Bible Study Materials

Matthew 22:1-14

by James Lee   11/22/2015  

Question


The Parable of the Wedding Banquet

Matthew 22:1-14

Key Verse: 22: 2

1. Read verses 1-2. According to this parable, what is the kingdom of heaven like? Who is the King? The Son? Think about the joy of a King's wedding banquet and the great privilege to be included in the guest list. What does this wedding feast represent? (Compare Rev 19:7). What does this teach us about God and the Kingdom of heaven?

2. Read verses 3-7. When the servants went to tell the invited guests to "Come to the banquet," what was their response? The second time, when more servants went, how did the servants describe the menu?

3. Why did the invited guests ignore the King's invitation? (4-5) How did these invited guests show their contempt for God? What do the king's persistent actions teach about God? (4) What do the responses of invited guests tell us about sinful man? What would the enraged king finally do? (7)

4. Read verses 8-10. How did the king fill the wedding hall? Who do these guests represent? What does this teach us about God's heart? What can we learn from this parable about the work of servants? Who do they represent?

5. Read verses 11-13. Who does the man without wedding clothes represent? What happened to him? Why is this such a serious matter? How can we prepare wedding clothes for the heavenly banquet? What does it mean that many are invited but few are chosen? (Compare Isaiah 61:10;Ro 10:3)


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Message


The Parable of the Wedding Banquet

Matthew 22:1-14

Key Verse 22:2 “The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son.”

  We heard how Jesus entered into Jerusalem as king of kings and lord of lords humbly riding on the donkey and then cleansed the temple. So the religious leaders were upset and wanted to arrest and kill Jesus. But Jesus didn't react emotionally as the religious leaders, but he still loved them. So Jesus gave three parables such as the parable of two sons and the parable of the tenants so that they might realize their wrong doings, repent, and not perish. This is the last parable for them to come back to their senses toward God and to enter into the wonderful heavenly wedding banquet. Through this parable of the wedding banquet, I pray that we may learn who can be invited into the wonderful wedding banquet of heaven and how to enter into the kingdom of heaven. Most of all, we may learn God's heart for all the nations.

First, God’s invitation, “Come to the wedding banquet” (1-7).

The hearts of the religious leaders were hard because they were in rebellion against God’s King, Jesus. It is not easy to help hardhearted people. But Jesus loved and still offered hope to them. That was why he taught them in parables. Parables are interesting stories that indirectly impart truth. Jesus taught the religious leaders in parables so they could understand and accept the truth, truth that would save them.

Look at verse 2. “The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son.” Here the king is God and the Son is Jesus Christ. To a king, his son’s wedding is most meaningful and joyful. His heart and kingdom will focus on this event. To most parents, the wedding of their child is so joyful. Some parent will be even happier than their child. God prepares his Son’s wedding with great joy. God is a King, and his Son is the crown prince. This was a royal wedding. The king prepared perfectly, using all of his kingdom resources. He declared a national holiday. He built a special wedding hall with a grand stage. He prepared the best carriage drawn by white horses. He commissioned the royal musicians to compose the most excellent new music, and trained the royal orchestra, singers and dancers. He called in the best cooks and ordered large quantities of the finest food. He prepared a top class fireworks display. The king did these things with overflowing joy.

Can you imagine or feel how joyful a wedding banquet is? If there is some one who cannot imagine it, please remember that day when we got married in case of already married couple. Or in case of unmarried person, if you imagine your marriage day is today, you may understand it. When we think of a wedding banquet, there is no one who is sad when getting married. Likewise, the kingdom of heaven is full of joy and happiness like our memorable wedding. There are no tears, no war, no fighting , and no darkness. Everyone wants to attain the kingdom of heaven, which is full of joy and happiness if there really exists a kingdom of heaven. If there is someone who is really sad, and hopeless, please imagine God preparing this wonderful wedding banquet for you with his only son Jesus.

  Revelation 19:6-8 says, “Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean,  was given her to wear.”

  God gave his one and only Son Jesus as our bridegroom in the heaven, and made us his bride by his unconditional love.

As we think of how we can be united with Jesus by this perfect and fantastic wedding banquet, we can overcome all suffering and sorrow in this world.

So who can attend this wonderful and joyful wedding banquet with our Lord Jesus?  Look at verse 3a. “He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come....” Only VIP's would be invited to this wedding banquet. No one ranking lower than a cabinet member, senator, or governor could expect an invitation. Now it was time to come. The servants must have knocked on each door. As it opened, they bowed down and extended the king痴 invitation. We might expect the guests to say, “Oh, thank you! Let's go to the wedding banquet.” However, verse 3b says,  “...they refused to come.”  They said, “No”,and slammed the door in the servant's faces. They were rejecting not just the servants, but the king. It is really surprising. Such an action could be interpreted as rebellion and dealt with harshly. But this king was patient and humble. He tried again. Look at verse 4. When 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.'” The king appealed to them by advertising the dinner menu. Oxen and fattened cattle were premium cuisine. In our time he would say, “We have prime rib, filet mignon, sliced Black Angus, beef au jus, New York steak, barbequed ribs, smoked salmon, a sushi bar, 27 kinds of pizza, 98 flavors of ice cream, a complete selection of both fruit and cream pies, and an endless supply of smoothies, imported teas and Starbucks coffee. It was enough to make their mouths water ; it should motivate them to come.

