Host Or Guest? Series

Text: Matthew 22:1-14

Theme: Host or Guest?

Greetings: The Lord is good. ‘Many are invited but few are chosen.’ (Matthew 22:14).

Synopsis of the Parable: The word parable comes from the Greek word ‘parabole,’ which means “a placing beside”. It has a real-life or real-life situation from which spiritual truth is drawn. A parable is not an allegory but is basically an earthly story with a heavenly meaning (Ref: square space).

This parable revolves around three categories of people, the host, the servants, and the Guests. Invited guests neglected and paid no attention to it. A few were busy with their daily cares and work, the rest of the guests had mistreated the servants who carried the message of honor, and some even killed the servants. The host was enraged and destroyed the guests and burned their city. However, the host extended his invitation to all people, good and bad to the wedding banquet. However, strictly the dress code was observed. Jesus spoke this parable in the context of hostility.

This parable conveys the divine call, divine clemency, and divine condemnation.

1. Divine Call (Matthew 22:3-6)

It reminds God’s generous call for a sumptuous feast. The Swiss Protestant theologian, Karl Barth, sums it up: “In the last resort, it all boils down to the fact that the invitation is to a feast, and that he who does not obey and come accordingly, and therefore festively, declines and spurns the invitation no less than those who are unwilling to obey and appear at all.”

By not accepting the Kingdom I am excluding myself from it. (Ref: Sacred Space). Many miss the kingdom due to their own carelessness and being drawn away by the cares of this world.

The first invited guests were Jews. The prophets of the Old Testament, John the Baptist, and Christ himself told them that the kingdom of God was at hand. The apostles and ministers of the gospel were sent to tell them and persuade them to accept the offer (Matthew Henry).

The invited guests simply refused to come at once, some treated the invitation as an anecdote and went about their business. To the worst, some invitees even assaulted and killed the servants. What a ridiculous situation? ‘Some being ambivalent about it and some being antagonistic and even homicidal’ (Ref: explaining the book).

This wedding can be a metaphor for the relationship between God and Israel (Isaiah 54:5-6; 62:5; Hosea 2:16-20), and a banquet is a sign of the covenant between them (Isaiah 25:6-10; 55:1-3). The guests became unworthy means their attitude and prioritization toward the Kingdom and its values. Paul says that our standing before God depends only on our acceptance of God’s grace.

This is a kingdom Parable. God sent throughout history his prophets who were the servants of God inviting people to the wedding banquet of his Son. Prophet Jeremiah says that God has sent his prophets again and again but they have not paid attention to the call of God through prophets (Jeremiah 35:15).

God calls the thirsty, and hungry to come to Him and participate in the banquet, whoever comes is satisfied (Isaiah 55:1). Jesus spoke the same on the last day of the feast (John 7:37). The spirit of God gives the same call ‘come’ whoever is thirsty (Revelation 22:17). The pastors, evangelists, and preachers are the missionaries, sent out to call the invited to the Wedding Banquet (2 Corinthians 5:20).

We carry the message of love, an invitation to the love feast of God. Moses was a servant of God sent to Egypt to bring the people for a greater banquet of God at Canaan (Exodus 3:10). Isaiah heard the voice of the Lord, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us’ (Isaiah 6:8)? Paul was a servant of God to lead gentiles to the Kingdom of God (Acts 26:16). God wants all men to come to him and be saved (1 Timothy 2:4).

2. Divine Clemency (Matthew 22:7-10)

This is a parable about grace. Those who were invited – and who came – were utterly undeserving of the invitation (Enduring Word Commentary). The religious leaders of Jesus’ time rejected his teaching and his authority. The common people, including social outcasts, sinners, and prostitutes, heard him gladly.

The divine clemency is exhibited just after the divine indignation. The host was enraged and became more upset over the insolence of the invited. The arrogant behavior and undisciplined attitude of the guests brought destruction and eradication (Matthew 22:7). However, the divine clemency outflowed from the Host, from God the Father. Now the invitation is extended to all (Matthew 22:9-10). James writes in his Epistles that the boundless generosity and inclusive reach of God’s grace, but he also affirms that for us to be “worthy” of God’s gift requires nothing less than our whole life.