This post concludes my exegesis on Matthew 22:1-14, the Gospel reading for the Nineteenth Sunday after Trinity (Year A).

Part 1, which covers the first seven verses — and has a link to the full set of readings — can be found here.

The Gospel reading is as follows (emphases mine):

Matthew 22:1-14

22:1 Once more Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying:

22:2 “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a Wedding banquet for his son.

22:3 He sent his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding banquet, but they would not come.

22:4 Again he sent other slaves, saying, ‘Tell those who have been invited: Look, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready; come to the wedding banquet.’

22:5 But they made light of it and went away, one to his farm, another to his business,

22:6 while the rest seized his slaves, mistreated them, and killed them.

22:7 The king was enraged. He sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city.

22:8 Then he said to his slaves, ‘The wedding is ready, but those invited were not worthy.

22:9 Go therefore into the main streets, and invite everyone you find to the wedding banquet.’

22:10 Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered all whom they found, both good and bad; so the wedding hall was filled with guests.

22:11 “But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing a wedding robe,

22:12 and he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding robe?’ And he was speechless.

22:13 Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

22:14 For many are called, but few are chosen.”

Commentary comes from Matthew Henry and John MacArthur.

The king told his slaves that the wedding was ready but that those he had invited were not worthy (verse 8).

Matthew Henry’s commentary explains the spiritual and historical meaning of the verse. The Church intended for God’s chosen people would pass to the Gentiles:

The wedding is ready, the covenant of grace ready to be sealed, a church ready to be founded; but they which were bidden, that is, the Jews, to whom pertained the covenant and the promises, by which they were of old invited to the feast of fat things, they were not worthy, they were utterly unworthy, and, by their contempt of Christ, had forfeited all the privileges they were invited to. Note, It is not owing to God, that sinners perish, but to themselves. Thus, when Israel of old was within sight of Canaan, the land of promise was ready, the milk and honey ready, but their unbelief and murmuring, and contempt of that pleasant land, shut them out, and their carcases were left to perish in the wilderness; and these things happened to them for ensamples [examples]. See 1 Cor 10 11; Heb 3 16-iv 1.

MacArthur says:

… they weren’t worthy because they wouldn’t accept the invitation. Did you get that? That’s all he says. Worthiness is not dependent on moral virtue. They would have been worthy if they’d just accepted the invitation. You understand? It’s a very important point.

The king instructed his slaves to go into the main streets and invite everyone they could find to the banquet (verse 9).

These strangers represent the Gentiles.

Henry says:

The inhabitants of the city (v. 7) had refused; Go into the high-ways then; into the way of the Gentiles, which at first they were to decline, ch. 10 5. Thus by the fall of the Jews salvation is come to the Gentiles, Rom 11 11, 12; Eph 3 8. Note, Christ will have a kingdom in the world, though many reject the grace, and resist the power, of that kingdom. Though Israel be not gathered, he will be glorious. The offer of Christ and salvation to the Gentiles was, (1.) Unlooked for and unexpected; such a surprise as it would be to wayfaring men upon the road to be met with an invitation to a wedding feast. The Jews had notice of the gospel, long before, and expected the Messiah and his kingdom; but to the Gentiles it was all new, what they had never heard of before (Acts 17 19, 20), and, consequently, what they could not conceive of as belonging to them. See Isa 65 1, 2. (2.) It was universal and undistinguishing; Go, and bid as many as you find. The highways are public places, and there Wisdom cries, Prov 1 20. “Ask them that go by the way, ask any body (Job 21 29), high and low, rich and poor, bond and free, young and old, Jew and Gentile; tell them all, that they shall be welcome to gospel-privileges upon gospel-terms; whoever will, let him come, without exception.”

The slaves went into the streets and gathered all they had found — both good and bad — so that the wedding hall was full of guests (verse 10).

MacArthur explains the three parts of this parable:

The third facet of the parable, in verses 9 and 10, we’ll call “New Guests Invited.” We’ve seen the invitation rejected, the rejecters punished, and now the new guests are invited. “Go therefore into the highways, and as many as you shall find, bid to the wedding feast.” I mean everything is ready, and there’s nobody to come. So, something new has happened. It’s been taken away from the nation that rejected, and now it’s going to be given to a new people. And who is this new people? He says, “Go into the highways” – the Greek word literally means the crossroads, or the forks in the road. “Go everywhere. Just go to the crossroads, where people are milling, to the byways and the highways and get everybody.”

