Wedding Garments
Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy. Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.' And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests. "But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. And he said to him, 'Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?' And he was speechless. Then the king said to the attendants, 'Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' For many are called, but few are chosen."
-Mat 22:8-14
What does this parable mean? It is one of those parables that I just wonder--is it supposed to be clear to me, or is Jesus just trying to be vague and confusing?
My understanding of it is this: The wedding hall represents the collection of people we commonly refer to as the church, the people who attend and participate in a local church. The wedding garment is Christ. So this parable is about non-saved people who are active in local churches. They have no idea that they're not dressed appropriately and that God is not pleased with them.
What application must come from this?
- I need to be gathering people, good and bad, to join me in the local church.
- I need to help those within the church (myself included) to test themselves and verify their faith is really genuine.
3 comments:
Testing - I tried to leave a comment and it didn't show up.
Your thoughts seem correct, but there's more to it, I think. Remember that he was addressing Jews, and the first part of the passage as well as the verses that precede it seem to be pointing out that no longer will the covenant be available to only those orignally invited. It will now be available to "as many as you can find [on the main roads]." I believe you are correct that the wedding garment is Christ, but the warning is not so much to non-saved people in our 21st century churches, but to the Jews he was speaking to who believed they were to be accepted into the Kingdom under the old covenant. No longer is God's covenant with a nation, but with all who put on the wedding garment. This is one passage that needs to be looked at very closely by those who hold to a Christian Zionist viewpoint (ie. that God still has a covenant relationship with National Israel).
I agree completely. I was focusing more on the second half of the passage. I'm glad you're still reading my blog despite my inconsistency!
Post a Comment