Matthew 22:1 Yeshua again used parables in speaking to them: 2 “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding feast for his son, 3 but when he sent his slaves to summon the invited guests to the wedding, they refused to come. 4 So he sent some more slaves, instructing them to tell the guests, ‘Look, I’ve prepared my banquet, I’ve slaughtered my bulls and my fattened cattle, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding!’ 5 But they weren’t interested and went off, one to his farm, another to his business; 6 and the rest grabbed his slaves, mistreated them and killed them. 7 The king was furious and sent his soldiers, who killed those murderers and burned down their city.
8 “Then he said to his slaves, ‘Well, the wedding feast is ready; but the ones who were invited didn’t deserve it. 9 So go out to the street-corners and invite to the banquet as many as you find.’ 10 The slaves went out into the streets, gathered all the people they could find, the bad along with the good; and the wedding hall was filled with guests.
11 “Now when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who wasn’t dressed for a wedding; so he asked him, 12 ‘Friend, how did you get in here without wedding clothes?’ The man was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, and throw him outside in the dark!’ In that place people will wail and grind their teeth, 14 for many are invited, but few are chosen.”
Yet another parable that is chock full of wholesome goodness. This one in particular, however, is pseudo-popular and most people already have a good grasp as to what’s going on here ( :-/ )
The language here is similar to the parable of the Vineyard Owner in Matthew 21. Slaves sent out to check in with some people-group on Abba’s behalf. Of course, the servants get the good ol’ fashioned brush off and the people get shafted as a result.
The point to be made is that Abba is courteous enough to send gentle reminders even though we should know about this already. Slaves were sent to summon the people that were invited which implies they knew this event was upcoming. I mean, what kind of host waits until the last minute to let you know of something as important as a marriage is about to happen? Not a just host, that’s for sure.
Anyhow, they have better things going on and can’t be bothered changing their plans. But we see their plans get changed for them -- in the form of everything they held dear being burned to the ground. How would you like having your schedule cleared like that?
Oh, and they were killed also.
Too much on your schedule? Don’t worry, you can die so there is nothing else for you to do. Problem solved.
Ok, ok, so from here we see there are others invited in from the streets and the place gets full.
But…then there’s That Guy.
We have a house full of people and this one guy gets singled out. On the surface, it seems a bit unfair to get kicked out, bound, and left gnashing his own teeth, right?
If he were innocent, then yes. Seems like there could be more to this story than we realize.
We have a generic flow here that seems to bleed into many of Yeshua’s stories:
Native Israel had it all but they blew it because they thought they were more important than they really were.
The doors are then opened up and another group is called into the space native Israel once occupied.
And that expectation is what we want to look at here.
Even you, a sinner with no idea how to walk in the ways of the Kingdom, knows that when you are invited to a wedding you don’t go in your normal clothing. That old dingy ripped tank top you use for mowing the grass and the stained jeans you use to work on your car -- not wedding attire, right? At a minimum, you’ll throw on something nice because you know it would be disrespectful to do otherwise.
You wouldn't want to embarrass the bride, groom, and their families, right? More than that, you wouldn’t want to embarrass yourself and your family. It doesn’t take much to blend into the crowd at one of these things so even a little effort gets you covered pretty well.
Looking like you don’t belong, though, ruins the moment.
Someone's wedding is one of the greatest events of their entire life. Every bride wants it to go off without a hitch and having someone in workout clothes is a pretty big hitch. Those photos are ruined forever.
Does the violator even know what they have done?
Hollywood has made this idea of a wedding crasher seem like a clever, funny thing for really cool people to pull off. Which, if you’re selfish, then yeah, it is funny and cool. But for those to whom it really matters, this is the furthest thing from just a tiny prank. It’s devastating.
So what are wedding clothes? How do you know if you’ll be properly adorned? Let’s split this into both good and bad terms so we can figure out why that poor, poor man was unjustly thrown out into the streets.
Psalm 109:29 Let my adversaries be clothed with confusion, let them wear their own shame like a robe.
Psalm 132:18 His enemies I will clothe with shame, but on him there will be a shining crown.
Job 8:22 Those who hate you will be clothed with shame, and the tent of the wicked will cease to exist.
Confusion and shame. This is the evidence of one that will be cast out into the darkness where there is wailing and grinding of teeth.
What would be considered confusion? I’d guess it’s anything that causes you to justify not keeping His ways while assuming you’re keeping His ways. You wind together the ways of the world with the ways of the Kingdom. Twisting and weaving a tapestry of, well, nothing. They are exact opposites in absolutely every regard but you like them both. You find ways to conflate the two so you feel good about being a member of the Kingdom and feel satisfied with the offerings of the world. The best of both worlds, huh?
But negative infinity plus positive infinity is zero. Always. Also, negative infinity times positive infinity is negative infinity. Always. Confused yet?
And what about shame? This is when you get embarrassed because your pride lets you down. You were absolutely certain you couldn’t fail or wouldn't get caught but here you are, naked and exposed for who you really are. Standing in front of the entire earth with nothing at all. We fear this type of exposure. A LOT! In fact, we’re terrified of it. But we continue on hoping and, ironically, praying we never get the cover pulled back.
The thing with shame is that you know what you did was wrong. And you’re embarrassed by it. You’re supposed to be living exclusively in the Kingdom but you have that silent pull into the world, and you want the world to back you up and bail you out. But it’s fickle. A tempting mistress that threatens to yell to the world that you are an adulterer the moment you are done with her. And we are terrified she will actually do it. Prostituting ourselves and feeling that guilt and embarrassment afterward -- that’s shame.
Isaiah 61:10 I am so joyful in YHVH! My soul rejoices in my God, for he has clothed me in salvation, dressed me with a robe of triumph, like a bridegroom wearing a festive turban, like a bride adorned with her jewels.
Psalm 132:9 May your cohanim be clothed with righteousness; may those loyal to you shout for joy.
Psalm 132:16 Its cohanim I will clothe with salvation, and its faithful will shout for joy.
Colossians 3:12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with feelings of compassion and with kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with one another; if anyone has a complaint against someone else, forgive him. Indeed, just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you must forgive.
Ah, our wedding clothes! Salvation and righteousness. Exercising compassion, displaying kindness, acting with humility, possessing gentleness and walking in patience.
Where is there possibly any fear in living like this? How is it we can assume that somehow worldly living can surpass the deep down fulfillment you experience when you walk in the ways of the Kingdom? Every second of your life can be had in the light. No shame, no guilt, no embarrassment. You don’t have to worry about being exposed for anything. You are free!
Just think of the boldness you have before you -- every step of your walk. Seriously, think about this. Don’t you want to be that free?
Now we can see what’s going on with this guy off the street. He was swept up in the broad call for guests but, when seen by the Father of the Bridegroom, his clothing gave him away. Unfortunately, confusion and shame are like neon 80s attire in the context of the wedding feast. He thought no one could tell what his real life was like. But there is One that can see it all, and here He was standing right in front of him. Eye to eye with his Creator and not a word to say -- The man was speechless.
But salvation, true salvation, and righteousness wear on you with a glowing radiance. Your life was full of service and care for others. It’s obvious when you arrive that you weren’t accidentally swept up. You were meant to be there all along.
You may not have been on the initial guest list but that makes no difference whatsoever. The servants are out and about calling you into THE wedding feast.
You must be prepared, however. Clothe yourself with feelings of compassion and with kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
Everyday you leave your house you should be dressed for the Marriage Feast. Practice today so when the time comes you will have no shame when the Father of the Bridegroom comes and looks you in the eyes.
Put away the ways and cares of this world, and watch the confusion fall to the ground.