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NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Mat_22:1-10
1Jesus spoke to them, again in parables, saying, 2"The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his Song of Solomon 3 And he sent out his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding feast, and they were unwilling to come. 4Again he sent out other slaves saying, "Tell those who have been invited, 'Behold, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and my fattened livestock are all butchered and everything is ready; come to the wedding feast. 5But they paid no attention and went their way, one to his own farm, another to his business, 6and the rest seized his slaves and mistreated them and killed them. 7But the king was enraged, and he sent his armies and destroyed those murderers and set their city on fire. 8Then he said to his slaves, 'The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. 9Go therefore to the main highways, and as many as you find there, invite to the wedding feast.'10Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered together all they found, both evil and good; and the wedding hall was filled with dinner guests."
Mat_22:1 "in parables" Note the plural, which can mean one of three things
1. Matthew has combined several parables of Jesus
2. Jesus used the same stories at different times to express different truths
3. Jesus was simply speaking to them in parabolic fashion (cf. Mar_4:10-12)
Mat_22:2 "the kingdom of heaven" This topic was a recurrent theme in Jesus' teaching and preaching ministry (see Special Topic at Mat_4:17). It is both a current reality and a future hope. Basically, it is the reign of God in men's hearts now that will one day be consummated over all the earth. This phrase was synonymous with "the kingdom of God" in Mark and Luke. Matthew, writing to Jews, is more reluctant to use the name of God.
▣ "a king. . .his son" Although it is inappropriate to turn parables into allegories, it does seem that this royal motif is related to God. It is also interesting that in all three parables in Mat_21:28 to Mat_22:14 " a son" plays a part in the story. It is true that it is a minor part in this parable, but it is still present. One is tempted to see God as the King and Jesus as the royal son. The wedding feast then becomes an allusion to the Messianic banquet (cf. Mat_8:11; Luk_13:29; Luk_14:15; Luk_22:16; Rev_19:9; Rev_19:17).
Mat_22:3 "those who had been invited" This was literally " call the called." It was customary in the Ancient Near East for two invitations to be given: an original invitation and an announcement that the feast was ready.
▣ "but they were unwilling to come" This imperfect tense implies a repeated refusal.
Mat_22:4 "I have prepared my dinner" The term referred to the first of two daily meals (cf. Luk_14:12). In this time and culture, there was a meal at mid-morning (9 a.m.-12 p.m.) and one at twilight (3 p.m.- 6 p.m.). This meal would have begun a feast which lasted several days.
Mat_22:5 "But they paid no attention" This implied an apathy or indifference to the royal invitation. There is an easy and obvious transition to fallen humanity's attitudes toward the gospel.
▣ "one to his farm, another to his business" This is similar to Luk_14:18-19. Their actions were not wicked, but indifference to God's call in Christ is a serious mistake.
Mat_22:6 The violence of this verse is shocking. One is surprised by this type of reaction in response to the rejection of an invitation to a wedding feast. To refuse a king's invitation to anything in the Middle East was considered an inexcusable insult. This is probably a literary technique showing a relationship to the previous parable (cf. Mat_21:35). Some ignore God's call; some are violent in their rejection (i.e., Saul of Tarsus).
Mat_22:7 The reaction of the King also seems out of place. Many have assumed that a rejection of the royal invitation was really rebellion against the King. Some commentators have noted the similarity of Mat_22:7 to the historical destruction of Jerusalem in a.d. 70 by the Roman General, and later Emperor, Titus. Some have asserted that Matthew added this to Jesus' parable. I feel uncomfortable with this extension of Matthew's freedom in dealing with the words of Jesus. Although I would allow the Gospel writers the freedom to select, adapt, rearrange, and summarize the teachings of Jesus under inspiration, I cannot allow them to put words in His mouth which He never spoke.
Mat_22:8 This, too, is similar to Luk_14:21-23.
Mat_22:9 The King wanted his son's wedding feast to be well attended. Those who should have come refused. From the context and Mat_22:15, the Jewish leadership realized Jesus was addressing them.
Mat_22:10 "and gathered together all they found, both evil and good" The question has always been, "To whom does this refer?" In context it seems to refer to the ostracized Jewish poor. The terms "good and evil" would then refer to their willingness and ability to keep or not keep the oral traditions of the elders (i.e., Mat_15:2). The obvious implication is that God freely accepts sinners. Some recognize their need and some do not! The invitation has been issued, now who will respond?