The Wedding Feast

[beckrl]

Who are the guest?


Matthew 22
1And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said,
2The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son,
3And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come.
4Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage.
5But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise:
6And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them.
7But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.
8Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.
9Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage.
10So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.
11And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:
12And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.
13Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
14For many are called, but few are chosen.

I got my thoughts on this subject, but would like to hear yours.

[TW]

We (the sinner and the saint) have been called to the wedding, but if we do not prepare ourselves we shall be cast out.


TW

[Who new]

God has a an unpredictable crowd of crazies out here. Since he is who he is he gets to be as unpredictable as he wants. I suspect they will not be who anyone thinks they will be. My thoughts.

[free]

Anyone who is outside of THE Church of God (you decide which one)!

[Pastorbps]

I think people get themselves in trouble when they try to tie parables and statements together which are not connected.
In Ephesians, the people of God are portrayed as the bride. In another passage Christ may use a wedding example without intending to represent the church as the bride. Just because He uses or Paul uses the bride and bridegroom to teach a lesson doesn't mean that every time He uses marriage as an example that one must assume He is going to use the bride to represent the church.
For instance, I don't think in the parable of the virgins waiting for the bridegroom (Matt. 25) that Jesus intends us to see the church as the bride even though the a wedding feast is being talked about in that passage. His intent is to teach perseverance and therefore the people of God are represented by the wise virgins and more to the point, the foolish virgins represent those who do not persevere. It is a passage encouraging the Children of God to persevere (See the end of Matt. 24).
In the passage beckrl uses here, the parable talks about a marriage but it really isn't using the "Jesus as the groom and the church as the bride" analogy like in Ephesians. He is simply using the example of people being honored with an invitation to a great gathering and celebration. He uses the King to emphasize the seriousness of the insult in rejecting the invitation. He uses the marriage of His Son to show the great time to come will be on account of the Son or centered around the Son. TW is right. The guests are those who accept the invitation to be a part of God's Kingdom (See v. 2). I tend to think the man who came to the wedding without the wedding garments, represents those who try to enter God's kingdom based upon their own righteousness instead of the righteousness provided for them by God (The king supplied the wedding garments for those who couldn't afford them).

[beckrl]

Thanks for all the inputs and comments.
In short of an answer as TW gives and others. I would put it in this manner.

The guest would be those from the highways.
The parable of the Wedding Feast not only condemns the Jews who would reject Christ, but is also prophecies the coming on of the Gentiles.

Then to expound on that;

1And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said,
2The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, 3And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come. [Jews]4Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage.
5But they [Jews] made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise: remnant [Pharsiees]
6And the took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them [Prophets]7But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies,[Roman] and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.
8Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.
9Go ye therefore into the highways,[ were the Gentiles are] and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage
10So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad [Poor,Mained, Blind] and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.

I believe Jesus had just told us of what He would be refering too in chapter 21. [nation people or Gentile]

42Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?
43Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.
44And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.
45And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them.

Some may ask then who is the bride? Then if the gentiles are the guest! I think that isn't what is revealed here, it is as Pastorbps stated it only reveals those that will accept the invitation

[oletimer]

beckrl Posted:

Some may ask then who is the bride? Then if the gentiles are the guest! I think that isn't what is revealed here, it is as Pastorbps stated it only reveals those that will accept the invitation

Joh 3:29
He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.

Eph 5:21
¶ Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.
Eph 5:22
Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.
Eph 5:23
For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.
Eph 5:24
Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.
Eph 5:25
Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;Eph 5:26
That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
Eph 5:27
That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
Eph 5:28
So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.
Eph 5:29
For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:
Eph 5:30
For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
Eph 5:31
For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.
Eph 5:32
This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
Eph 5:33
Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.

Re 19:7
Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.
Re 19:8
And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.
Re 19:9
And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.

Pastorbps wrote:

For instance, I don't think in the parable of the virgins waiting for the bridegroom (Matt. 25) that Jesus intends us to see the church as the bride even though the a wedding feast is being talked about in that passage.

Why not? When He was on earth when he wasn't talking and teaching about the Kingdom, He was dealing with the matters of the Church. Like setting it in order, giving it authority and power, and leadership, so why not the Church. The bible says that He loved and cherished it.

Eph 5:25
Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

My thoughts

[RamboPreacher]

it's a parable, an analogy, is it supposed to be literal? wow. I really just don't get the need to maintain exclusivity.

[oletimer]

RamboPreacher Posted:

it's a parable, an analogy, is it supposed to be literal? wow. I really just don't get the need to maintain exclusivity.

There is a lot of things that you don't get, but don't worry one day you will.

Eph 5:32
This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

[oletimer]

beckrl wrote:

Then if the gentiles are the guest

Ro 10:12
¶ For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
Ro 10:13
For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Ga 3:28
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

Ro 3:29
Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also:

When the door was open to the gentiles, they where given all rights as any one of "FAITH". Not jsut a part of the Kingdom, but also of the Church.

[ImaPK]

it's a parable, an analogy, is it supposed to be literal? wow. I really just don't get the need to maintain exclusivity.

Don't you know that that's what the "One Fold" is? You better be a member of the "right" church.

[RamboPreacher]

RamboPreacher Posted:

it's a parable, an analogy, is it supposed to be literal? wow. I really just don't get the need to maintain exclusivity.

There is a lot of things that you don't get, but don't worry one day you will.

Eph 5:32
This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

so now you are taking two contexts and contents of scripture, God's Holy Word and conflating them to the same thing?

and IMApk, you, I know how some people interpret various scriptures to their own ends, but I don't get the logic in that kind of overall-doctrinal stand. it seems to be picking and choosing.

[oletimer]

RamboPreacher

oletimer wrote:

RamboPreacher Posted:

it's a parable, an analogy, is it supposed to be literal? wow. I really just don't get the need to maintain exclusivity.

There is a lot of things that you don't get, but don't worry one day you will.

Eph 5:32
This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

so now you are taking two contexts and contents of scripture, God's Holy Word and conflating them to the same thing?

and IMApk, you, I know how some people interpret various scriptures to their own ends, but I don't get the logic in that kind of overall-doctrinal stand. it seems to be picking and choosing.

The parable, an analogy as you call it deals with the marriage concept and all I did was was to show that Paul used the marriageconcept of the man and woman to help us see the relationship between Christ and the Church. But I don't expect you and other to see this as you don't want to.

[beckrl]

I believe that we all should know whom the bride is. My concern or question was about the "GUEST" in the parable of the wedding feast.

I believe Jesus was clear on this subject in chapter 21!
The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.

Once again this parable isn't attemping to idenify the bride, but is given an insight into those that rejected the invitation and those that accept the invitation.

[oletimer]

beckrl
If you don't plan on being a part of the Bride, then you better be a well dress guess

No I don't think that the gentiles will be the guess as we are given equal right to all the blessings of the Lord as well as the Jews. It is our faith relationship that blinds us to Christ just as it was with Abraham.

Ga 3:28
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
Ga 3:29
And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Again I say it not so much of the "Hows" but jsut being ready at all times for His call.