Resurrection Life of Jesus Church

THE MARRIAGE PARABLE
This parable was spoken in front of the Jewish leadership. Matthew 21:46; 22:1

The God-man likened the Kingdom of God to a king who put on a wedding for his son.  verse 2

The king sent out servants to the gather the invited guests but they steadfastly refused to come to the wedding. verse 3

When the king discovered that no one wanted to appear, he sent out servants a second time to reiterate that everything was ready for the nuptial. Some treated the summons with contempt and pretended to be busy. verses 4-5

Others verbally attacked the servants and murdered them because they despised the king. verse 6

When the king received word of what had taken place, he sent soldiers to kill the offenders and burn their city to the ground. verse 7

The king wanted to have guests at the wedding, but those who despised his invitation were no longer worthy and so he sent servants throughout the entire country to invite anyone they met. verses 8-9

The servants went out and invited everyone they came across – good and bad. verse 10

It was tradition that the father of the groom organized and paid for the wedding. The father would greet each guest and give them a special wedding garment to wear before they were admitted to the festivity. Guests were not allowed to wear their own garments.

When the king entered the wedding hall and saw a man with no special garment, it was an insult because his conduct indicated that he had no regard for the son. verses 11-12

The king ordered the impudent man bound and cast into outer darkness where there is only torment and regret. verse 13

Jesus ended the parable by stating that many are called, but few are chosen. No one from the original batch of invitees made it. Presumably it was the same with the second batch. All the Israelites were called to salvation; the rest of the world was invited as well, but not everyone accepts the invitation. verse 14; John 1:11-12; 3:1-7; Revelation 19:1-9

INTERPRETATION OF THIS PARABLE

In the marriage parable, the following stage was set:

• The king was God the Father.

• The son was Jesus.

• The wedding feast represents heaven.

• The servants were the prophets of God.

• The scornful people were the Israelites.

• The armies which killed the scornful are holy angels.

• The wedding guests that showed up are those who responded to God’s call.

• The wedding clothes represent salvation.

• The man without wedding clothes was a fake Christian.

• Outer darkness represents the Lake of Fire.

REJECTING THE MESSIAH
There were four major groups in Jerusalem at the time of Jesus.

1. Priests

2. Pharisees

3. Sadducees

4. Herodians – a political party based around King Herod and his offspring.

Everyone in Judea knew about the God-man. They had heard testimonies from thousands of people who had been healed by Jesus of various illnesses and served as witnesses that leprosy, blindness, paralysis, and even death had been overcome. All of these miracles were a testament to the supernatural power wielded by the God-man.

Instead of embracing Jesus as the Messiah, they rejected Him because He did not fit their Kabbalistic belief system of re-establishing the Kingdom of Israel and subduing all nations on the earth.

When these different groups heard the parable of the wedding, they became angry and sought to kill the God-man. This is why they set a trap by asking what Jesus thought about paying taxes to the Roman occupational government. Matthew 22:15-17

Jesus perceived the wickedness of the Jewish leadership and this is why He asked for a Roman tax coin. He asked whose image was engraved on the coin. verses 18-20

The cleverly laid trap was reversed when the Jewish leadership was forced to admit it was a Roman emperor. This gave Jesus the opportunity to tell them to render what was due to Rome and to give God what was due to Him. Jesus had effectively outsmarted the Jewish leadership and they left Him. verses 21-22

THE SADDUCEES
Later in the morning a delegation of Sadducees arrived to speak with Jesus. They believed in God, but denied there was a life after death. They described a scenario in which a woman married a man and he later died. They had no children and so she married his brother and he too died without children. The process was repeated five more times until she became a widow seven times over. She finally died in the scenario and the Sadducees wanted to know whose wife she would be in eternity. verses 23-28

Jesus knew the doctrine of the Sadducees and told them that men and women won’t be married in heaven; they will be like the angels. This information was new to mankind. verses 29-30

Then Jesus rebuked the Sadducees for their false doctrine and stated that God is the God of the living. verses 31-32

Mark recorded additional information in which Jesus quoted from Exodus. Mark 12:26- 27; Exodus 3:6

The common people were shocked at the doctrine of Jesus. Matthew 22:33

THE PHARISEES
The Pharisees had been standing idle when Jesus made the Sadducees look bad, and now, they wanted their shot at the God-man. Their question was aimed at discovering the greatest of God’s commandments. verses 34-36

Instead of quoting directly from Exodus, Jesus paraphrased the first and tenth commandments, stating that the Mosaic Law and the prophetic writings were built on these two commandments. verses 37-40

Then the God-man posed a question for the Pharisees. When it came to the Messiah, whose son was He? The Pharisee quickly responded that the Messiah will be the son of David. verse 41-42

Jesus quoted from Psalms and asked if the Messiah is going to be the son of David, how could David call him “Lord?” verses 43-45; Psalms 110:1

The Pharisees were left speechless and could not answer the question. Matthew 22:46

The Jewish leadership was fully invested in Kabbalism. Their false messiah was going to be a man anointed by God and that is why they rejected the God-man. It was simply inconceivable to them that the Son of God would be incarnated into a human body.  John 1:1-4; 13-14

SUMMARY
These three incidents took place on the temple ground after cleansing the temple the previous day. Later in the day, Jesus would share some fantastic insights about the future spanning far beyond His resurrection.

The God-man did everything possible to open the eyes of the Jewish leadership, but they were set in their heretical belief system and hellbent on killing the Son of God.