Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Matthew 22:2
The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son.
2. which made a marriage for his son ] Rather, a marriage feast for his son.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The kingdom of heaven – See the notes at Mat 3:2. The idea here is, God deals with man in his kingdom, or in regard to the dispensation of the gospel, as a certain king did, etc. This parable refers, undoubtedly, to the rejection of the Jews and to the calling of the Gentiles. The gospel, with all its privileges, was offered to the Jewish people; but through their wickedness and pride they rejected it, and all its blessings were offered to the Gentiles and accepted. This is the general truth. Many circumstances are thrown in to fill out the narrative which cannot be particularly explained.
A marriage for his son – Rather a marriage-feast, or a feast on the occasion of the marriage of his son. The king here doubtless represents God providing for the salvation of the world.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
2. The kingdom of heaven is likeunto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son“Inthis parable,” as TRENCHadmirably remarks, “we see how the Lord is revealing Himself inever clearer light as the central Person of the kingdom, giving herea far plainer hint than in the last parable of the nobility of Hisdescent. There He was indeed the Son, the only and beloved one (Mr12:6), of the Householder; but here His race is royal, and Heappears as Himself at once the King and the King’s Son (Ps72:1). The last was a parable of the Old Testament history; andChrist is rather the last and greatest of the line of its prophetsand teachers than the founder of a new kingdom. In that, God appearsdemanding something from men; in this, a parable ofgrace, God appears more as giving something to them.Thus, as often, the two complete each other: this taking up thematter where the other left it.” The “marriage” ofJehovah to His people Israel was familiar to Jewish ears; and in Ps45:1-17 this marriage is seen consummated in the Person ofMessiah “THE KING,”Himself addressed as “GOD”and yet as anointed by “HISGOD” with the oil ofgladness above His fellows. These apparent contradictions (see on Lu20:41-44) are resolved in this parable; and Jesus, in claiming tobe this King’s Son, serves Himself Heir to all that the prophetsand sweet singers of Israel held forth as to Jehovah’s ineffably nearand endearing union to His people. But observe carefully, thatTHE BRIDEdoes not come into view in this parable; its design being to teachcertain truths under the figure of guests at a wedding feast,and the want of a wedding garment, which would not haveharmonized with the introduction of the Bride.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king,…. The Gospel dispensation which had now taken place, the methods of divine grace in it, and the behaviour of men under it, may be fitly illustrated by the following simile, or parable; the design of which is to express the great love of God the Father, who is represented by this
certain king, in espousing any of the children of men to his own son: as, that he a king, who is the King of kings, and Lord of Lords, should concern himself in this manner; and especially, that he should espouse such mean and unworthy creatures to his own, his only, and beloved son, his equal, and his heir: also, the view of it is to set forth the plenteous provisions of grace made under the Gospel dispensation in the word and ordinances; the great neglect and contempt of these by the Jews, who were externally called unto them; the wrath of God upon them for their abuse of them, and ill usage of his servants; the calling of the vilest among them, or of the Gentiles, and how far persons may go in a profession of religion without the wedding garment, and at last be lost:
which made a marriage for his son: which may be understood either of contracting and bringing him into a marriage relation, or of making a marriage feast on that account: in the former sense, the persons concerned are the Father, the bridegroom, and the bride: the parties contracted are the Son of God and sinful creatures. The bridegroom is no other than the only begotten of God the Father, his only Son and heir, the Maker and Governor of the universe, who has all the, perfections of the Deity, and fulness of the Godhead in him; and, as mediator, has all accomplishments and, excellencies; he has all the riches of grace and glory; all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge; all loveliness, beauty, and amiableness in his person, and everything to recommend him as the chiefest among ten thousand: on the other hand, the bride is the church, which consists of a set of persons chosen by God, in Christ, before the foundation of the world; who were considered as sinless creatures, and viewed as such when first betrothed to Christ in the everlasting covenant: but