The Wedding Feast

1.  What is you best wedding memory?

2.  Matthew 22:1-2; Jesus also told them other parables. He said, ² “The Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a king who prepared a great wedding feast for his son.

            The Hebrew’s were big time partiers.  First there were several great religious feasts.

Passover lasted one day, it celebrated when God spared the lives of the Hebrews firstborn sons while in slavery in Egypt.  It reminded the people of God’s deliverance. Lev. 23:5

The Feast of Unleavened Bread lasted seven days.  It celebrated the exodus from Egypt.  It reminded the people that they were leaving an old life or a new one.  Lev. 23:6-8

The Feast of Firstfruits lasted one day.  It celebrated the first crops of barley.  It reminded the people of how God provided.  Lev. 23:9-14

The Pentecost lasted one day.  It celebrated the end of barley season and the beginning of wheat harvest.  It showed joy and thanksgiving for a bountiful harvest.  Lev. 23:15-22

The Trumpets lasted one day.  It celebrated the civil new year.  It expressed joy and thanksgiving to God.  Lev. 23:23-25

The Day of Atonement lasted one day.  It was to be the day to remove the sin form the people and nation.  It restored the fellowship with God.  Lev. 23:26-32

The Shelters lasted seven days.  It celebrated God’s protection in the wilderness.  It renewed Israel’s commitment to God.  Lev. 23:33-43

            There were also feasts for birthdays, weddings, funerals, laying of foundations, sheep-shearing, and more.  The feast would have a “governor of the feast” that would supervise the toasts and amusements. They would also taste the food and drinks.  The honored guest would get the largest and best portions of the food.  Guests were given special robes, welcomed with a kiss, had their feet washed, and their heads anointed with oil.  Some of the activities were music, singing, dancing, riddles, prayers, and games.  Feast lasted up to seven days.

            The idea of a great wedding feast is to represent the great event that will take place with Christ returns for His church.  We are going to be at the biggest party ever.

3.  Matthew 22:3-6; ³ When the banquet was ready, he sent his servants to notify those who were invited. But they all refused to come! ⁴ “So he sent other servants to tell them, ‘The feast has been prepared. The bulls and fattened cattle have been killed, and everything is ready. Come to the banquet!’ ⁵ But the guests he had invited ignored them and went their own way, one to his farm, another to his business. ⁶ Others seized his messengers and insulted them and killed them.

            There were always two invitations to a feast.  The first was to ask guests to attend.  The second was to tell guests the feast was ready. 

            In the parable none of the invited guest would respond or responded with violence.  This could be a reference to the prophets of old who warned Israel of the coming Messiah.  Some were ignored and some were met with violence.

4.  Matthew 22:7; “The king was furious, and he sent out his army to destroy the murderers and burn their town.

            Burning a city was a common military practice.  This may be a warning of the coming destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D.  It also may be an analogy to God cutting off those who would not listen to His message or messengers.

5.  Matthew 22:8-10; ⁸ And he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, and the guests I invited aren’t worthy of the honor. ⁹ Now go out to the street corners and invite everyone you see.’ ¹⁰ So the servants brought in everyone they could find, good and bad alike, and the banquet hall was filled with guests.

            The host decides to forget about those that were supposed to be his friends and instead invites those who others would have looked down on like the Gentiles, the Samaritans, and the unclean.

            God has invited us to his banquet even though we are not worthy.  All we have to do is accept His invitation.

6.  Matthew 22:11-13; ¹¹ “But when the king came in to meet the guests, he noticed a man who wasn’t wearing the proper clothes for a wedding. ¹² ‘Friend,’ he asked, ‘how is it that you are here without wedding clothes?’ But the man had no reply. ¹³ Then the king said to his aides, ‘Bind his hands and feet and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
            At a wedding everyone would be given special robes and other clothing for the event.  For someone not to wear the clothing would be a great insult to the host. 

            The wedding clothes represent the righteousness that we are clothed with in Christ.  If we refuse Christ, then we are refusing to wear His righteousness and we will not be permitted into the kingdom. 

            Isaiah 61:10;

I am overwhelmed with joy in the Lord my God!
    For he has dressed me with the clothing of salvation
    and draped me in a robe of righteousness.
I am like a bridegroom dressed for his wedding
    or a bride with her jewels

7.  Matthew 22:14; “For many are called, but few are chosen.”

            Everyone has been invited to Christ’s feast, but only a few will be chosen to come in.  Christ’s banquet is exclusive, but we are the ones who exclude ourselves. 

References:  Archaeological Study Bible form Zondervan, Life Application Study Bible NLT from Tyndale House, www.biblegateway.com; NLT