THIS parable, unlike that of the Husbandmen, is a similitude of the Kingdom of Heaven. The former parable gives the history of Israel under the law; the latter describes their conduct in the presence of divine grace. In the one, God is represented as presenting claims (as He was entitled to do); in the other, He invites to a feast. Taken together, the two parables show the utter failure of flesh in connection with both law and grace. Such is man that if God asks him for something he will not render it; and if God offers him something he will not accept it.
“A certain King made a marriage for his son” (Matt. 22:1-14). The King is God, the son is the Lord Jesus. Remarkably, the bride does not figure in the parable at all; everything is ordered for the pleasure of the son. This is the principle on which God is acting in His present dealings with men. In sending salvation to us, with all its inestimable blessings for eternity, His prime object is to give joy and honor to His beloved Son, in whom all the divine councils are centered. But men have no regard for either God or His Son; hence our parable speaks of two invitations absolutely refused. There were two distinct missions to Israel; one before, and one after, the cross of Calvary. The second was rejected with violence to the messengers; they “entreated them spitefully and slew them.” The children of those who killed the Old Testament prophets treated in like manner the New Testament apostles. Peter, John, and Paul experienced their cruelty, while Stephen and James were murdered by them. Our Lord gave a further warning as to all this in Matthew 23:34. Judgment followed, as the parable foretold. The King’s armies (in this case the Romans, under Titus) destroyed the murderers and burnt up their city. Compare Luke 21:20-24.
But the King’s goodness was not quenched by the ingratitude and evil of the first-invited guests. Accordingly the servants were bidden to go into the highways and bring in all they could find, “both bad and good.” Thus the grace of God, so scornfully rejected by Israel, has been extended to the Gentiles. “Whosoever” is now the grand Gospel cry. Divine love to the world is now proclaimed on the basis of the atoning blood of Jesus. But all is not right with these Gentile called ones. “When the King came in to see the guests he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment.” A promiscuous gathering collected from the highways was not expected to possess raiment suitable for a royal banqueting house, wedding robes had therefore been provided. The individual upon whom the King’s eye rested dared to affront the King by appearing in raiment of his own. He either thought too highly of his own apparel to put it aside, or too lightly of what befitted the presence of the King to suffer himself to don the wedding garment. This man is the representative of a class. In his presumptuous ignoring of the wedding garment he is the prototype of religious men destitute of Christ. All these boast of their own righteousness instead of submitting themselves to the righteousness of God (Rom. 10:3). Unless God in His infinite mercy opens their eyes to their true position, the outer darkness with weeping and gnashing of teeth must be their portion forever. The King’s inspection of those who profess to have accepted His call may be nearer than any of us suppose.