Matthew 22
To those same rebels, the farmers of the householder, God sends an invitation to a wedding. If they failed under law, surely they would come to this happy wedding, the happiest occasion for man on earth. This pictures the gospel of God's grace going out to the rebels.
The dinner was prepared. Oxen and fatlings were killed; all things were ready. This refers to Peter's and Stephen's ministry when the work of Christ was finished and the truth of life and incorruptibility were revealed following Pentecost. But they refused, preferring their farm and merchandise instead of the blessings that the wedding feast pictured.
No matter how unregenerate man is approached, either with the law demanding fruit or with grace providing everything, man still hates God and will not come. As a result, Jerusalem and the entire Jewish economy were destroyed in the year 70 A.D.
There are still many Jews on the earth, but as a whole they remain adamant in their hearts against God and His Christ. After this, the servants were sent out into the byways to bid all that they could find to the wedding. They gathered bad and good, and the wedding was furnished with guests-the destitute and the Gentiles.
One guest was without a wedding garment, which had been provided for all. The king asked why he didn't have on a wedding garment (Christ); he was speechless. To be at the wedding, man needs one thing-Christ, the wedding garment. Concerning any who do not have the wedding garment, we are told what will happen: "Bind him hand and foot [all liberties gone forever], and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Weeping is remorse; gnashing of teeth is insubjection with hatred toward God and His Christ. The condition lasts forever, for there is no repentance in hell. The evil nature of the lost remains the same forever.
The Three Shepherds
After He spoke these parables, there came to Jesus, to catch Him in His words, three shepherds of Israel Herodians, Sadducees and Pharisees.
First, the Herodians ask if it is right to give tribute money to Cæsar., Jesus asks, "Whose is this image and superscription?" They say Caesar's. He responds that they are to render, therefore, unto Cæsar the things that are Caesar's, and unto God the things that are God's. Marveling, they leave.
Next, the Sadducees, who say that there is no resurrection, put before Jesus this case. If a man die, having no children, his brother should marry his wife and raise up seed to his brother. They say that there were seven brothers, and that the first married and died childless. All seven brothers marry her and each dies. Finally, she dies, childless, and so they ask whose wife she should be in the resurrection? Jesus answered, "In the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.... Have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living." The multitude who heard this answer were astonished.
The Pharisees, the last of these three shepherds (Zech. 11:88Three shepherds also I cut off in one month; and my soul lothed them, and their soul also abhorred me. (Zechariah 11:8)), asked Him, "Master, which is the great commandment in the law?" Jesus answered, 'Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."
The Lord's answer not only showed man's responsibly to God, but also his responsibility to his fellowman, his neighbor. It was a word for the consciences of the Pharisees who hated the Lord Jesus, their neighbor. Thus the three shepherds were silenced.
The Lord asks the Pharisees, "What think ye of Christ? whose Son is He?" They say, 'The Son of David." He then asks, "How then doth David in spirit call Him Lord, saying, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on My right hand, till I make Thine enemies Thy footstool? If David then call Him Lord, how is He his son?" No man was able to answer or ask any more questions. "Three shepherds also I cut off in one month; and My soul loathed them, and their soul also abhorred Me." Zech. 11:88Three shepherds also I cut off in one month; and my soul lothed them, and their soul also abhorred me. (Zechariah 11:8).