This is a mandate for Christians to evangelise, as per our Lord’s Great Commission at the end of Matthew (Matthew 28:16-20):

The Great Commission

¹⁶ Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. ¹⁷ When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. ¹⁸ Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Returning to verses 9 and 10, MacArthur says:

So, the point is go everywhere and get everybody that’ll come. “Go into all the world and” – what? – “preach the Gospel and make disciples.” … That’s what Paul says in the book of Romans when he says, “The fall of Israel is the rising of many.” Through their fall, we have come to salvation. We have replaced them in this particular time. And God yet has something for Israel. They’re going to come back into His favor. They’re going to come back into His redemptive plan. They’re going to yet come back … But in the meantime, He has stretched out His arms, and He has sent His message into everywhere to everyone. “As many as you can find, invite them all to come.” Isn’t that the heart of the Gospel message? That’s where we are now, isn’t it? Their fall became our rising. God will not be frustrated, beloved. The festival’s going to have some guests. The celebration’s going to go on. And if it isn’t going to be one group, it’s going to be another one.

It is important to know that the Jews will come to Christ one day, as St Paul explains:

Romans 11:25-28 – God’s purpose, judgement, Israel, mystery of salvation

Paul writes that God will lift His the judgement against Israel’s unbelief. Gentiles should not necessarily feel proud or secure. Churches will fall into apostasy. The Church was intended for the Jews first, not Gentiles, who were grafted in only because of the Jews’ unbelief.

This is also a warning against anti-Semitism.

MacArthur discusses the invitation to both good and bad people:

This is bad and good in terms of morality – human morality. I mean let’s face it; in life there are certain people that are bad, and certain people that are good. There are criminals and non-criminals. We’re not talking about religious things; we’re not talking about spiritual things. We’re not talking about Christians and non-Christians. It’s just general in life that there are humanly good people and humanly bad people. But when it comes to calling people into the kingdom, there’s no discriminating, is there? God isn’t going around looking for the moral people. I mean God is calling everybody, bad and good. And the thing that makes them worthy is not their inherent goodness or badness, but their willingness to accept – what? – the invitation. “And the wedding feast was furnished with guests.”

When he wrote the Corinthians, he said, “Well, you can’t bring into the kingdom” – it says in chapter 6 of 1 Corinthians – “fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, effeminates, homosexuals, thieves, covetous, drunkards, people who engage in wild orgies, extortioners.” They can’t come he says. “And such were” – what? – “some of you.” They can’t come in if they’re still like that, but they can come if they’re willing to come on God’s terms. He calls the good and the bad, the moral and the immoral, the criminal and the non-criminal.

Henry tells us:

Now the guests that were gathered were, [1.] A multitude, all, as many as they found; so many, that the guest-chamber was filled. The sealed ones of the Jews were numbered, but those of other nations were without number, a very great multitude, Rev 7 9. See Isa 60 4, 8. [2.] A mixed multitude, both bad and good; some that before their conversion were sober and well-inclined, as the devout Greeks (Acts 17 4) and Cornelius; others that had run to an excess of riot, as the Corinthians (1 Cor 6 11); Such were some of you; or, some that after their conversion proved bad, that turned not to the Lord with all their heart, but feignedly; others that were upright and sincere, and proved of the right class. Ministers, in casting the net of the gospel, enclose both good fish and bad; but the Lord knows them that are his.

When the king entered the wedding hall to see the guests, he saw one man who was not wearing a wedding robe (verse 11).

The king asked him, addressing him as ‘friend’ — ‘fellow’ in some translations — how he was able to enter without a wedding robe; the man was speechless (verse 12).

It sounds a bit unfair, but MacArthur explains:

I mean this is pretty tacky. It’s a seedy character. You go to a wedding at the king’s place, you got to do what’s right.

You say, “Well, now wait a minute. When you just go out on the highways and byways, and start sweeping in people off the street, you can’t expect a whole lot.”

But the point that’s interesting to make here is that there was only one guy who wasn’t properly garmented. Now we don’t know whether they get – when – had time to go home and get a garment, or whether the king provided garments. There’s a big debate.

Sometimes people say, “Well, they had time, and they went home and got their Sunday best and wore it.” And others say, “No, the king gave them a garment.” The parable doesn’t say anything, so you’re better off not saying anything. Jesus intended to say what He said, not what you think He didn’t say.

And so, the best thing – the best thing is just to assume that everybody had access to the proper garments. Whether they went home and got it, or whether it was provided for them, or whatever, they had access to it. And one guy comes in there and he’s not properly attired. And there was a proper way to be attired.

Henry points out that the Lord knows those who are His:

(1.) The king came in to see the guests, to bid those welcome who came prepared, and to turn those out who came otherwise. Note, The God of heaven takes particular notice of those who profess religion, and have a place and name in the visible church. Our Lord Jesus walks among the golden candlesticks [churches in Revelation] and therefore knows their works. See Rev 2 1, 2; Cant 7 12. Let this be a warning to us against hypocrisy, that disguises will shortly be stripped off, and every man will appear in his own colours; and an encouragement to us in our sincerity, that God is a witness to it.