for the further demonstration of his love to them, were suffered to fall in Adam, with the rest of mankind, and to be scattered abroad; when they lost the image of God, came short of his glory, passed under a sentence of condemnation, became liable to the curse of the law, and eternal death; were defiled and polluted in their nature, and in their estate became bankrupts and beggars; and yet this hindered not the consummation of the marriage between Christ and them. The person that contracted this relation between them, is the Father of Christ, who chose them for him to be his spouse and bride; brought and presented them to him, as he did Eve to Adam before the fall; and gave them to him, and made them one body and flesh with him, in the everlasting covenant; and draws them, and brings them to him by his powerful grace, in the effectual calling; there was a secret betrothing of all these persons to him in eternity, at his own request, and the full consent of his Father, who had the disposal of them; there is an open espousal of them, as particular persons, at conversion; and there will be a more public and general consummate marriage of them, at the last day, when they are all called by grace, and brought home: moreover, this may be understood of the marriage feast which the Father makes on this extraordinary account. So the Syriac version renders the word by , “a feast”; and in this sense is it used by the Septuagint in Ge 29:22 by which is meant, not the latter day glory, or marriage feast of the Lamb, to which only saints will be invited, and partake of; nor the ultimate glory, when all the elect shall go with Christ into the marriage chamber, and spend an eternity in endless and unspeakable felicity with him; nor the spiritual blessings of grace enjoyed by believers now; but the external ministry of the word and ordinances, which are a feast of fat things, a rich entertainment, the particulars of which are after given; which many are invited to, who never partake thereof, and others do, and yet destitute of the grace of God; for both good and bad were guests at this feast. The allusion is to the custom of the Jews, and of other nations, in making feasts and grand entertainments at such times. The Jews used to make feasts both at espousals, and at marriage: hence we g read of , “a feast of espousals”, and of
, “a marriage feast”: the reference here is to the latter; and which used to be made at the charge of the father: for so runs one of their canons h:
“a father marries his son, , “and makes a feast for him”, and the expense is the father’s &c.”
g T. Bab. Yebamot, fol. 43. 1, 2. h Maimon. Hilch. Nechalot, c. 9. sect. 13. Vid. Misn. Sheviith, c. 7. sect. 4. & Juchasin, fol. 88. 1.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
A marriage feast (). The plural, as here (Matt 22:2; Matt 22:3; Matt 22:4; Matt 22:9), is very common in the papyri for the wedding festivities (the several acts of feasting) which lasted for days, seven in Jud 14:17. The very phrase here, , occurs in the Doric of Thera about B.C. 200. The singular is common in the papyri for the wedding contract, but Field (Notes, p. 16) sees no difference between the singular here in 22:8 and the plural (see also Gen 29:22; Esth 9:22; Macc. 10:58).
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Made a marriage [] . But the phrase refers to the marriage – feast, rather than to the marriage – ceremony. In Est 9:22, the word is used of feasting without any reference to a marriage. Rev., a marriage – feast.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
2. The kingdom of heaven is like a human king As it was long ago said by a Spartan, that the Athenians knew what was right, but did not choose to practice it; so Christ now brings it as a reproach against the Jews, that they gave utterance to beautiful expressions about the kingdom of God, but, when God kindly and gently invited them, they rejected his grace with disdain. There is no room to doubt that the discourse is expressly levelled against the Jews, as will more plainly appear a little afterwards.
Matthew and Luke differ in this respect, that Matthew details many circumstances, while Luke states the matter summarily, and in a general manner. Thus, Matthew says that a king made a marriage for his son: Luke only mentions a great supper The former speaks of many servants, while the latter refers to no more than one servant; the former describes many messages, the latter mentions one only; the former says that some of the servants were abused or slain, the latter speaks only of their being treated with contempt. Lastly, the former relates that a man was cast out, who had gone in to the marriage without a wedding garment, of which Luke makes no mention. But we have formerly pointed out a similar distinction, that Matthew, in explaining the same thing, is more copious, and enters into fuller details. There is a remarkable agreement between them on the main points of the parable.
