A Series on the parables of Jesus – Part 2
Parable of the wedding banquet
(Click
on the link below to read the verses.)
Matthew 22:1-14
[During the
first century, it was common for a rabbi to use parables when teaching their disciples.
The parables of Jesus were stories that he told to illustrate spiritual truth
using some element from everyday life. Jesus used seeds, fish, trees, bread -
things people could easily relate to – for a “teachable moment”.]
When was the last really fun party that you went to? Normally, parties are planned to celebrate a milestone. It might be for a wedding or a birthday or a retirement or maybe even an anniversary.
Next year, my wife and I will be celebrating our fiftieth anniversary.
Even though our anniversary date isn’t until September, I’m planning to
celebrate all year long. Officially, it will be the “year of the party”!
Leading up to today’s parable, Jesus has kept a relatively low profile. There
were many times when he told a person not to say anything about his miracles. But
now there seems to be a shift. He’s going out of his way to embrace public
recognition, like his entry into Jerusalem and turning over tables in the
temple.
Also, although Jesus never shied away from conflict with the Pharisees
and other religious leaders, he now seems intent on picking a fight with them.
It’s as if he is trying to provoke them to action.
The parable of the wedding banquet is the fourth in a series of parables
that pronounces judgement on Israel’s religious leaders. In this parable, a
king is hosting a great wedding banquet for his son and has invited many
guests. However, when everything is ready, the guests reject the king’s invitation.
Angered, the king punishes them and instructs his servants to make other plans.
9 ‘Now go out to the street corners and invite everyone
you see.’ 10 So the servants brought in everyone
they could find, good and bad alike, and the banquet hall was filled with
guests. NLT
In the Gospel of Luke version, he puts it like this.
21b ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the
town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.’ NIV
It’s not too difficult to figure out who is who in the parable. Even
though this parable appears to be only about judgement, there’s another hidden
gem that you don’t want to miss.
1 Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: 2
“The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for
his son. NIV
The kingdom of heaven is like a wedding banquet. You could even say, it’s
like a party. The religious leaders were invited to the party, but they rejected
the king. So, he invited everyone else.
This invitation to the party still stands today. It doesn’t matter
whether you’re good or bad; poor, crippled, blind or lame. You’re invited to the
biggest party ever with your loving Father and his only Son. This is a party that
you don’t want to miss.
15 Hearing this, a man sitting at the table with Jesus
exclaimed, “What a blessing it will be to attend a banquet in the Kingdom
of God!” NLT
Luke 14
***
Anyone
with ears to hear should listen and understand.
Mark 4:23 NLT
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