A Wedding Garment [The Parable of The Wedding Feast]

Matthew 22:1-14 

'And again Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son, and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come. Again he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.”’ But they paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them. The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy. Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.’ And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests. “But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ For many are called, but few are chosen.” '

https://www.bible.com/bible/59/MAT.22.1-14

A Wedding Garment

In the ancient world, it was customary for the host to supply wedding garments to the guests. Therefore, it would be an insult to the host if the guests do not wear the wedding garments when going to the wedding. 

The wedding garment probably symbolises God's Righteousness that God wants to put on us. So that putting it on, we become worthy. 

It is a beautiful explanation for the concept of salvation because it involves "The King giving out the wedding garments, which is the Righteousness of God" and "the guests putting it on". God gives freely, but we must receive. 

It is a choice for the guest to put it on. It is open for interpretation to why the man had no wedding garment. Maybe he thought that his own clothes was good enough. Maybe he did not wish to be involved in the celebration, but just wanted to take a look.  Whatever the reason was, he was not worthy to be in the wedding and therefore got casted into the darkness. 

So for us, who are already invited to God's Kingdom, already sitting inside a church, we have to ask ourselves whether are we still wearing our own clothes? or have we put aside our own pride and achivements and put on the wedding garment that the King has supplied to us? Have we accepted what Jesus has done for us? 

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