10142020 – Matthew 22. 1-14
It is a strange story for a parable, especially coming from the lips of Jesus.
It is the story of a disastrous party, hosted by a murderous king who FOAMS and RAGES against his own people as he burns their village to the ground.
The people hearing this parable probably loved and hated “that part.”
They could relate. It was TYPICAL BEHAVIOR.
Apparently, ALL KINGS were the same.
They were remembering the stories FROM OF OLD…
ALL Kings are bad…ALL of them.
They DO NOT CARE about their people.
They only have cared for THEMSELVES and for their STOMACHS.
They line their robes with the wealth of THE NATION.
They allow their people to HUNGER and THIRST and DIE and grovel in the dirt for food and liquid nourishment.
Just look at Herod the Great.
Like many who came before him, he was a DESPOTIC TYRANT who brutally and ruthlessly persecuted and gleefully killed his own people.
At his command, his own wife, Mariamne I, was executed along with several of his children.
These kings, they trusted NO ONE.
You remember the old street saying, “It was better to be A PIG in the household of Herod than to be one of his own family members…
Answerable to NO ONE aside from Rome, Herod unleashed “A REIGN OF TERROR” across all of Judea.
His personal bodyguards and secret police SILENCED any political opposition, QUASHED any and all protests, and SLAUGHTERED a great many Jewish scholars and sages.
He was in fact, “THE NOTORIOUS KING” who slaughtered the Holy Innocents of Bethlehem.
These rulers were all alike.
So, the people LISTENED intently to Jesus.
They knew “SOMETHING” about MURDEROUS kings.
When the nobles and people of high estate refused his invitation, to save face…and only to save face, he invited the poor and the needy, as a last resort.
It was either “that” or BE the laughing stock of his own kingdom.
But when he SPIED the poor guy without a wedding garment, true to his form, he has him tied up and thrown out into the outer darkness…
The custom in those days was for THE ONE hosting “the wedding feast”—in this case, “the king”—to “PROVIDE the garments” for all of his wedding guests.
These wedding garments were simple, WHITE, nondescript robes that all attendees were to wear.
In this way, “rank or station” was covered, so everyone at the feast could mingle “as EQUALS.”
But “this one,” this ONE man – was not wearing a wedding garment.
WHY? Is the question of the story.
WHY was also the question, “in the hearts and minds” of all those who heard Jesus telling the story.
The man was “plainly” NOT DRESSED correctly for this occasion.
His lack of a wedding garment was another example of “EXTREME DISRESPECT” for both the king and his son.
And it just so happened to FOLLOW the disrespect of OTHERS prior to this incident.
The King was FUMING again!
The wording, that says, “he was SPEECHLESS,” indicates that he was “without excuse.”
There was NOTHING that he could say.
A robe HAD BEEN offered.
BOTH “the robe” and “THE OFFER” were REJECTED.
It WAS NOT just that he “lacked a wedding garment but that he was “DETERMINED” not to wear one “
He had “DEFIANTLY” refused to put one on.
This is why the king reacts SO SWIFTLY and HARSHLY:
“Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
His judgment IS NOT against the man’s “lack of a wedding garment per se,” but that “he NEVER INTENDED to wear one.
He was DEFIANT…
He was DISRESPECTFUL
The man DESIRED “the honor of attending” the wedding feast along with everyone else, but, was UNWILLING to follow the CUSTOM of the king.”
He wanted to do things HIS WAY.
His lack of PROPER DRESS revealed his “INNER REBELLION” against the king and against the king’s instructions.
There are those that believe he was probably IMMEDIATELY EXECUTED as “a REBEL.”
The rebellion of “any type or form” WOULD NOT be tolerated.
It was a message being sent OUT to all of the people.
You MUST TOE THE LINE.
DEFIANCE will not be tolerated.
And in that sense, it is A FORETASTE of things to come for Jesus himself.
So, HOW DEFIANT are you?
HOW GOOD are YOU at being respectful of others?
Amen.