Difficult Parable: The Gate Crasher

In a series of parables meant to show Israel's rejection of the Messiah, Jesus adds an interesting twist to one. It is a complete surprise to the reader, and probably the first century listener! Look at the first part of the parable:

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Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying:

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Matthew 22:1-11

"The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come. "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.' .
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"But they paid no attention and went off — one to his field, another to his business. The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.

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"Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. 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.

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This is pretty straightforward! Israel rejects the King, even kills the Son. The enraged king sends his army and destroys the city. This is exactly what happened. Israel murdered Messiah, and judgment was brought in A.D. 70 at the destruction of Jerusalem.

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But Israel's rejection results in the Gentiles being invited in to the banquet. To a banquet not prepared for them! to a banquet meant for another people. God invites us in to covenant friendship, relationship with Him.

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But then the parable gets more interesting. The plot thickens!

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Matt 22:11-14
"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.

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"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.'

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"For many are invited, but few are chosen."

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So a man comes to the wedding, dragged in off the street. . . and whala! he is thrown out for wearing the wrong clothes? On the surface it seems incredibly arrogant, mean of the master to throw the poor party goer out. After all, he didn't get up that morning planning ot go to a banquet, did he? He was just dragged in. So why is the master upset about this guys clothes?

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As people entered the banquet, they would have been given robes to wear. But this man thought what he had was good enough.

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This is a parable for the Gentiles! They are not to reject the righteous commands of God. The robe represent righteousness. Rejecting the robe is a symbol of a gentile who wants to be saved, but does not want to obey God. They want salvation, but not lordship.

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"I delight greatly in the LORD; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness," Isa. 61:10

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This guy thinks he can be saved, but say: No thank you to the robe of righteousness. Glory of God. Friendship with God. I want to party, live like I want. I don’t want to know God. I don’t want righteousness. I don’t need: God’s people. Faith. Goodness.

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"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." Rev. 19:7-8
Every bride wants to look nice on her wedding day. She puts on the best she has. What are we to say about Christians who accept Christ, but do not want to put the wedding garments on. Are they really his?.

God’s response to this attitude: throw him out. He warns the Gentiles -- Don’t you be like Israel. If you come to God, but say no thank you to obedience, then your faith is dead.