After reading today's passage, I noticed how Jesus described three sets of people.
The first were the first group of invited guests that were asked to attend the banquet. Instead of graciously accepting the king's invitation, they ignored and mistreated the king's servants. Jesus was describing the Jews of the past and of Jesus's present. I think these people can also be seen as the people who will hear the good news after Jesus's death and resurrection. They abused and ignored God's servants, who were the prophets, disciples, and Christians. God will destroy these people for their stubborn and selfish ways. I bet it sucks to be them.
The second are the people who attend the banquet are those who the servants find from the "street corner." the Bible says that they were both good and bad. I think Jesus is referring to anyone, both Jew and Gentile, who is willing to hear and accept the gospel with open hearts. It affirms to me that God doesn't discriminate against our past, no matter how good or bad it may be. As long as we hear, obey, and follow, God will heal our hearts and use us to bear good fruit in His Name.
The third is the one that comes to the wedding but is not wearing wedding clothes. I think Jesus is referring to the Pharisees and teachers of the law because they know of God but do not fully believe in Him. These can be seen as people who appear to act, talk, and think like a Christian but deep in their hearts they are far from it. There are many out there who convince themselves that they are true followers of Christ, but when their time comes to come face to face with Christ, He won't know them. I think that is what Jesus means by saying, "...there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." I mean if you think about it, they know of paradise and it was just within their grasp but they were denied it at the very end because they didn't believe. I can only imagine all the pain and sorrow one will feel if that happen to him or her.
The last verse, "For many are invited, but few are chosen," struck me. I want to be like the second kind of person because they are the few that were chosen, and I hope that I am, but sometimes I wonder if I'm more like the third kind because I think about my actions and motive behind my worship and service in the church or in just my every day life. I definitely don't want to be like the third or the first kind. That would majorly stink. What kind of person are you?
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1 comment:
wow michelle, excellent reflection! the part of the passage that really struck me too was the wedding guest who went to the wedding banquet but did not put on wedding clothes. the wedding clothes was the means by which the guest would honor the king who invited him. simply put, that particular guest wanted all the privilege of eating at the banquet, but could not be bothered to honor the king by his attire.
what a striking parallel to God's invitation to His kingdom! we want all the privileges and security of the kingdom but do not see the need to do the greater duty of honoring the King who issued us the invitation. the wedding clothes is a symbol of many things--the "righteousness" of Christ, a sign of our love and obedience to God, a symbol of His lordship in our lives. the wedding guest was "speechless" when confronted by the King--genuinely shocked and horrified. surely the guest saw everyone else properly dressed but it did not occur to him that he was out of place, that something was not right.
i think on the great and terrible day that there will be similar instances of genuine shock and horror on the faces of many. the invitation is issued to all, but only a few are chosen. the few who are chosen know to enter God's presence with love and humility, in a manner worthy of the King's Son. others enter brashly, feeling that they have every right to be there. surely they will end up in the place of "weeping and gnashing of teeth", having come to the very door of the kingdom but not being able in the end to enter in.
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