LESSON 7
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW
CHPTRS. 20-24
CHAPTER 22
Matthew 22:1-46
Matt. 22:1-14 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.7 “But when the king heard about it, he was furious. And he sent out his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.8 “Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy.9 ‘Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.’10 “So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests.11 “But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment.12 “So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless.13 “Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’14 “For many are called, but few are chosen.”
22:1-14 THE PARABLE OF THE MARRIAGE FEAST And again Yah Shua answers by parables, wording, The sovereigndom of the heavens is likened to a man — a sovereign who works a banquet for his son:and he apostolizes his servants to call those invited to the banquet: and they will to not come. Again, he apostolizes other servants, wording, Word to those invited, Behold, my dinner is prepared: and my bulls and my fatlings are slaughtered and all is prepared: come to the banquet. And they disregard and go — one having a field and another having merchandise: and those remaining take his servants and despise them and slaughter them. And when the sovereign hears, and he angers, and he apostalizes his empowered and destroys those murderers and burns their city. Then he words to his servants, The banquet is prepared and those invited be not worthy: so go to the exit ways, and whoever you are able to find, call to the banquet. And those servants go into the ways and congregate all they are able to find — evil and graced: and the house of banquet fills with those reposing. And the sovereign enters to see those reposing: and sees there a man not clothed in banquet clothing: and he words to him, Comrade, how entered you here, when not having a banquet garment? — and he hushes. Then the sovereign words to the ministers, Bind his hands and his feet and eject him into outer darkness: there being weeping and gnashing of teeth: for many are called and few are selected. Aramaic NC
I. THE PARABLE ANALYZED
A. AN INVITATION SPURNED (1-10)
1. The kingdom of heaven is likened to a wedding feast – Matt 22: 1-2.
a. Isaiah had used the figure of a feast to prophecy of the Messianic age – Is. 25:6.
b. The Book of Revelation describes the marriage of the Lamb– Rev. 19:7.
Revelation 19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.
2. And yet the invitation is spurned.
a. By those indifferent – Matt. 22:3-5
b. By those rebellious – Matt. 22:6 — Jesus may have reference here to the Jewish nation, as He did in the parable of “The Wicked Vinedressers” – Mt 21: 33-46 3. The King’s furious reaction – Matt. 22:7
c. Those who had so callously rejected His invitation, abused His servants, are themselves destroyed.
d. Many understand this to be a prophecy of the destruction of Jerusalem, which occurred in 70 A. D. – Luke 19:41-44
3. The invitation is extended to others – Matt. 22:8-10.
e. As in the parable of the Wicked Vinedressers, the opportunity to enjoy the blessings of the kingdom of God is extended to others – Matt. 21:43.
f. This has reference to the offer of the gospel and the kingdom to the Gentiles – cf. also Matt. 8:5-12
B. A GUEST IMPROPERLY ATTIRED (11-14)
1. Without a wedding garment – Matt. 22:11-12
a. It was customary for the hosts to provide their guests suitable apparel.
b. To not wear the provided garment showed a lack of respect and appreciation.
c. No real excuse could be offered for not wearing one (he was speechless).
2. The King’s furious reaction – Matt. 22:13
a. The seriousness of the insult is seen in the reaction of the king.
b. The punishment described is similar to that found in other parables – Matt. 13:42,50
3. Jesus’ conclusion – Matt. 22:14
a. This summarizes the main point of the entire parable.
b. The invitation (call) of God is extended to many, but few receive it in such a way to be among the chose. This parable was clearly told in response to the rejection of the King’s Son and His Kingdom by the Jewish nation. However, elements of the parable apply to us as well, for the invitation to attend “The Wedding Feast” is still being offered. With that in mind, consider a few more thoughts on.
II. THE PARABLE APPLIED
A. MAKE SURE YOU HAVE NOT SPURNED THE FATHER’S INVITATION?
1. Through indifference?
a. Many people do not know God because of a lack of interest.
b. Yet God has so ordered the affairs of life to encourage faith and interest in Him – Acts 17:26-27; Rom. 1:20; 1 Tim. 2: 3-4
2. Through rebelliousness?
a. There are many who know full well the Father’s invitation.
b. But for whatever reason they rebel against it.
c. In so doing, they despise riches of God’s grace and store up for themselves a less than abundant life.– Rom. 2:6-11.
Who “will render to each one according to his deeds”: 7 eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality; 8 but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness—indignation and trouble, 9 tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the [c]Greek; 10 but glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 11 For there is no partiality with God. Rom. 2:6-11
Certainly all should respond to the Father’s invitation if they desire to enjoy the spiritual blessings of the kingdom of heaven. But as we learn from the parable, there is more.
A. ARE YOU ATTIRED FOR THE WEDDING?
1. Many seek to attend the wedding in apparel of their own choosing.
a.Some, not knowing about the righteousness of God or that they have been made righteous, have sought to establish their own – Rom. 10:1-3 ( which is filthy rags) Isaiah 64:6a But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like [a]filthy rags;
b. People do this today, when they expect salvation on terms different than those taught in the gospel. We are saved by grace through faith in Christ Jesus and not by our own efforts or works (Ephesians 2:8-9).
Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.
1) E.g., trying to obtain salvation based upon their own good works.
2. We must be willing to put on the apparel that God gives us:
a. And we put on Jesus Christ!
1) First and foremost this involves clothing ourselves with Christ. (Which has already been done. We must wake up to that fact.)
2) Which Paul explains – Gal. 3:26-27 –
Galatians 3:26-27 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
b. Notice have put on the new man!
1) Paul applies the figure of putting on a garment to the development of Christian conduct and character –1 Cor. 3: 5-14
2) Do we wish to be found at the wedding feast adorned with the apparel of the old man with his deeds? — Have we realized we have put off the “old man”, and have put on the “new man”?
c. We have “put on” righteous deeds!
1) John described the preparation for glorious wedding of the Lamb– Rev. 19:6-9
2) We understand that the “righteous acts of the saints” are not done to merit salvation – 2 Tim 3:4-5
3) They are done to bring honor to God, and therefore we are to be ever ready and zealous to do good works – cf. Matt. 5:16; — Are you doing what you can to “beautify” the wedding garment? Rev. 9:6 Do you know what you have been given? We cultivate that which has already been given!
Eph. 4:22 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts,23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind,24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.
It is mandatory that we know these things in order to have an abundant life! That we have already received the “put on’s.”
PUT ON
IN SCRIPTURE we are told to put on adornments, but do we really? Anyway, how is this done? What was mankind clothed with originally? The Psalms tell us that we had been crowned or ‘clothed’ with GLORY and honor;
Ps 8:5 Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings (Elohim, God) and crowned him with glory and honor.
Garments/adornments speak of IDENTITY. So, everything we are adorned with is who we are. These are Old Covenant. Actually, you already have these on!
1. STRENGTH (Isa 52:1) Awake! Awake! Put on your strength, Zion; put on your beautiful robes, O Jerusalem, the holy city.
2. ZEAL (Isa 59:17) For He put on righteousness like a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on His head and a cloak of zeal .
3. ARMOR OF GOD- Is 59:17, Eph 6:13-18 (Eph. not really OC but all the verses say having) – We are told to put on everyday but every part is Jesus; you are already clothed in Him.
Eph 6:13-18 Verse 14 says: Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
Having-The PAST PERFECT TENSE indicates that an action was completed (finished or “perfected”) at some point in the past before something else happened. This tense is formed with the past tense form of “to have” (HAD) plus the past participle of the verb.
having girded your waist having shod your feet…
having put on the breastplate of righteousness….
having shod your feet ….
Then taking or take which means right near or on you- you using now what you are given.
taking the shield…
take the helmet….
take the sword of the Spirit…( word coming out of your mouth)
Then praying always with all prayer and supplication- continually.
4. PUT ON CHRIST
Gal. 3:27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
5. NEW MAN
Ephesians 4:24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.
Colossians 3:10 and have (PAST TENSE) put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him,
THIS WAS DONE-SALVATION
5. ROBE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS- Is. 61:10 I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, My soul shall be joyful in my God; For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, And as a wifeadorns herself with her jewels.
6. GARMENT OF PRAISE- Is. 61:3
Garments represent all outward attitudes and external appearances. A garment are the symbol of who we are and how we present ourselves. Garments speak of our outer man, our actions, what others perceive of us.
7. GARMENT OF SALVATION-Is 61:10
8. TENDER MERCIES (kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering ,fruit of Spirit)
9. LOVE
Colossians 3:12-14 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. 14 But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.
1 Thessalonians 5:8-10 But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation. 9 For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.
Colossians 3:12-13 also have advice for us: Clothe yourselves as God’s representatives, by putting on behavior marked by tenderhearted pity and mercy, kind feeling, a lowly opinion of yourselves, gentle ways, and patience. Be gentle and forbearing with one another and, if anyone has a difference against another, readily pardoning each other; even as the Lord has freely forgiven you, so you must also forgive. And above all these put on love…’
10. HUMILITY
1 Peter 5:5 gives instructions on the kind of clothing which is pleasing to our Beloved: ‘Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility for God sets Himself against the proud but gives grace to the humble.’
11. MERCY AND TRUTH
Prov. 3:3-4 Let not mercy and truth forsake you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart,4And so find favor and high esteem In the sight of God and man.
12. THE ADORNMENT OF THE ELECT- These are too many to discuss. To name a few: All of the above and:
· GLORY
· CROWN
· ROD OR SCEPTRE
· JEWELS AND STONES–(Revelation 21:11 KJV) Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal
· FINE LINEN–Revelation 19:7-8 NAS- 7″Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His wife has made herself ready.” 8 It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.
· ROBE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS/BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
Next week I will send a list of what to put on and off and we will discuss what to put off or know that we have put off.
We will continue with Les.7 next week.
The blessings of the Lord are upon you whether by blood, adoption/sonship or assignment. The blessing of the LORD makes a person rich, and he adds no sorrow with it. Prov. 10:22
David & Mary Sue