Observe, This hypocrite was never discovered to be without a wedding garment, till the king himself came in to see the guests. Note, It is God’s prerogative to know who are sound at heart in their profession, and who are not. We may be deceived in men, either one way or other; but He cannot. The day of judgment will be the great discovering day, when all the guests will be presented to the King: then he will separate between the precious and the vile (ch. 25 32), the secrets of all hearts will then be made manifest, and we shall infallibly discern between the righteous and the wicked, which now it is not easy to do. It concerns all the guests, to prepare for the scrutiny, and to consider how they will pass the piercing eye of the heart-searching God.

Interesting. That’s what our vicar said this morning.

Henry continues:

(2.) As soon as he came in, he presently espied the hypocrite; He saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment; though but one, he soon had his eye upon him; there is no hope of being hid in a crowd from the arrests of divine justice; he had not on a wedding garment; he was not dressed as became a nuptial solemnity; he had not his best clothes on. Note, Many come to the wedding feast without a wedding garment. If the gospel be the wedding feast, then the wedding garment is a frame of heart, and a course of life agreeable to the gospel and our profession of it, worthy of the vocation wherewith we are called (Eph 4 1), as becomes the gospel of Christ, Phil 1 27. The righteousness of saints, their real holiness and sanctification, and Christ, made Righteousness to them, is the clean linen, Rev 19 8. This man was not naked, or in rags; some raiment he had, but not a wedding garment. Those, and those only, who put on the Lord Jesus, that have a Christian temper of mind, and are adorned with Christian graces, who live by faith in Christ, and to whom he is all in all, have the wedding garment.

Henry says that the king’s use of ‘friend’ was sarcastic:

2. His trial (v. 12); and here we may observe,

(1.) How he was arraigned (v. 12); Friend, how camest thou in hither, not having a wedding garment? A startling question to one that was priding himself in the place he securely possessed at the feast. Friend! That was a cutting word; a seeming friend, a pretended friend, a friend in profession, under manifold ties and obligations to be a friend. Note, There are many in the church who are false friends to Jesus Christ, who say that they love him while their hearts are not with him. How camest thou in hither? He does not chide the servants for letting him in (the wedding garment is an inward thing, ministers must go according to that which falls within their cognizance); but he checks his presumption in crowding in, when he knew that his heart was not upright; “How durst thou claim a share in gospel benefits, when thou hadst no regard to gospel rules? What has thou to do to declare my statutes?” Ps 50 16, 17. Such are spots in the feast, dishonour the bridegroom, affront the company, and disgrace themselves; and therefore, How camest thou in hither? Note, The day is coming, when hypocrites will be called to an account for all their presumptuous intrusion into gospel ordinances, and usurpation of gospel privileges. Who hath required this at your hand? Isa 1 12. Despised sabbaths and abused sacraments must be reckoned for, and judgment taken out upon an action of waste against all those who received the grace of God in vain. “How camest thou to the Lord’s table, at such a time, unhumbled and unsanctified? What brought thee to sit before God’s prophets, as his people do, when thy heart went after thy covetousness? How camest thou in? Not by the door, but some other way, as a thief and a robber. It was a tortuous entry, a possession without colour of a title.” Note, It is good for those that have a place in the church, often to put it to themselves, “How came I in hither? Have I a wedding-garment?” If we would thus judge ourselves, we should not be judged.

MacArthur notes that the man was speechless. He did not give an excuse:

“And he was” – what? – “speechless.” You think if he had an excuse, he would have given one? Sure. He would have said, “Hey, you know, my wife took the deal to the cleaners. It isn’t coming back till Tuesday. I mean what am I going to do?” Right? Or, “You know, in other words as coming down here, had that deal under my arm, and a guy went by me in a cart, and the thing fell, and the guy – I mean it’s a sad thing, but I’m…” Or he could have said, “This is all I have,” played the pious deal. He was speechless. Why? He had no – what? – no excuse. He had no excuse, which means that everybody could have had a garment, including him. He just didn’t do it.

I mean he came in there saying, “I’m just going to be myself, see? I mean I’m not going to do anything different than I normally do. I’m just going to come to the party just like I am.” Very proud. Very insulting. Very thoughtless.

The king told his attendants to bind the man hand and foot and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping — wailing — and gnashing of teeth (verse 13).

Sounds a lot like judgement and hell, doesn’t it?

