Jesus likens the ‘kingdom’ to the actions of a king whose son was getting married, so the father plans a marriage feast for him, makes out the guest list, apparently, and sends out his servants “to call those who were invited to the marriage feast.” No explanation is given who is being invited (friends, kin?), just that those to be invited were invited.
Their reaction astonishes! Who would desire (or dare) to turn down a king’s invitation? Why, the cream of local society would be there, with the proverbial “wine (all you could want and the best, too!), women, and song”! It was the social event, not just of the season, but of that generation. And if this was an ‘only son,’ there would not be another such event in their lifetimes! Besides, not only would the king know who’d come and who’d declined, but the future king would, too! And royals—like elephants—have long memories for such slights, I imagine....
“...but they would not come....” Whoa! They didn’t just not show up....they apparently told the king’s servants to their faces they did not intend to come! “Again he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “Behold, I have made ready my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves are killed, and everything is ready; come to the marriage feast.”’” All the guests had to do was wash up, change clothes, and show up.
But this time the invitees didn’t just say ‘Sorry, not interested, not coming....’ Their intentionally refused to come: “But they made light of it [the invitation, the event itself?] and went off, one to his farm, another to his business...” But that is still not the worst: “...others seized the servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them”! Who gets killed for simply inviting folks to a party?! We will look at what happens next in next week’s column. (Surely you realize the king won’t just “turn the other cheek”....)
But I want you to think with me about the invitation and response, in depth...for this is weighty stuff. This parable, to me (Remember...I’m simply ‘reading,’ not ‘studying’), presents symbolically God’s invitation to accept Jesus Christ as the son of God, to become a part of His Church...to be a guest of God at the gathering of ‘the called’...Of course, in the context of the parable as originally told, the ‘invited’ would be the Jews; in the larger context of this ‘Church Age,’ the invited are all of us who have heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ presented, even once.
So, what are we—you and I—doing with that invitation from God?....Do we ‘take it’ or ‘leave it’? And how do we treat the parabolic ‘king’s servants,’ analogous to our pastors and Sunday School teachers and others who ‘invite’ us to come to know Jesus, not to just dine with Him at a big once-in-a-lifetime-event, but to be fed by Him continually. Do we “ma[k]e light” of their invitation: “Thanks, but that’s not for me” or “Not now, thanks”? Do we go our merry ways to our homes or jobs, to enjoy our favorite haunts or favored pastimes, leaving the ‘servants’ to report to God “Sire, he/she would not come”?
Maybe we stop at mere refusal. But on too many days, you can read of those who are being “treated shamefully, and killed” for extending this same invitation to those who do not realize a King desires their presence at His table
Think about your own response. Then, whatever that response is, take time to pray for the safety of all “the king’s servants” in today’s world.
Have a good week!
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