October 15, 2023
Matthew 22:1-14
The Kingdom of Heaven is like a king giving his son a wedding banquet. The Kingdom of Heaven is like God, who throws a party for the Son.
We, the baptized, Christ’s body, Christ’s bride, the church are not mentioned by name in this parable. We are so convinced that we need to work out our salvation that we turn grace into law and place ourselves in the parable when we are not yet there.
The Priests and the Elders wanted to know who Jesus was. They wanted to know what his relationship was with God. Jesus is telling them about himself, not us.
So where are we? We are not yet in this parable. We are waiting in the Barnett Room. We are in the parlor We are with our overbearing soon-to-be mother-in-law, friends from college, and family preparing for the wedding.
In reality, this parable of judgment is a parable of grace because it is not a story about getting your things together and sitting down at the banquet table wearing your best. Instead, this is a parable about the lengths to which God will have every last detail of the wedding banquet perfect, nothing out of place – the silver is polished, and every guest is in their place – to celebrate the marriage of the Son.
To you. To us.