God bestowed on the Jews distinguished honor, by providing for them, as it were, a hospitable table; but they despised the honor which had been conferred upon them. The marriage of the king’s son is explained by many commentators to mean, that Christ is the end of the Law, (Rom 10:4.) and that God had no other design in his covenant, than to make him the Governor of his people, and to unite the Church to him by the sacred bond of a spiritual marriage. I have no objection to that view. But when he says, that the servants were sent to call those who were invited, these words are intended to point out a double favor which the Jews had received from God; first, in being preferred to other nations; and, secondly, in having their adoption made known to them by the prophets. The allusion is to a practice customary among men, that those who intended to make a marriage drew up a list of the persons whom they intended to have as guests, and afterwards sent invitations to them by their servants. In like manner, God elected the Jews in preference to others, as if they had been his familiar friends, and afterwards called them by the prophets to partake of the promised redemption, which was, as it were, to feast at a marriage It is true that those who were first invited did not live till the coming of Christ; but we know that all received an offer of the same salvation, of which they were deprived by their ingratitude and malice; for from the commencement, God’s invitation was impiously despised by that people. (292)
(292) “ Ce peuple-la a vileinement et meschamment mesprise l’honneur auquel Dieu le convioit;” — “that people basely and wickedly despised the honor to which God invited them.”
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(2) Which made a marriage for his son.The germ of the thought which forms the groundwork of the parable is found, in a passing allusion, in Luk. 12:36When he shall return from the wedding. Here, for the first time, it appears in a fully developed form. The parable of Luk. 14:15-24 is not specially connected with the idea of a wedding feast. The thought itself rested, in part at least, on the language of the older prophets, who spoke of God as the Bridegroom, and Israel as His bride (Isa. 62:5), who thought of the idolatries of Israel as the adultery of the faithless wife (Jer. 3:1-4) who had abandoned the love of her espousals (Jer. 2:2). Here the prominent idea is that of the guests who are invited to the feast. The interpretation of the parable lies, so far, almost on the surface. The king is none other than God, and the wedding is that between Christ and His Church, the redeemed and purified Israel (Rev. 19:7-9). We have to remember the truth, which the form of the parable excludes, that the guests themselves, so far as they obey the call, and are clothed in the wedding garment, are, in their collective unity, the Church which is the bride. (Comp. Eph. 5:23-27.)
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
2. Like unto a certain king This parable is an expansion of the one in Luk 14:16. This is delivered later in our Lord’s history, after the guilt of his enemies had become more glaring, and their punishment more sure. Our Lord therefore changes the rich man to a king; paints the guilt of the rejecters in more aggravated colours; assigns them a more terrible destruction, prosecutes the history of their being supplanted by the Gentiles; and traces it even until their condemnation at the judgment day. The king is God the Father Almighty; the Son, our Lord Jesus Christ; the marriage is his espousing the Church on earth; the marriage supper is the participation of the Gospel by men.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘The kingly rule of heaven can be likened to a certain king, who made a marriage feast for his son,’
The parable is to be an illustration of the Kingly Rule of Heaven. Compare for this Mat 13:24; Mat 18:23; Mat 25:1; and see also Mat 13:31; Mat 13:33; Mat 13:44-45; Mat 13:47; Mat 13:52; Mat 20:1. Like those parables it will indicate present activity in the Kingly Rule of Heaven, leading up to the final everlasting Kingly Rule. It refers to God’s doings and God’s offer and men’s response to them. They are being called to come under His Son’s Kingly Rule.
In this case the parable is of a King Who makes a marriage for His Son. On such an occasion a king would often, in honour of the occasion, promote his son to a position of authority over a part of his realm. That would seem to be the case here. Thus those who are bidden to the wedding were to be future subjects of His Son.
