On Line Bible Study - For the week August 24-31, 2008

Lesson 350

The Kingdom of heaven is like . . .

Matthew 22: 1-3 Jesus responded by telling still more stories. "God's kingdom," he said, "is like a king who threw a wedding banquet for his son. He sent out servants to call in all the invited guests. And they wouldn't come!

4"He sent out another round of servants, instructing them to tell the guests, 'Look, everything is on the table, the prime rib is ready for carving. Come to the feast!'

5-7"They only shrugged their shoulders and went off, one to weed his garden, another to work in his shop. The rest, with nothing better to do, beat up on the messengers and then killed them. The king was outraged and sent his soldiers to destroy those thugs and level their city.

8-10"Then he told his servants, 'We have a wedding banquet all prepared but no guests. The ones I invited weren't up to it. Go out into the busiest intersections in town and invite anyone you find to the banquet.' The servants went out on the streets and rounded up everyone they laid eyes on, good and bad, regardless. And so the banquet was on—every place filled.

11-13"When the king entered and looked over the scene, he spotted a man who wasn't properly dressed. He said to him, 'Friend, how dare you come in here looking like that!' The man was speechless. Then the king told his servants, 'Get him out of here—fast. Tie him up and ship him to hell. And make sure he doesn't get back in.'

14"That's what I mean when I say, 'Many get invited; only a few make it.'" (The Message.)

The first thing to note: Jesus' intended primary audience is comprised of chief priests and Pharisees. (See Matthew 21:45-46.) Bible scholar John Nolland points out there are two parts to this parable. First, Jesus deals with those who refuse to respond to the invitation. Second, Jesus makes it clear that, regardless of who we are, we do not enter the kingdom of heaven on our own terms. Let's think about each of these points.

Those who have been listening to Jesus and who are more apt to find his message repulsive are people who believe themselves to be "in".

Did you ever show up at the airport, ticket in hand, only to find out that you have been "bumped"? Not a good feeling! But that helps us get a handle on how these priests and Pharisees may have felt. They had done all the right things. Their righteousness was the "boarding pass", and it was inconceivable to them that Jesus would even insinuate that they would not get into the kingdom.

The second point: Lest we get too cocky, Jesus makes it clear that we had best not get too jubilant over the priests' and Pharisees' bad fortune. Not being one of them is no guarantee that we will get in either! We do not enter the kingdom of heaven as a result of anything other than God's grace. In this regard, repentance is the garment that is our only assurance.

Another dimension to this text has to do with the nature of the "called". This was Israel's status - the "chosen" ones. Jesus (and Matthew) may be doing something here to break down racial and cultural barriers. We will come to Matthew 24 in the next month or so, and when we do we will read of Jesus telling his disciples that, apart from God's mercy and the shortening of "those days", "no one would survive". We will talk about the nature of apocalyptic literature at that point. Suffice it to say now that this parable in Matthew 22:1-14 has an apocalyptic ring to it.

Jesus not only teaches the subject; he sets the tone and the standard for our lives when he finds himself in the garden prior to his arrest. Here, he struggles in the extreme with the same issue we face - the question of whose will is going to win the day, ours, or God's.

Don't let yourself off the hook of Matthew 22:1-14 by assuring yourself that you are not a "Pharisee". Like them, we too have been invited. But we will get through the door only on God's terms. Therein lies the challenge of this passage - am I willing to live more and more on God's terms?

Two traps await Jesus. We will discuss those next time. Read Matthew 22:15-33 if you get the chance.