  However, how did they react? Look at verse 5. 釘ut they paid no attention and went off撲ne to his field, another to his business.・ What a surprise! Why do you think they rejected the King's invitation? The reason they rejected their king's invitation is that they were so preoccupied with other things that they paid no attention to the king's invitation. They gave their full attention to their fields and businesses. They were so engrossed in these things that they totally lost the value and meaning of the king痴 invitation. They thought their rejection was reasonable since they were busy with their own business. However, they forgot one thing that their ability to keep their businesses were thanks to the King who protected them and provided everything for them. Which is most valuable? The things which we achieve in this world such as money, social position, or success? Or is it God, who created everything and provided all things for us and can take away everything right away from us at once? Our business and our success are necessary for us, but the purpose of our lives is not living, but living for God's glory and for expanding his kingdom. Our business should not be our owner or ruler, but we have to use life as an instrument for God's glory and God's kingdom.

The invited guests had to pay attention to the king's servants and accept them, but how else did they react to them? Look at verse 6. “The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them.” The invited guests not only rejected the king's invitation, but also seized, mistreated and killed the servants who tried to invite them gently and humblyHow did the king react to this troubling situation? Look at verse 7. “The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.” God is a righteous Judge. Though he is patient, he will destroy all rebellion and unrighteousness.

Second, God’s heart to fill the wedding hall (8-10).

Look at verse 8. “Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come.’” The king grieved over the invited guests. They were highly favored, but in their selfishness and worldly desires they forfeited their blessing, their invitations to attend. Yet the king did not cancel the banquet. He was determined to honor his Son. So he decided to fill the wedding hall by any means.

Look at verses 9-10. “‘Go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’ So 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 opened the banquet to anyone and everyone. Anyone can join and attend the wonderful and joyful wedding banquet no matter whether good or bad. Those who would never have imagined attending this banquet were suddenly invited to come freely. All kinds of people streamed into the banquet hall, and soon it was filled with guests. There were all colors of people: red, yellow, black and white. There were all types of people: movie actors, criminals, fashion models, and beggars. They were all welcomed by the generosity of the king.

Here we learn the heart of God. God loves all peoples of all nations. God wants to save all men from their sins and suffering by bringing us to his kingdom. So he issues his invitation to anyone and everyone to fill his wedding hall. Historically, the first invited guests refer to the Jews. They rejected God’s invitation when they rejected his Son Jesus and handed him over to be crucified. Then God opened the door of his kingdom to the Gentiles. All kinds of people have come in.

The servants symbolized the prophets at Jesus' time including John the Baptist. In modern terms, the servants can represent Christians who preach the gospel and want to share God's love. We are very important since we are only the servants who can invite people who are wandering in this perishable world without knowing the wonderful wedding banquet of the heaven. So I pray that we may be like these faithful servants to invite many people to the wonderful wedding banquet of the heaven full of joy and eternal life.

Third, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ (11-14).

Although anyone and everyone was welcome to come in, there was only one requirement to attend this banquet. The guests had to wear wedding clothes.  All of the guests were expected to wear wedding clothes as their expression of respect and to increase the glory of the wedding. Customarily, anyone who did not own such clothes, would be provided for by the host as he entered the banquet. But one guy refused to wear the wedding clothes. He was uncomfortable with formal wear and insisted on wearing his ripped blue jeans, his sweatshirt with his school logo on it, and his baseball cap turned backwards. He really liked his own clothes because they reflected his style. But in that holy and glorious wedding banquet he was an eyesore. Suddenly the king was beside him. Look at verses 11-12. “But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. ‘Friend,’ he asked, ‘how did you get in here without wedding clothes?’ The man was speechless.”

What then are the wedding clothes? Simply speaking, the wedding clothes are the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Cor 1:29). When we believe in Jesus God covers our dirty sins and gives us true righteousness by faith in his blood. Romans 3:25-26 say, “God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished–he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.” Our own righteousness is like dirty, smelly, ripped rags. But Jesus clothes us with the righteousness of God through faith in his blood. We must be clothed with the Lord Jesus Christ.

What happened to the man who wore ripped blue jeans? Look at verse 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(내싱) of teeth.’” Jesus concluded in verse 14, For many are invited, but few are chosen. God invites many people to his banquet out of his broken heart for people who suffer under the power of sin and death. But only those clothed in Gods righteousness through Jesus blood will dwell in heaven. God will throw out of his kingdom anything that is impure, unholy and inglorious. Lets put our faith in Jesus Christ, and him alone, for our righteousness and salvation.

In conclusion, God prepared the wonderful and joyful wedding banquet in the heavenly kingdom for sinners who don't deserve to be invited. It is only by his grace and his generosity, not by our good deeds or our righteousness. We must accept God's invitation as first priority ahead of our businesses or our fields since it is really important to determine our lives and our value. May we be clothed with the righteousness of Jesus Christ so that we may not be thrown out of the heavenly wedding banquet.


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