In order to properly see the significance of the parable of the wedding feast we need to be reminded of the context here.  We come to the third of three parables Jesus told when challenged by the religious leaders in the temple during His last week... “The Two Sons” was told in regards to their rejection of John the Baptist - Mt 21:28-32 “The Wicked Vinedressers” described how God would reject them because they had rejected His prophets, and ultimately His own Son! - Mt 21:33-46, In “The Wedding Feast”, the wickedness and rebelliousness of the religious leaders is even more vividly described - Mt 22:1-14.  So to set the context lets go back and read the beginning of this discourse in Matthew 21.

Matthew 21:23-32

23* ¶ When He entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to Him while He was teaching, and said, “By what authority are You doing these things, and who gave You this authority?”

 24* Jesus said to them, “I will also ask you one thing, which if you tell Me, I will also tell you by what authority I do these things.

 25* “The baptism of John was from what source, from heaven or from men?” And they began reasoning among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say to us, ‘Then why did you not believe him?’

 26* “But if we say, ‘From men,’ we fear the people; for they all regard John as a prophet.”

 27* And answering Jesus, they said, “We do not know.” He also said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.

 28* ¶ “But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, ‘Son, go work today in the vineyard.’

 29* “And he answered, ‘I will not’; but afterward he regretted it and went.

 30* “The man came to the second and said the same thing; and he answered, ‘I will, sir’; but he did not go.

 31* “Which of the two did the will of his father?” They *said, “The first.” Jesus *said to them, “Truly I say to you that the tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the kingdom of God before you.

 32* “For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him; but the tax collectors and prostitutes did believe him; and you, seeing this, did not even feel remorse afterward so as to believe him.

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In The Wedding Feast (Mt 22:1-14)  the wickedness and rebelliousness of the religious leaders is even more vividly described - Mt 22:1-14 

Mt 22:1-14

  22:1* ¶ Jesus 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 son.

 3* “And he sent out his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding feast, and they were unwilling to come.

 4* “Again 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.”’

 5* “But they paid no attention and went their way, one to his own farm, another to his business,

 6* and the rest seized his slaves and mistreated them and killed them.

 7* “But the king was enraged, and he sent his armies and destroyed those murderers and set their city on fire.

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

 9* ‘Go therefore to the main highways, and as many as you find there, invite to the wedding feast.’

 10* “Those 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.

 11* “But when the king came in to look over the dinner guests, he saw a man there who was not dressed in wedding clothes,

 12* and he *said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without wedding clothes?’ And the man was speechless.

 13* “Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

 14* “For many are called, but few are chosen.”

The kingdom of heaven is likened to a wedding feast - vss. 1-2

Isaiah had used the figure of a feast to prophecy of the Messianic age - Isaiah 25:6 

Isaiah 25:6

 6 ¶ The LORD of hosts will prepare a lavish banquet for all peoples on this mountain; A banquet of aged wine, choice pieces with marrow, And refined, aged wine.

The Book of Revelation describes the Lamb and His Bride - Re 19:7

And yet the invitation is spurned... 

   a. By those indifferent - vss. 3-5 

   b. By those rebellious - vs. 6 

Here Jesus may have reference here to the Jewish nation, as He did in the parable of “The Wicked Vinedressers” - cf. vss. 33-46

The King’s furious reaction - vs. 7 

   a. Those who had so callously rejected His invitation, abused His servants, are themselves destroyed 

   b. Many understand this to be a prophecy of the destruction of Jerusalem, which occurred in 70 A. D. - cf. Lk 19:41-44 

The invitation is extended to others -vss. 8-10 

  a. As in the parable of “The Wicked Vinedressers”, the opportunity to enjoy the blessings of the kingdom of God is extended to others - cf. vs. 43

  b. This has reference to the offer of the gospel and the kingdom to the Gentiles - cf. also Mt 8:5-12 

A GUEST IMPROPERLY ATTIRED (11-14) 

