The Kingdom invitation
The multitudes thought Jesus was a prophet. The elders, scribes, chief priests and Pharisees were plotting to kill him, but feared the people. The Lord knew what they were thinking. He answered thoughts and words they had never expressed in public. He showed the danger of their attitudes in the parable of the wedding feast (Matthew 22:1-14; Luke 14:12-24).
The parable was told on a Sabbath day when Jesus was invited into the house of one of the rulers of the Pharisees to eat. The Pharisees watched our Lord closely that day to see if he would do anything they could criticize. Jesus healed a man with dropsy. He also taught them to take the lesser, rather than the greater, seats, which would prevent the embarrassment of being asked to go down to a lower seat. Instead, they would be exalted by being asked to move up to a better seat. He told them to invite those to their feasts who could not invite them to a feast in return. Such actions will be repaid in eternity.
Wedding invitations were sent out weeks in advance. The recipients had plenty of time to make plans to attend. Jesus also knew the invitation to a banquet was extended days in advance. The exact day would be set, with the time to be determined as the final meal preparations were made. When everything was ready, the one giving the banquet would send for the invited guests.
The Jews, in much the same way, had been told of the coming Messiah for years. God and the prophets had been speaking and writing of this king and his kingdom since the beginning of time (Genesis 3:15; Deuteronomy 18:15; Isaiah 9:6-7; Daniel 2:36-45). There was no reason for them to be unprepared for the Lord’s entrance into the world.
The king observed a man without a wedding garment. He asked him how he came to be there without wearing the proper garment. McGarvey says the fact that the man was speechless shows he was without excuse. He was responsible for his own lack of preparation. This guest seems to represent those who accept the gospel call but choose not to live in accord with the Lord’s will. Demas would be an example of one who worked on the Lord’s side but later abandoned it for worldly pursuits (Colossians 4:14; Philemon 24; 2 Tim. 4:10). We must put off the old man and put on the new man (Ephesians 4:17-24).
Christ concluded, "For many are called, but few are chosen.” The gospel invitation is for all (Matthew 11:28-30; Revelation 22:17; Acts 10:34-35; Romans 1:16). Jesus sent his disciples into all the world with the saving message. Anyone who believes and puts on Christ in penitent baptism will be saved from his past sins (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16; Luke 24:46-48). Not all will accept the invitation. Some, like the first guests invited to the marriage of the king’s son, make light of God’s call. Others have beaten, persecuted and killed his messengers. Because of their refusal, they will be barred from the wonderful feast in God’s eternal kingdom.
Our various rationalizations regarding our failure to respond to God’s invitation will not be accepted. The excuse makers in the parable showed they cared more for their personal business than the feast. Even the one who had married a wife placed his relationship with his wife, which apparently was not in jeopardy, above honoring a commitment to his friend. Accepting the Lord’s invitation is paramount. We must act now lest we come to a time when we can no longer accept it.
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