We must beware of just attributing this to what is called ‘the Messianic Banquet (as in Mat 8:11). That is never described as a marriage feast. The marriage feast indicates rather a celebration of joy and gladness, a feast of ‘good things’, pertaining to this life (compare Joh 4:10-14; Joh 6:35; Joh 7:37; Eph 5:25-27). It was portrayed at Cana as offering the wine of the new age that Jesus had bought (Joh 2:1-11). It was such ‘good things’ that Jesus had come to bring men so that they might be immediately enjoyed (Joh 5:3-9; Joh 7:11; compare Joh 9:15 where the wedding is on the point of taking place but is interrupted by Jesus’ death, although that sadness will not last for long). This was not an invitation to some distant eschatological event as in Mat 25:10; Rev 19:6-9, but to present rejoicing along with the King’s Son Who was soon to be enthroned, and with Whom they would feast at His table, as some had already done (Joh 14:13-21; Joh 15:27; Joh 16:32-33), and then faithfully serve Him. The whole point is that the Chief Priests and Pharisees were turning down the present offer to eat at His table.
For to feast at His table was to believe on Him Whom God had sent and to partake of Him (Joh 6:32-40). It was an invitation which could be refused on the very verge of the wedding resulting in the earthly consequences that followed for those who did refuse (which was not the same as the later final judgement – Mat 22:13). Others would then come later to enjoy the same feast, and at least one of these would be ejected because he had come improperly prepared. Thus it is not the heavenly banquet of Mat 8:11 where all was final and all were secure. It is the time of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit which are basic elements of being under the Kingly Rule of God now (Rom 14:17). It is the current Messianic Banquet, currently enjoyed by Messiah’s people, as they receive good things from Him. It was to this Banquet that Jesus was calling men and women, to the music and dancing enjoyed by the returned prodigal (Luk 15:25). They were being called to eat and drink with their Lord.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Mat 22:2 f. On , to prepare a marriage feast , comp. Wetstein and Xen. de rep. Lac . i. 6; Tob 8:19 . Michaelis, Fischer, Kuinoel, Paulus are mistaken in supposing that what is meant is a feast on the occasion of his son’s accession to the throne .
The Messiah is the bridegroom (Mat 25:1 ; Rev 21:2 ; Rev 21:9 ), whose marriage represents the setting up of His kingdom. Comp. Mat 9:15 , Joh 3:29 , and note on Eph 5:27 .
] i.e. to tell those who had been previously invited that it was now time to come to the marriage. Comp. Mat 22:4 ; Luk 14:17 . For instances of such repeated invitations, see Wetstein.
. .] as in Mat 18:23 ; , as in Mat 13:24 .
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
DISCOURSE: 1388
THE MARRIAGE FEAST
Mat 22:2-3. The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, and sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come.
INSTRUCTION and reproof generally irritate those who will not be reformed; but ministers must speak plainly, whether men will hear or forbear. They must present the same truths in various shapes, if by any means they may win the souls of their hearers; nor should they be intimidated even by the most imminent dangers. Jesus had spoken a parable that greatly offended the Pharisees: they even sought to take away his life on account of it: but he still persisted in his benevolent labours for their good, and repeated the same offensive truths in the parable before us. In the parable he compares the kingdom of heaven, or the Gospel dispensation, to a king who made a marriage for his son, and sent his servants to invite guests to the marriage-feast. This king was Jehovah: the wedding was between the Lord Jesus Christ, Gods only-begotten Son, and his spouse the Church: and the feast instituted in honour of it, contained all the blessings of grace and glory. The Prophets and Apostles were sent forth in Jehovahs name to invite all the Jews to a participation of this feast: but their message was despised and their persons injured; so that God would now cease any more to call the Jews, and would send forth his invitations to the Gentiles, whom he would receive with all imaginable kindness, whilst he left the Jews to eat the bitter fruit of their folly.
