The Parable Of The Wedding Feast (22:1-14).
The emphasis in this parable is on people's attitude towards the king's son, and in the final analysis on their attitude to Jesus, the true King's Son. The tenants in the vineyard had despised Him. Now all must consider their response to Him. It makes most sense if we see the situation as one where the king has, in view of his son's forthcoming marriage, appointed his son to have authority over a part of his kingdom. Thus the idea is of those who are invited to the son's wedding feast, to swear fealty to him and to do him honour, because they are to be his subjects. This would make sense of why only one city and its surrounding countryside are involved, and why the responses to the invitation are so virulent. Thus in the same way the Chief Priests, Scribes and Pharisees are called on to swear fealty to Jesus and do Him honour, (a claim that He has revealed by riding into Jerusalem on an asses colt), something which they are seen to reject out of hand with the same virulence.
The refusal of the invitees to come to the wedding feast, even to such an extent that it results in the mistreatment and murder of his messengers, is an indication of their absolute refusal to have His Son to reign over them (messengers were seen as dispensable), and the attitude of the man who comes in unsuitably dressed is similarly a deliberate affront to the King's Son, as are the lives of all who profess to be loyal to Him but who do not reveal it by changed lives. The assumption is that he, along with the other guests, had been given time to dress themselves suitably for the wedding by putting on their ‘best clothes', (or have even been provided with them), but that this man has deliberately chosen not to do so. Such an act was insulting to the King and His Son in the extreme. Any others who had deliberately come unsuitably dressed would no doubt have been treated in the same way. We are simply given the example of one.
This last part of the parable with its sudden switch of idea is in fact typical of Jesus who regularly suddenly enters a warning to those who might seem to think that they were all right. Compare Matthew 7:22-23; the elder brother in Luke 15:25-32; Luke 19:27.
The parable echoes many of the themes of the previous two parables with which it is connected by the use of the word ‘again' (Matthew 2:1). Compare how the previous parable was connected by the phrase ‘another parable' (Matthew 21:33). The anticipated honouring of the son compares with the hoped for reverencing of the son in Matthew 21:37. The treatment of the two sets of slaves parallels the similar treatment in Matthew 21:34-36. The destruction of the culprits parallels Matthew 21:41. The curt refusal to come was like the son who refused to go to the vineyard (Matthew 21:30). Those who did come on the basis of the resulting opportunity are like the son who finally did get to the vineyard (having first of all refused) (Matthew 21:29). The invitation to the ‘as many as you shall find' parallels the ‘other vineyard workers'. In both cases they will replace the first (Matthew 21:41). All the parables are seen to have reference to the Kingly Rule of Heaven/God (Matthew 21:31; Matthew 21:43; Matthew 22:1). Thus the message is a united one, even though seen from different angles. And now there is no doubt as to Who the Son is.
It should be noted that in most of its details, and in the main idea behind it, this parable differs from that in Luke 14:15-24 at nearly every point. While the similarities are mainly superficial and inexact, the central thoughts and ideas are in fact very different. It is therefore surprising, in view of the multitude of parables that Jesus is said to have taught, that some scholars try to suggest that they are basically the same parable, with totally insufficient grounds.
Analysis.
a And Jesus answered and again spoke in parables to them, saying (Matthew 22:1).
b The kingly rule of heaven can be likened to a certain king, who made a marriage feast for his son (Matthew 22:2).
c And sent forth his servants to call those who were bidden to the marriage feast, and they would not come (Matthew 22:3).
d Again he sent forth other servants, saying, “Tell those who are bidden, Behold, I have made ready my dinner. My oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the marriage feast” (Matthew 22:4).
e But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his merchandise, and the remainder laid hold on his servants, and treated them shamefully, and killed them (Matthew 22:5-6).
f But the king was angry, and he sent his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned their city (Matthew 22:7).
e Then he says to his servants, “The wedding is ready, but those who were bidden were not worthy” (Matthew 22:8).
d “Go you therefore to the partings of the highways, and as many as you shall find, bid to the marriage feast” (Matthew 22:9).
c And those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good, and the wedding was filled with guests (Matthew 22:10).
b But when the king came in to survey the guests, he saw there a man who did not have on a wedding-garment, and he says to him, “Friend, how did you come in here not having a wedding-garment?” And he was speechless (Matthew 22:11-12).
a Then the king said to the servants, “Bind him hand and foot, and cast him out into the outer darkness. There will be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth. For many are called, but few chosen (Matthew 22:13-14).
Note that in ‘a' Jesus answers His opponents and in the parallel we have His answer. In ‘b' the king makes a marriage feast for his son. This will be intended to include expressions of fealty, and recognition of the son's position. But in the parallel the man refuses to wear suitable clothing, thus dishonouring the son and refusing to recognise his position. In ‘c' the servants were sent to those who out of loyalty and status should have come to the wedding, but they refused to come, and in the parallel they were sent out to the riffraff and the common people and they came in droves. In ‘d' the ‘proper guests' were bidden to the marriage feast, and in the parallel those at the partings of the highways were bidden to the wedding. In ‘e' the invitees proved their unworthiness, and in the parallel they are declared unworthy. Centrally in ‘f' is the declaration of what will happen to those who refuse the king's invitation to pay due honour to his son.