Matthew 22:1 – 6

Parable of Wedding Feast 1

1 And Jesus answered and spoke to them again by parables and said:

2 “The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son,

3 and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; and they were not willing to come.

4 Again, he sent out other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding.” ’

5 But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business.

6 And the rest seized his servants, treated them spitefully, and killed them.

This parable is told to the multitudes in general, Mark in his account tells us after the parable of the “Wicked Vinedressers”, the chief priests and Pharisees left the presence of Jesus.

This parable shows the attitude of the Jews toward the “kingdom of heaven,” Jesus' church, as compared with that of the Gentiles.

Jesus chose a very familiar subject for this parable, a marriage and a feast which was given to the guests.

The invitations had been sent out, shortly before the date of the wedding the ones invited (Jews) were reminded the date of the wedding was near and for them to be present. The Jews had been told through out the Old Testament the kingdom of heaven was going to be set up but no definite date was given for its establishment.

When it became time for the establishment of the church, the Jews refused to enter and enjoy the benefits of the spiritual marriage to Christ.

The invited guests (Jews) did not take the servants (prophets) seriously or thought their was no need to rush. So the king (God) sent more servants (prophets) to beg them to heed the messages and to tell them the wedding was imminent. The Jews were begged to accept the kingdom of Christ but they did not show any inclination to do so.

Some of those who were invited showed they were more interested in their worldly possessions than in their spiritual welfare.

Others of the Jews were not only uninterested in the kingdom of Christ but they took an active opposition to the church and its preparation, they persecuted and killed prophets, John the Baptist, the apostles, and even the son (Jesus).

God wants everyone, whether Jew or Gentile to have salvation. To have salvation we must accept Jesus as the bridegroom and become part of His church (kingdom) to be wed to Jesus in spiritual matrimony.

The church is married to Christ.

(Romans7:4[Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another—to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God.])