Now, as we are the favoured people to whom these invitations are sent, I will more distinctly open to you the parable in its different parts, and then execute the commission which is here assigned me.
The union of Christ with his Church is often spoken of in the Scriptures under the figure of a marriage
[By nature we are in the most deplorable condition. But he of his own sovereign grace sets his heart upon us, and prepares us for himself, and unites us to himself in the closest bonds [Note: Eze 16:4-12.]. The espousals take place now in this world [Note: Jer 2:2. 2Co 11:2.]; the consummation will be in the world to come [Note: Rom. 19:7.].]
In honour of this marriage God institutes a feast
[But who shall declare how rich this feast is? Truly it is a feast worthy of God, the God of heaven, to provide, and worthy of his most favoured creatures to partake of in the heavenly world. Already, whatever can conduce to the enlightening of the mind, the rectifying of the will, the purifying of the affections, the strengthening, establishing, and comforting of the soul, is dispensed to us as a foretaste of that divine banquet. The love of the Father, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, are imparted to us in the richest abundance. Wine and strong meat are ministered to adults, and milk to the new-born babes, insomuch that there is not a person in the universe who may not find that very food which he most affects, and which his necessities more particularly require.]
And now are his servants sent forth to invite us all
[As Prophets and Apostles were sent forth in former ages so are ministers appointed now to this very service, to call to the wedding all who have a wish to come; saying, Whosoever will, let him come and take of the water of life freely. This, brethren, has been my happy office, which I have most gladly performed from the first instant that I came amongst you. I have not set forth the Gospel as a work to be performed, or a labour to be sustained, but as a feast to be enjoyed, a feast of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined [Note: Isa 25:6.], to satiate every weary soul, and to replenish, and exhilarate every sorrowful soul [Note: Jer 31:25.]. In calling you to be guests, we require of you no pre-requisites of goodness and worthiness for the meriting of this distinction: it is offered even to the very chief of sinners, provided they be willing to accept of mercy and all the other blessings of salvation as the free gift of God in Christ Jesus. All is offered to you freely without money and without price.]
But what reception has our message met with in the midst of you?
[Some, I am happy to say, have accepted the invitation, and are already partaking of the feast But the generality amongst you have acted, as those in former days, who made light of the proffered mercy, and went to their farm and merchandize as an employment better suited to their taste. Some, like the Jews in former ages, have evil-entreated the servants of the Lord [Note: ver. 6.]. Others, who have treated the messengers with more respect, have yet shewn the same indifference to the message, satisfying themselves with vain excuses, which nevertheless they must know can never satisfy their God [Note: Luk 14:18-20.] Almost all desire to put off the day of their intercourse with the heavenly Bridegroom, as though it were rather an evil to be dreaded, than a feast to be enjoyed. If the listening to our invitation would suffice, they would be contented to go thus far on the Sabbath-day: but if they must come to Christ and sit down with him at the wedding-feast, they desire to postpone it to some more convenient season, when the cares and pleasures of life shall have lost all their attraction.]
And what must be the issue of such conduct?
[Those who have reviled and persecuted the servants of the Most High, will meet with a suitable recompence at his hands [Note: ver. 7.]. And those who have made light of their labour, will never be admitted so much as to taste of this supper [Note: Luk 14:24.]. It is a fact that they who come not now to this feast, know nothing of Gods pardoning love, nothing of the comforts of the Holy Ghost. They are utter strangers to all spiritual joy. They think all experience of heavenly communications, all manifestations of Gods love, and all foretastes of his glory, to be no better than the dreams of a heated imagination. What hope then can they have that they shall possess all the fulness of these blessings in the eternal world? In their present condition they have no capacity for the enjoyment of the heavenly feast, even if they were admitted to it. But they never can be admitted, nor to all eternity shall they ever so much as taste what the favoured guests shall feed upon in the presence of their God.]