Henry says:

Our Saviour here insensibly slides out of this parable into that which it intimates—the damnation of hypocrites in the other world. Hell is utter darkness, it is darkness out of heaven, the land of light; or it is extreme darkness, darkness to the last degree, without the least ray or spark of light, or hope of it, like that of Egypt; darkness which might be felt; the blackness of darkness, as darkness itself, Job 10 22. Note, Hypocrites go by the light of the gospel itself down to utter darkness; and hell will be hell indeed to such, a condemnation more intolerable; there shall be weeping, and gnashing of teeth. This our Saviour often uses as part of the description of hell-torments, which are hereby represented, not so much by the misery itself, as by the resentment sinners will have of it; there shall be weeping, an expression of great sorrow and anguish; not a gush of tears, which gives present ease, but constant weeping, which is constant torment; and the gnashing of teeth is an expression of the greatest rage and indignation; they will be like a wild bull in a net, full of the fury of the Lord, Isa 51 20; 8 21, 22. Let us therefore hear and fear.

MacArthur has more:

“So, the king said to the servants, ‘Tie him up hand and foot, take him away.”

You say, “Why did they do that?”

Because if they didn’t do that, he’d come back again. So, they tie him up so he can’t come back in again. “Put him in outer darkness.” Apparently the light had been turned on in the middle of the festival. It was evening by now. “Put him out. Put him out. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” You’ll have great regret. Oh, you’ll have great regret to miss the celebration. Oh, he’ll be so sad, weeping, [groaning sound], gnashing his teeth. “Put him out.”

You say, “Well, what is this saying?”

It’s saying that there are going to be people who try to crash the kingdom, and they come in, and they hang around, and they join the church, and they get involved, and they’re a part. I mean they’ve been out there on the highways and byways, and the preachers go out, and they call them to come, and they come in, and they – they – and they come in, and they don’t have the proper garment. But they want to stay. And in order to keep them out, you’ve got to tie them up, put them out.

You say, “Who are these people?”

Oh, they’re sort of like the people in Matthew 7 who say, “Lord, Lord, have we not cast out demons? Have we not done many wonderful works in your name? Lord, Lord, we’ve preached.”

He says, “Out. I never knew you. Who are you?”

These are kingdom crashers. These are tares among the wheat. They’re not properly garmented.

You say, “What’s the garment?”

That’s easy. Go back to Matthew 5:20 for a moment, and I’ll show you the garment. In Matthew 5:20 it says, “For I say unto you, that except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.”

What is it that is necessary for entrance into the kingdom of heaven? What is it? Righteousness. And a righteousness different than the Pharisees, which was a self-righteousness – a God-given righteousness. It’s just what Hebrews 12:14 says, “Holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.” You don’t go into God’s presence without manifest righteousness, without manifest holiness.

Job 29:14, the text says, “I put on righteousness, and it clothed me.” The Jews would understand this – who were listening to Him, because they would remember one of the most beautiful texts of the entire Old Testament. It would be very familiar to them. It is Isaiah 61:10 and it says this, “I will greatly rejoice in the Lord. My soul shall be joyful in my God, for He hath clothed me with the garments of salvation. He hath covered me with a robe of righteousness.” So, they knew that. Righteousness was the robe.

And the king looked at this man; he saw no righteousness. That is no right living, no right thinking, no right speaking. He saw no holiness, no godliness. He said, “You don’t belong in here. You can’t crash the kingdom on your own terms. That which proves you belong is manifest righteousness.”

Beloved, this is a repeated truth in the Gospel of Matthew over and over and over and over. That which marks a true believer is manifest righteousness, not that he hangs around other believers, not that he identifies externally with the ongoing activity of the kingdom.

Jesus ended His parable by saying that many are called but few are chosen (verse 14).

Therefore, let no one say that all will be saved. They will not.

Henry says:

… if you set aside all the profane, and all the hypocritical, you will find that they are few, very few, that are chosen; many called to the wedding feast, but few chosen to the wedding garment, that is, to salvation, by sanctification of the Spirit. This is the strait gate, and narrow way, which few find.

MacArthur concludes with this:

The heart of Christ still reaches out in a loving invitation to a world of men and women that He wants in the celebration. He’s not inviting you to suffer here in this parable. He’s not inviting you to pain. He’s not inviting you to deprivation. He’s not inviting you to a monastic existence. He’s not inviting you to self-immolation. He’s not inviting you to some kind of arduous work. He’s inviting you to a celebration of all celebrations, the glorious and eternal royal feast that is all that the best of life could ever, ever be imagined to bring, and it’s all in Christ. Won’t you come?

May all reading this have a blessed week ahead.

Forbidden Bible Verses will appear tomorrow.