The Parable of the Wedding Banquet

Matthew 22:1-14

Key Verses: 22:1-2

Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son.”

Read verses 1-2.  According to this parable, the kingdom of heaven is like a wedding banquet.  How?  Who is the king?  The son?  Who do these first guests invited represent?

Mt. 22:1-2 reads, “1Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: 2"The Kingdom of Heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son.”

The Kingdom of Heaven is like a wedding banquet in that a wedding banquet is a time of great joy.  It is the time to celebrate to give thanks for the union between two.  In this case the wedding banquet is like the Kingdom of Heaven, because a day is coming when finally man will be reunited with their God in a beautiful love relationship.  Oh what a day!  Our joy will be complete and so will our restoration.  This is God’s plan and will and He does this for the sake of His Son Jesus Christ, who died for us.

The King is God.

The Son is Jesus Christ.

The first guests are the Israelites.  Even though the whole earth belongs to God, the Israelites were God’s chosen and treasured possession.  They were to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. (Exodus 19:5-6)

It is important to note that the Israelites became VIP’s because of God’s calling and choosing on their lives.  Just as in the Temple, only the Israelites could come into the Temple courts to worship; the first guests were given a privileged position by being invited to the Wedding Banquet of the Son.  They did nothing to deserve this privileged position, but they were given this position and honor by God.  In the same way, the king invited these first guests; it was a great honor and privilege.  They did not deserve this, but were given it by the king.

When Princess Diana got married to Prince Charles at Westminster Abbey, only VIP’s could attend this wedding, like kings and Presidents and foreign dignitaries and important people.  The common person was not allowed to attend in person; they had to watch on TV, they were not worthy to attend in person.

Read verses 3-7.  What was the first response of the invited guests to the king's invitation?  What do the king's next actions teach about God? (4)  What does the second response of the invited guests tell us about sinful man? (5)  In verse 6 the ‘rest’ of the invited guests even killed the servants sent to them.  Why do you think they did this?  What did the king do? (7)

Mt. 22:3-7 reads, “3He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come. 4"Then he sent some more servants and said, 'Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.' 5"But they paid no attention and went off—one to his field, another to his business. 6The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. 7The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.”

The first time the guests refused to come.

The king should have been angry at their refusal, but instead he thought that they did not understand what a wonderful and joyful time the wedding banquet was going to be, so he sent some more servants to tell them all the good things that the king had prepared for the wedding banquet.  He especially highlighted the food; people really love the taste of delicious food

This reveals the kings great patience and mercy and grace upon these ungrateful and unthankful guests.

These invited guests really had no idea how valuable a thing it was for them to be invited to this wedding banquet.  Only VIP’s were chosen to attend.

This wedding banquet is an illustration of the day when Christ and the Church will be joined together forever.  This is the culmination of all human history.  Just as marriage is the time when a young man leaves his father and mother to establish his own family; the union between Christ and the Church is the beginning of our eternity with him.

These guests did not understand how privileged they were to be invited to this wonderful banquet and to join in this blessed event.

They remind us of Esau and Jacob.  Esau despised his birthright, not valuing it at all.  He saw no practical benefit from it.  Instead, his stomach growled and to him a bowl of soup was more practical and would solve his hunger at that moment better than the birthright could.  But Jacob saw the true value of the birthright and wanted it at any cost.

These guests really did not know the value or privilege they were given when they were invited.

In the same way, sinful men do not know the value of the invitation God is giving them to repent and believe in Jesus, so that they can have eternal life.

These guests were completely irrational and really despised the king.  They were offended to be invited.  They did not care about the king or his son at all.  They were enemies of the king.

The king became enraged (rightly so) and sent his army to destroy them and burn their city.  This reveals that sin and rebellion has a costly consequence, not only for the person who sins, but even those who live among them.