But let me once more endeavour to execute my commission
[Once more in the name of Almighty God I invite you, brethren, to come to the wedding-feast. And O, think who it is that invites you. It is God, and not man: the voice, though the voice of a feeble worm like yourselves, is as truly Gods, as if it came in thunder, or in audible sounds from heaven. And will you turn a deaf ear to him? to him who needs not you, and who invites you only that he may make you a partaker of his own blessedness and glory? Think also to what a feast you are called. In comparison of that, all that this world can give is but as the husks that the swine eat of Think yet further, how vain all your excuses are. What have you to do that can be put in competition with the seeking and securing the salvation of the soul? Think too how bitter your regrets will soon be. Soon you will behold the company that is set down at the marriage supper: but you will behold them at an unapproachable distance: and these reflections will then irresistibly force themselves upon your mind: There I also might have been a happy guest, if only I would have accepted the invitations given me, and obeyed the call of Almighty God: but here am I, banished from the Saviours presence, and without a drop of water to cool my tongue. O! wretch that I am! I in vain look to rocks and mountains to fall upon me: they cannot perform for me that friendly office; they cannot hide me from the wrath of my offended God. Lastly, Think how painful must be both your state and mine in the day when I shall give up my account of my present labours. To save your souls alive is now the one object for which I minister, and for which I live. And in that day I must give an account of my ministry. But O! what an account will it be? Did you deliver my message to them? Did you invite them to the wedding-feast? Did you press and urge them as it became you? Did you warn them of the consequences of declining my invitation? What answers must I give? I can say nothing which will not evince your guilt, and aggravate your condemnation. The Lord grant that such may never be the issue of my labours; but that I may have you all as my joy and crown of rejoicing in that day!]
Fuente: Charles Simeon’s Horae Homileticae (Old and New Testaments)
2 The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son,
Ver. 2. Like unto a certain king ] God is a great King, and he stands upon his seniority, Mal 1:8 , will be served of the best, and curseth that cheat that does otherwise,Mat 22:14Mat 22:14 . He scorneth to drink the devil’s snuffs, to take his leavings.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
2. ] The householder of the former parable is the KING here, who for his Son. are not always necessarily ‘a marriage,’ but any great celebration, as accession to the throne, or coming of age, &c. See Est 1:5 , LXX. Meyer (in loc.) denies this, but does not refer to the passage of Esther just cited, which to my mind is decisive. Est 9:22 is not satisfactorily explained on his interpretation, viz. that the LXX translate freely and exegetically, but is another instance in point. Here however the notion of a marriage is certainly included ; and the interpretation is, the great marriage supper ( Rev 19:9 ) of the Son of God : i.e. His full and complete union to His Bride the Church in glory: which would be to the guests the ultimate result of accepting the invitation. See Eph 5:25-27 . The difficulty, of the totality of the guests in this case constituting the Bride , may be lessened by regarding the ceremony as an enthronization, in which the people are regarded as being espoused to their prince. On the whole imagery, cf. Psa 45:1-17 .
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Mat 22:2 . , a wedding feast; plural, because the festivities asted for days, seven in Jdg 14:17 . The suggestion that the feast is connected with the handing over of the kingdom to the son (“quem pater successorem declarare volebat,” Kuinoel) is not to be despised. The marriage and recognition of the son as heir to the throne might be combined, which would give to the occasion a political significance, and make appearance at the marriage a test of loyalty. Eastern monarchs had often many sons by different wives, and heirship to the throne did not go by primogeniture, but by the pleasure of the sovereign, determined in many cases by affection for a favourite wife, as in the case of Solomon (Koetsveld, de Gelijk. )
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
The kingdom of heaven. See App-114. heaven = the heavens. See notes on Mat 6:9, Mat 6:10.
