I have been studying Matthew recently, and just the other day, I landed on Matthew 22:1-14. In this section, Jesus tells the parable of the wedding feast. We are told of a king who prepared a wedding feast for his son. He invited many people to this feast, but none showed up. Despite being the king, he was gracious enough to call for them again and sent his servants to do so (Matthew 24:4). He even told them of the delicacies they would miss out on. However, the people ignored the servants and even killed some (Matthew 24:5-6). That was the king’s last straw. He ordered their destruction (Matthew 24:7).
However, the feast still needed to go on. So, the king told his servants to invite anyone they found on the roads. All were invited, good or bad, and the hall was filled with guests. What happens next is the focus of my article. The king noticed that one of the guests had no wedding garments and wondered why he hadn’t prepared himself. When approached, the guest was speechless. For that reason, the king had him thrown into the outer darkness (Matthew 22:11-14). In light of God’s sovereignty, will you be found ready for the Marriage Supper of the Lamb? As you read this article, I hope your answer will become more apparent, and you might be encouraged to prepare well for the same (Revelation 19:7).
You Will Have No Excuse
There is good reason why Christ highlights the man without a wedding garment in this parable. He could have highlighted the ones who refused to honour the king’s invitation and left it at that. However, in the same way he highlights the ones who refused the king’s invite, he also does with the man with no wedding garment. The first batch of people not only refused to honour the king’s invitation; they went as far as to kill his servants (Matthew 24:4-6). Doing that was utter mutiny and treasonous, hence the king’s retaliation on those who challenged his authority (Matthew 24:7).
On the other hand, the wedding guest without the proper garments may not have refused the king’s invitation or challenged his authority. However, he failed to accord the king and his son’s wedding ceremony the honour they deserved. He likely thought his goal was to eat and drink whatever he wanted at no cost. Hence, he probably thought his appearance wouldn’t matter. How wrong he was.
Don’t Strive to Be Fruitless
Sadly, this is the case with many of those who call themselves Christians. They presume that their faith in God is only for their benefit, at no cost. They completely miss the call to take up their cross and follow Christ (Matthew 8:20). They somehow believe that new wine can be put into old wineskins (Mark 2:21-22). In short, such are those who receive the Gospel joyfully and burst into eager activity but sooner or later have nothing to show. They are comfortable with loving the world in the name of Jesus. Yet, the command is not to love the world at all (1 John 2:15-17).
Unless such people change their ways, a day is coming when all their secret lives will be laid bare (Revelation 20:11-14). No matter how much they claim ignorance, they will be speechless. Just like the underdressed guest, they will have no excuse (Romans 1:20). In the same way that the guest couldn’t claim ignorance, the false Christians will have no chance to claim ignorance on the requirement to change their ways. The Bible is filled with explicit commands exhorting us to change our ways because we are new creations (Romans 12:1-2, Ephesians 4:17-24).
In short, it is better to give nothing than to be found teetering on the edge, for you will be pushed over. The example of the Laodicean church comes to mind (Revelation 3:15-16). It would be better for one to be dead entirely than to be found alive on the outside but dead inwardly. This brings the example of the church of Sardis to mind (Revelation 3:1).
Let Not Darkness Consume You
If you are like the unprepared guest, I urge you to take heed lest you perish (Psalm 2:12). Strive to be different from those who sought Jesus because they wanted more bread (John 6:26). Don’t work for the food that perishes, but for the food that leads to eternal life (John 6:27). Strive to ensure that you don’t have an unbelieving heart. Those who do are warned that it would be better if they hadn’t known the truth on the day of judgment (Matthew 11:20-24). The parable tells us what comes next, and it is not pretty. Notice how the king commands that he be bound by hand and foot and be thrown into the darkness (Matthew 22:13). In this darkness, we are told, there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
The Horrors of Eternal Darkness
It wasn’t the first time Jesus had spoken of this dark place. At least in Matthew, he mentioned it five other times (Matthew 8:12; 13:42, 50; 24:51; 25:30). It is commonly believed that what Jesus described here was hell, the destination awaiting those who won’t be found ready for the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.
While we’re on this side of eternity, there is always a chance at redemption. The Psalms proclaim how God is slow to anger and abounds in lovingkindness (Psalm 86:15; 103:8-10). He also desires that none should perish but that all would repent (2 Peter 3:9). However, this will not be the case after death or on the Day of Christ’s return. Once one completely rejects God and dies a rebel, they end up in hell. There is no coming back from hell, as they will be eternally separated from the Father (Luke 16:26). Even the meagrest of comforts are withheld (Luke 16:23-25). Hell is essentially God’s wrath manifest (Revelation 20:7-14).
I urge us not to be like the enlightened fellows of Hebrews 6:4-6, who were still found unready even after having tasted the heavenly gift. Doing this is equated to crucifying Jesus again to our harm. Essentially, it means that you will be an accomplice to Christ’s death and woe to you if that were to be the case. Thus, strive for the light that guides you to be ready (Psalm 119:105) so that darkness doesn’t consume you.
Remember God’s Sovereignty
So how can we be ready? First, realise that, as our text concludes, God is sovereign over our salvation (Matthew 22:14). Your striving to be prepared for Christ’s return must be in light of this truth. Peter helps us to make sense of this in his second letter. Therein, he lists criteria to help ensure that we are genuinely among those called by God (2 Peter 1:5-11). Like the author of Hebrews, he is urging us to, in light of God’s sovereignty, hold firm to the faith (Hebrews 3:12; 10:23).
Knowing about God’s sovereignty should help us strive to be virtuous, knowledgeable, self-controlled, steadfast, godly, affectionate and loving. Knowing that God will see us through to the end should motivate us to hold fast because we trust that the one who has promised is faithful (Hebrews 10:22-23). The fact that God gives us victory through Christ Jesus should be of great comfort to us because our labour isn’t in vain (1 Corinthians 15:58).
Be Dressed Appropriately
What can we say of those who say that if God has chosen his own, why would he judge us? That neatly returns us to Matthew 22. In it, we are told that the king purposely sought out those on the main roads. He even asks the messengers to persuade the people to come. However, the responsibility to dress up lay squarely on the guests.
The same is true with us. Romans 12:1-2 and 13:11-14 show us that, indeed, God is sovereign over our salvation. However, it is on us to live in light of the gift we have been given. It is up to us not to conform to worldly standards but to present ourselves as living sacrifices. We are to stay alert and put on Christ.
In order to be acceptable living sacrifices before God, we must regard everything as loss for the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus to attain the resurrection from the dead (Philippians 3:7-11). Ours is to be citizens of heaven here on earth (Philippians 3:20-21) by seeking to put off what is earthly in us and putting on Christ in all we do (Ephesians 4:17-32; 6:10-20). In all this, we are assured that the outcome of our faith and its outworkings will be the eternal salvation of our souls (1 Peter 1:9), thanks to the work of Christ and his blood on the cross.
Dear saint, may you strive to be found ready for the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. Seek to understand the gravity of this feast and dress appropriately for it. Your eternity depends on it.