This reminds us of the story of Achan’s sin, who took what had been devoted to God.  Joshua 7:24-25 reads, “24 Then Joshua, together with all Israel, took Achan son of Zerah, the silver, the robe, the gold wedge, his sons and daughters, his cattle, donkeys and sheep, his tent and all that he had, to the Valley of Achor. 25 Joshua said, "Why have you brought this trouble on us? The LORD will bring trouble on you today." Then all Israel stoned him, and after they had stoned the rest, they burned them.”

Read verses 8-10.  How did the king fill the wedding hall?  Who do these guests represent?  Even though the invited guests refused to come, the king did not cancel the celebration.  Instead what did he do?  Discuss how the king’s actions are an illustration of God’s invitation to Gentiles and all people on earth. (Mat. 21:31b-32)  What can we learn from this parable about the work of servants?

Mt. 22:8-10 reads, “8"Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. 9Go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.' 10So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, both good and bad, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.”

The king told his servants to ‘go to the street corners and invite anyone you find’ to come to the wedding banquet.

These guests represent the Gentiles and all those who are unworthy to attend the wedding banquet.  These were not the first choice guests.  They really had no reason to expect to be invited to this wedding banquet.

The king opened the wedding banquet hall to anyone who would accept the invitation to come. 

Mt. 21:31b-32 reads, “Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. 32For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.”

The invitation went out to those who were like ‘tax collectors and prostitutes’; such people were not worthy to come to such a wedding banquet.  They were the ‘public sinners’ who should have been condemned.

This reveals again God’s immeasurable mercy and grace upon sinners.  Even though we are unworthy to be invited to join in the union between Christ and His Church, He invites even us!

We can see that the servants worked hard to obey the king.  They understood the king’s heart and desire to bless his son.  The servants could even overcome their own thinking (perhaps they thought that unworthy people like tax collectors and prostitutes should not attend the king’s son’s wedding banquet).  They went out and invited anyone they met.  They did such a good job that the wedding hall was completely filled.

Read verses 11-13.  In verse 9, the king said, “Invite anyone you find” and yet, when the king finds someone whom his servants invited without wedding clothes he throws him out.  Why?

Mt. 22:11-13 reads, “11"But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes.12'Friend,' he asked, 'how did you get in here without wedding clothes?' The man was speechless. 13"Then the king told the attendants, 'Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'

The king threw him out because this man had not properly prepared himself for the wedding banquet.  It is true that he was invited, but that did not mean he could come anyway he wanted, he still needed to show the king’s son proper respect and honor.

This shows that the invitation does not mean that you are qualified to attend.  You still need to make yourself ready and prepared properly.

What are the wedding clothes?  How can we prepare wedding clothes for the heavenly banquet? (Rom. 13:14; I Cor. 15:53-54)  What does it mean to make a commitment to Jesus? (Col. 2:6-7)  What does verse 14 mean?

The ‘wedding clothes’ represent to repent and believe.  If a man does not repent of his sins and accept Jesus as Lord and Savior that person even if invited and attends is not qualified and will be thrown out.

The wedding clothes represent Christ’s righteousness that we who repent and believe are clothed with so that we are found acceptable before God.

These wedding clothes represent the righteous acts of the saints, made pure by Christ’s blood and forgiveness and love to us.

Rom. 13:14 reads, “4Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.”

I Cor. 15:53-54 read, “53For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality.54When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory."”

Col. 2:6-7 read, “6So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, 7rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.”

We must be rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in our faith and overflowing with thankfulness.

Mt. 22:14 reads, “14"For many are invited, but few are chosen."”

This verse reveals that being invited is not enough, we must repent and believe.

This also reveals that the work of inviting is the servants work, but the work of choosing is God’s work.  We are not in the business of choosing, God looks at everyone who is invited and depending upon their response, makes a decision as to whether they deserve to attend the wedding banquet or not.

This frees us up and allows us to easily go and invite anyone we find, without any preconceived idea or notion concerning the person, whether good or bad.

This also reveals that as servants we need to help students to put on the ‘wedding clothes’ so they will be found deserving to attend the great and wonderful day that is soon coming.