And the wedding celebrants who came to eat were being filled.”

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

This is now the second parable in close proximity in which we hear about the slaves who are sent out being mistreated and killed.  I think that this is a point worth taking to heart.  First, notice that the king (in this case) or the vineyard owner (in the prior case) didn’t have trouble sending out the servants – or even more servants after there was trouble with the first group!  The reality is that if we are going to give ourselves to God, there will be trouble with the world.  I’m not saying that we will be killed.  But the truth is that God doesn’t only want us going where we are absolutely and completely safe.  God sent His Son into the den of murderers so that He would die.  Second, notice that the slaves don’t have an issue going.  Once more we see that the slaves are obedient.  Even in the face of persecution they are obedient.  In truth, what is even death when we have the promise of eternal life waiting for us?

Are you one of God’s slaves?  Are you willing to be sent out and sacrificed for the sake of His kingdom?

Second Thought:

Notice that the phrase used again and again in this passage for those who don’t come to the wedding celebration is “the ones who have been summoned.”  This is a perfect tense.  This means that the invitation was something established in the past.  These people have been invited for some time.  Those who reject the king’s invitation aren’t being surprised and caught off-guard by the invitation.  They have been invited.  They are rejecting an invitation that they knew full well about!  Furthermore, look at why they reject the invitation.  They are interested in their own homes and farms.  They are interested in their own businesses and making money.  In other words, they are interested in their own life.  They don’t want whatever the king is offering.  They want to live their own life in their own way.  Accepting the invitation of the king first and foremost means being willing to give up your own life and interests for when you are with the king.

Have you been invited to the presence of the king?  Have you accepted the invitation?  When is the lure of the world strong as it calls you back into your own interests and away from the invitation of the king?

Third Thought:

I love the shock value of the end of this parable.  Jesus is blunt.  Those who are good and evil come and sit around the wedding celebration with the king.  At first, I am guessing that your initial reaction to this is similar to mine.  How is it that the evil can be invited to God’s wedding celebration?  But as soon as I type that, I have to be honest with myself.  Am I really all that good?  Is evil close at hand in me?  Of course.  Is sin just a thought away?  Of course.  Am I always fighting that battle between righteousness and unrighteousness?  Of course.  The truth is that if I want to be honest, I fit more into the camp of the “evil ones” than the “good ones.”  God is working on me, and I pray that I am becoming more like Him.  But I cannot deny that my flesh is corrupt and my nature is sin.  So what right do I have to be surprised to hear that the good and the evil are invited to the wedding celebration?  If the evil were prohibited, would the invitation actually be extended to me?

Where do you see yourself fitting in on the spectrum of good and evil?  Were you initially shocked to read that both good and evil were gathered to the wedding feast?  Why is this an important point in this parable?

Passage for Tomorrow: Matthew 22:11-14