marriage = marriage or wedding feast. See App-140.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
2.] The householder of the former parable is the KING here, who for his Son. are not always necessarily a marriage, but any great celebration, as accession to the throne, or coming of age, &c. See Est 1:5, LXX. Meyer (in loc.) denies this, but does not refer to the passage of Esther just cited, which to my mind is decisive. Est 9:22 is not satisfactorily explained on his interpretation, viz. that the LXX translate freely and exegetically,-but is another instance in point. Here however the notion of a marriage is certainly included; and the interpretation is, the great marriage supper (Rev 19:9) of the Son of God: i.e. His full and complete union to His Bride the Church in glory: which would be to the guests the ultimate result of accepting the invitation. See Eph 5:25-27. The difficulty, of the totality of the guests in this case constituting the Bride, may be lessened by regarding the ceremony as an enthronization, in which the people are regarded as being espoused to their prince. On the whole imagery, cf. Psa 45:1-17.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
kingdom
(See Scofield “Mat 3:2”)
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
kingdom: Mat 13:24, Mat 13:31-33, Mat 13:44-47, Mat 25:1, Mat 25:14
which: Mat 25:1-13, Psa 45:10-16, Joh 3:29, Joh 3:30, 2Co 11:2, Eph 5:24-32, Rev 19:7-9
Reciprocal: Gen 29:22 – and made Deu 17:10 – General Jdg 14:10 – made there Est 2:18 – made a great Isa 66:4 – when I called Jer 13:5 – as Dan 9:26 – the prince Mat 3:2 – for Mat 20:1 – the kingdom Luk 5:34 – bridegroom Luk 14:16 – A certain Luk 15:23 – the fatted Rev 19:9 – Blessed
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
THE LAWS OF THE KINGDOM
The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, and sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come.
Mat 22:2-3
This is a parable concerning the laws and customs of the Kingdom of Heaven; that is, the spiritual and eternal laws by which God governs men. Infinite bounty and generosity! but if that bounty be despised and insulted, or outraged by wanton cruelty, then, for the benefit of the rest of mankind, awful severity! The king intended to treat these men as his guests and friends. They take the kings messengers, and treat them spitefully, and kill them.
I. The kings indignation.Then there arises in that king a noble indignation. We do not read that the king sentimentalised over these rebels, and said, After all, this evil, like all evil, is only a lower form of good. But that He sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. The king was very angry, as he had a right to be. Let us lay that to heart, and tremble, from the very worst of us all to the very best of us. There is an anger in God as long as sin and wrong exist in any corner of the universe.
II. Our responsibility.Yet the same law of God may be the messenger of his anger to the bad, while it is the messenger of His love to the good. For God has not only no passions, but no parts; and therefore His anger and His love are not different, but the same, and His love is His anger, and His anger His love. Under Gods anger or under Gods love we must be, whether we will or not. We cannot flee from His presence. On us, and on us alone, it depends whether the eternal and unchangeable God shall be to us a consuming fire, or light and life and bliss for evermore. Men do not believe that God punishes sin and wrong-doing either in this world or in the world to come. But the first law of that kingdom is that wrong-doing will be punished, and right-doing rewarded, in this life, every day and all day long.
III. What will the end be?And what will ye do in the end thereof? asks Jeremiah. The prophets prophesied falsely, and the people loved to have their consciences drugged by the news that they might live bad lives and yet die good deaths. What the Jews did in the end thereof you may read in the book of the prophet Jeremiah. They did nothing; with their morality their manhood was gone. Sin had borne its certain fruit of anarchy and decrepitude. The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ill-doing of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness, knowing what is true and what is right, yet telling lies and doing wrong. Let us lay this to heart with seriousness and godly fear; for so we shall look up with reverence, and yet with hope, to Christ the ascended King, to whom all power is given in heaven and earth; for ever asking Him for His Holy Spirit to put into our minds good desires, and to enable us to bring these desires to good effect.
Canon Kingsley.
