My last post was getting too long. I will shorten this one.
What is Jesus talking about here?
The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, 3And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come. 4Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage. 5But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise: 6And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them. 7But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. 8Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy. 9Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. 10So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests. 11And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: 12And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. 13Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 14For many are called, but few are chosen.
Matthew 22:2-14
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It's about the Jews' role as priests during the reign of Christ.
This is where it's fulfilled that the Jews are a blessing to every nation. It's talking about the Jews fulfilling the commission that Jesus gave them at the end of the gospels before his ascension.
Let's look at the preceding chapter.
Matthew 21:43 "Therefore I say unto you, the kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. 44And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will gring him to powder. 45And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them.46But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude, because they took him for a prophet. 22:1 And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said...
Here we have the introduction to what Jesus is teaching in the parable that I posted. Will you give me more than what you wrote in your previous comment?
For us or about us?
So during the tribulation the prophets are sent back out to prepare the world for Christ's return. They are slain.
The world, including Israel, is destroyed with the exception being the 144,000 and the remnant who made it through the great tribulation.
Those who accepted Christ (Jews and Gentiles) become priests/judges/kings(?) -- essentially His witnesses during His reign.
At the end of this time, the sheep are separated from the goats. (right?)
So prior to the tribulation the Jews reject Christ and the Gentiles replace them (along with believing Jews).
During the tribulation the Jews reject Christ and the gentiles replace them (along with the 144,000).
During the millenial reign Jews reject Christ (maybe some do again?) and Gentiles replace them.
I'm sure we could use old testament examples of this happening also.
Does it have to be pointing to a specific incidence of this? If so, there's only one part of this story that ends with one coming with the wrong garment and being thrown into outer darkness with weeping and gnashing of teeth.
I believe you are right when you question "Does it have to be pointing to a specific incidence of this?"
Prophecy in the Old Testament was not clear as to the occurence of the two advents of Christ. The prophets many times saw the coming of Christ as a singular event. We look back now and see how they predicted Christs coming, his rejection, his death and resurrection, and then his return. We wonder how the Jews missed it.
I have struggled with the same thing the last couple of years. I wanted to be able to find the clear division of how things fit. I try to take these parables (and prophecies) and make all of the pieces fit a specific or individual occurence. Is it intended to?
Can this parable be divided by the two advents? Could it have started before the first advent and be completed after the second?
If so, where would you place the division? At this time, where are we in this parable?
I know what I think, though it has taken me a long time to come to my current understanding. I'm sure that you have an idea as to my thoughts because of the questions that I have posed.
I don't know if we are leaving others behind in this conversation, but even if we are, I appreciate your grasp of division. Let me ask you, are you doing this for my benefit, or are you learning as well?
I feel bad for monopolizing the replies. [Maybe you lost your whole audience in the 3 months that you failed to blog. :)] So then I wonder if maybe I should just shut up and let you actually explain things in a logical, step-by-step way for anyone that might be reading at some point. That's not the way my mind works though...
To be honest, you're challenging me... as a result, I think I'm using you as a sounding board as well as a fact-checker. Plus I'm (probably?) trying to nudge everyone involved past our current comfort zone.
I don't really argue just for fun (despite what everyone thinks). It's one of the primary ways I learn/challenge my thinking.
As far as the passage goes, my guess is it's not supposed to be doctrinal (a specific teaching about a specific event or working of God) -- but a warning (especially considering his audience).
I agree. I lost my readership over the summer. I just didn't have the time. It is much easier to find the time during the winter (especially after the time change).
I would agree that the passage is a warning, but I believe that it is prophecy as well. Some things have happened, some are yet to happen. The difficulty is in the interpretation. Verse 3 "sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding". Then verse 4 he sends them again.
How much time elapses between these two verses?
He also sends them back out after they were slain. (In between he destroys the city of the murderers.)
So... 2 rejections, they slay the servants, he destroys them, sends the servants out again this time to everyone. Everyone comes, but he destroys the ones that come in the wrong costumes.
The only part that is specific is when everyone comes, but he destroys some. And that still could either be destroying them in the tribulation, or destroying them after the millenium.
I should have clarified that I believe it's prophecy also; I'm just not sure that it was given in a specific enough manner that it was intended to have doctrine built upon it.
So I'm not sure the timing is important.
But in this case his intended wedding guests are no longer his guests at the end of the story.
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