  1. Without a wedding garment - vss. 11-12 

   a. It was customary for the hosts to provide their guests suitable apparel 

   b. To not wear the provided garment showed a lack of respect and appreciation 

   c. No real excuse could be offered for not wearing one (“he was speechless”) 

The King’s furious reaction - vs. 13 

   a. The seriousness of the insult is seen in the reaction of the king 

   b. The punishment described is similar to that found in other parables - Mt 13:42,50

Matt 13:42,50

 42* and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

 50* and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Jesus’ conclusion - vs.14 - “For many are called, but few are chosen.”

   a. This summarizes the main point of the entire parable 

   b. The invitation (call) of God is extended to many,  but few receive it in such a way to be among the “chosen” 

This parable was clearly told in response to the rejection of the King’s Son and His Kingdom by the Jewish nation.  

There are elements of the parable apply to us as well, for the invitation to attend “The Wedding Feast” is still being offered through the call of the Gospel! 

HAVE YOU SPURNED THE FATHER’S INVITATION? 

  1. Through indifference?

   a. Many people do not know God because of a lack of interest 

   b. Yet God has so ordered the affairs of life to encourage faith and interest in Him  - cf. Ac 17:26-27; Ro 1:20; 1 Ti 2:3-4

Ac 17:26-27 

 26* and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation,

 27* that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us;

Rom. 1:20

 20* For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.

 c. For this reason, even those who through indifference do not know God and obey the gospel will be condemned - cf. 2 Th 1:7-10

2 Thess 1:7-10

 7* and to give relief to you who are afflicted and to us as well when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire,

 8 dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.

 9* These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power,

 10* when He comes to be glorified in His saints on that day, and to be marveled at among all who have believed--for our testimony to you was believed.

  2. Through rebelliousness? 

   a. There are many who know full well the Father’s invitation 

   b. But for whatever reason they rebel against it 

   c. In so doing, they despise riches of God’s grace and store up for themselves God’s righteous indignation - cf. Ro 2:4-11 

Rom. 2:4-11

 4* Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?

 5* But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God,

 6* who WILL RENDER TO EACH PERSON ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS:

ARE YOU ATTIRED FOR THE WEDDING? 

  1. Many seek to attend the “wedding” in apparel of their own choosing 

   a. Some, not knowing the righteousness of God, have sought to establish their own - cf.

Rom.  10:2,3

 2* For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge.

 3* For not knowing about God’s righteousness and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God.

   b. People do this today, when they expect salvation on terms different than those taught in the gospel 

    1) E.g., trying to obtain salvation based upon their own good works 

    2) E.g., trying to obtain salvation on faith without repentance and obedience

We must be willing to put on the “apparel” that God gives us:  We must “put on” Jesus Christ! 

  1) First and foremost this involves clothing ourselves with Christ 

  2) Which Paul explains takes place in baptism - cf. Ga 3:26-27

Gal. 3:26-27

 26* For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.

 27* For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.

-- Have you put Christ on in baptism? 

We must “put on” the new man! 

1) Paul applies the figure of putting on a garment to the development of Christian conduct and character, see for example:

Col. 3:5-14 

 5* ¶ Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry.

 6* For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience,

 7* and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them.

 8* ¶ But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth.

 9* Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices,

 10* and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him--

 11* a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all.

 12* ¶ So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience;

 13* bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.

 14* Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.

Do we wish to be found at the wedding feast adorned with the apparel of the “old man with his deeds”? -- Are you putting off the “old man”, and putting on the “new man”?

We must “put on” righteous deeds! 

In conclusion:

1. We have truly been blessed to be given the opportunity to receive the Father’s invitation to the wedding feast of His Son! 

2. But we learn from Jesus and His parables that the “kingdom of heaven” is for those who thankfully and properly receive the grace that God has to offer 

3. The example of the nation of Israel should serve as a warning to all, both Jew and Gentile, that while God’s call of the gospel is open to all, the saying of Jesus still remains true... 

“For many are called, but few are chosen.” 

You have been called, but will you be chosen?(thanks to Mark A. Copeland for adapted notes above)