In previous blog posts, we discussed several parables told by the Lord during the final days before His crucifixion. We looked at the parable of the two sons and the parable of the wicked tenants. Both parables address the disobedience of Israel — and specifically that of the religious leaders.
The parable that follows — the royal wedding — does not stand in isolation. Once again, servants are sent out; once again, they are rejected and killed; and once again, judgment follows. Yet this parable goes further, revealing what happens next: others are called, and the wedding hall is filled.
Jesus answered
Matthew 22 (based on ISA)
1 And Jesus answered and spoke to them again in parables, saying:
The fact that this parable follows directly from the previous one is evident from the very first words: “Jesus answered.” At the end of chapter 21, the chief priests and Pharisees had realized that Jesus was speaking about them in the parable of the wicked tenants. They wanted to arrest Him but feared the crowd (21:45–46). In response, Jesus speaks to them again in parables. The parable of the royal wedding is, therefore, a response to their rejection.
A common thread
A clear thread runs through these parables. In the parable of the laborers in the vineyard, we saw that the last become first and the first become last. Regarding the two sons, those who initially said “no” ultimately took precedence over those who said “yes.” And in the case of the wicked vinedressers, the Kingdom was taken away from the original stewards and given to another nation. In this parable, we see once again that those originally called do not take their place, and others are called instead.
the Kingdom of the heavens
2 The Kingdom of the heavens is like a man, a king, who prepared a wedding feast for his son.
As we saw at the beginning of this series, the parables speak of the secrets or mysteries of the Kingdom of the heavens (Matt. 13:11). The Kingdom had been announced to Israel and the King had come, but He was rejected. Therefore, the Kingdom would not be revealed at that time. The parables reveal what would happen to the Kingdom during the time it remains hidden. We must read this parable from that perspective as well.
The imagery is simple. There is a king who prepares a wedding feast for his son. The king represents God, and the son is Christ. In the previous parable, the owner of the vineyard ultimately sent his son to the tenant farmers. They said, “This is the heir,” and killed him (21:37-39). Here, the subject is once again that Son, but now a wedding feast is being prepared for Him.
a wedding feast
Why is the future Kingdom portrayed as a wedding feast? The imagery of marriage runs like a common thread through Scripture. The covenant that YAHWEH made with Israel is, in fact, portrayed as a marriage covenant. YAHWEH is Israel’s Husband:
Isaiah 54 (based on ISA)
5 For your Maker is your Husband; YAHWEH of hosts is His Name.
Israel is the wife. When the people pursue other gods, this is consequently described as adultery. Jeremiah says, for example:
Jeremiah 3 (based on ISA)
20 Surely, just as a woman faithlessly leaves her companion, so have you acted faithlessly toward Me, O house of Israel, says YAHWEH.
The old covenant was thus a marriage covenant between YAHWEH and Israel. But Israel was unfaithful to her Husband, and the covenant was broken. Yet that is not the end of the story. The prophets announce a new covenant. That new covenant, too, is described in terms of a marriage. Hosea says regarding Israel:
Hosea 2 (based on ISA)
19 And I will take you as My bride for the eon, and I will take you as My bride in righteousness and in justice, and in loving-kindness and in compassions.
20 And I will take you as My bride in faithfulness, and you shall be
Knowing YAHWEH
Isaiah uses the same imagery, stating that just as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so God will rejoice over Israel (Isa. 62:4–5). The wedding in the parable thus points to the future restoration of Israel and the establishment of the New Covenant. At that time, the Kingdom spoken of by the prophets will also be revealed. Indeed, throughout Scripture, we find the image of the wedding associated with that future era.
the called
Matthew 22 (based on ISA)
3 And he sent his slaves to call those who had been called to the wedding, but they refused to come.
Most translations speak of “invited guests” here, but the literal text says “the called.” That word is significant because it reappears at the end of the parable: “For many are called, but few are chosen” (:14).
Moreover, there is a remarkable detail here. The slaves are sent out to call “the called”. They had, therefore, already been invited and were now being summoned to actually attend the wedding.
It is not difficult to determine from the context who these “called” ones are. It refers to Israel. They were the people with whom YAHWEH had established His covenant and to whom the promises of the Kingdom had been given. Paul states that the Israelites possess “the covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God, and the promises” (Rom. 9:4).
For centuries, God had sent His prophets to the people. And when the time had come, the specific call went out that the announced Kingdom had drawn near. John the Baptist proclaimed:
“Repent, for the Kingdom of the heavens has drawn near” (Matt. 3:2). Later, Jesus proclaimed the exact same message (Matt. 4:17). The King was in the midst of His people. What had been promised for centuries had drawn near.
they refused to come
But those who were invited do not heed the call:
“…and they refused to come.”
Here, we see the same pattern as in the preceding parables. The second son said he would do his father’s will but failed to do so. The tenants mistreated the servants sent to them and ultimately even killed the owner’s son. And here, those who had already been invited to the wedding are called upon to come, yet they refuse.
That last point is significant. It does not say that they misunderstood the invitation or that they were unable to come. They refused. The Kingdom had been announced, the King had arrived, and they were called to receive Him; yet Israel — and the leaders of the people in particular — rejected Him.
Yet God’s call to Israel does not end there. The king sends out other servants once more. Even after the Son has been rejected, the call continues to go out: everything is ready — come to the wedding. We will see this in the next blog post.