Illustration
What is the figurative meaning of coming to Christ? It means that as penitents we should approach Him by prayer; that from Him we should seek the grace of His Spirit to amend our lives; that we should realise the need and value of His Intercession, and strive to become meet for it by working as carefully, strictly, and diligently as if all depended on ourselves; it is to love Him, and to show that we do so by keeping His commandments; it is to strengthen our communion with Him by sacraments, and all other means of grace which He has appointed, so as to make Him in all things our Ruler and Guide, and to make His will our own. This it is to come to Christ.
Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary
:2-3
This parable was to show the attitude of the Jews toward the kingdom of heaven as it contrasted with that of the Gentiles. The Lord chose a very familiar subject for the illustration, that of a marriage and the feast that was given to the guests. Call them that were bidden. Invitations were sent out some time before the date of the wedding, and as that time approached the invited guests were notified that the date of the wedding had arrived and for them to be present. The Jews were told in the Old Testament that the kingdom of heaven was going to be set up but no definite date was stated to them. They would not come. The Jews were not very responsive to the invitation offered to them to partake of the good things provided by Jesus.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Mat 22:2. A man that was a king. Evidently God: the householder of the former parable.
A marriage feast for his son. The word includes any great feast, but here a marriage feast is meant, since the word son must not be thrown into the background. It was Christs marriage, i.e., with His covenant people, according to the imager of the Old Testament (Isa 54:5; Eze 16:4; Hos 2:19-20; Song of Solomon throughout; comp. Psalms 45) See, also, in the New Testament (Eph 5:25; Rev 21:9;) where the Church is the Bride, and this marriage feast is the union of Christ and His Church in glory. The union of the Divine and human natures of Christ underlies the other union, but is not prominent here. Believers, as individuals, are guests, the Church as an ideal whole is the Bride.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Mat 22:2-3. The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king That is, the dispensation of the gospel may be well illustrated by that which happened in the case of a king; who made a marriage for his son Our Lord is frequently represented in Scripture under the character of a bridegroom. The marriage-feast here spoken of is intended to signify the blessings of the gospel, which are set forth under the emblem of a feast in divers passages of Scripture, especially Isa 25:6; and Isa 55:1-2; Luk 14:16; where see the notes. And sent forth his servants John the Baptist and the twelve, and the seventy sent forth during our Lords lifetime; to call them that were bidden , that had been before invited Namely, the Jews, who had been invited from the times of Moses, by the law and the prophets, to this long-expected marriage of the Desire of all nations; and to whom the first offers of grace and salvation through Christ were made, to the wedding, or nuptial banquet, as here properly signifies. And they would not come They were so rude and foolish as to refuse complying with the invitation. By this their refusal, and by the reasons assigned for it, stated here and Luk 14:18-19, is shown the rejection of the gospel by the Jews, and the carnal causes, not only of their, but of all mens refusing to come unto the gospel-feast.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Jesus said the kingdom was similar to what the following story illustrated (cf. Mat 13:24; Mat 13:31; Mat 13:33; Mat 13:44-45; Mat 13:47; Mat 20:1). The king represents God the Father. His son, the bridegroom (cf. Mat 9:15; Mat 25:1), is Messiah. The wedding feast is the messianic banquet that will take place on earth at the beginning of the kingdom (Mat 8:11-12; Mat 25:1; cf. Psa 132:15; Isa 25:6-8; Isa 65:13-14; Rev 21:2). As in the previous parable, the slaves (Gr. douloi) of the king are His prophets (Mat 21:34-36). [Note: Pentecost, The Parables . . ., pp. 139-40.] They announced the coming of the banquet and urged those whom God invited to it, the Jews, to prepare for it. However most of those who heard about it did not respond to the call to prepare for it. Several writers have taken this invitation as corresponding to the ministries of John the Baptist and Jesus. [Note: E.g., Morgan, p. 263; Walvoord, Matthew: . . ., p. 165; and Toussaint, Behold the . . ., p. 254.]