Posted by
ValiantForTruth on Monday, June 08, 2009 7:00:35 PM
By way of introduction these are the applications made by Jesus to the Pharisees in the Parables of the Two Sons and the Wicked Vinedressers…
“Assuredly, I say to you that tax collectors and harlots enter the kingdom of God before you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him; but tax collectors and harlots believed him; and when you saw it, you did not afterward repent and believe him…Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it.” [Matthew 21:30-32; 43]
In the Parable of the Wedding Feast, Jesus continues with their condemnation, identifying them as the unworthy invited guests. The prophets are the faithful servants; they had written of the New Covenant and the coming of Messiah and the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus pronounces wrath on the teachers of Israel who should have recognized the signs of His coming; those invited would not come and even abused the servants sent to invite them. But when the king heard about it, he was furious and sent out his armies to destroy those murderers, and burned up their city.
The Jewish church rejected the establishment of the kingdom in the coming of Messiah and the new order in the New Covenant. The destruction of Jerusalem and the temple in 70 AD marked the end of the Old Covenant. There is now a New Covenant and a new nation that bears the fruit of the Lord’s vineyard.
Who are the guests that fill the wedding hall? The new servants are the ministers of the New Covenant; these are the apostles and the pastor teachers. They extend the invitation to all men. All are invited without regard to kindred, tribe, nation or tongue. ‘There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise’ [Galatians 3:28-29]. This is the new order inaugurated in the New Covenant church.
This is Christ’s invitation: “whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely” [Revelation 22:17]. And here is Christ’s satisfaction, “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out” [John 6:37].
So how can we explain the man who is bound and expelled from the wedding feast? We ask this question: do all who profess Christ know Him? Are all that are in the church partakers of salvation? The NT doctrine of spurious faith is illustrated in Judas, Demas and Ananias.
There is an outward call of the gospel that goes out to all men without distinction. Jesus explains in His doctrine that hearing they do not hear and seeing they do not see. It must be given to understand the mysteries of the kingdom. So, not all hear this call, because they cannot see the kingdom. The ones who hear and see have been given this ability in regeneration. These are the chosen. This is the effectual call as compared with the general call.
The wedding guests must be dressed with a garment given to him by the king. This covering is the robe washed white in the blood of the Lamb. Christ must cover us with His righteousness because our righteousness is filthy rags in comparison, making us unfit to stand in the wedding feast.
“Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity” [Matthew 7:22-23].
These are the same many that heed the outward call, but have no change of heart. ‘Many are called, but few are chosen.’