Parable of the Marriage Feast

Parable of the Marriage Feast

Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying,

“The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son.

And he sent his servants to call those who had [previously] been invited to the wedding feast, but they refused to come.

Then he sent out some other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who have been invited, “Look, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fattened calves are butchered and everything is ready; come to the wedding feast.”’

But they paid no attention [they disregarded the invitation, treating it with contempt] and went away, one to his farm, another to his business.

The rest [of the invited guests] seized his servants and mistreated them [insulting and humiliating them] and killed them.

The king was enraged [when he heard this], and sent his soldiers and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.

Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding [feast] is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy.

So go to the main highways that lead out of the city, and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.’ 1

Those servants went out into the streets and gathered together all the people they could find, both bad and good; so the wedding hall was filled with dinner guests [sitting at the banquet table].

“But when the king came in to see the dinner guests, he saw a man there who was not dressed [appropriately] in wedding clothes, and he said, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without wearing the wedding clothes [that were provided for you]?’ And the man was speechless and without excuse.

Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him into the darkness outside; in that place there will be weeping [over sorrow and pain] and grinding of teeth [over distress and anger].’

For many are called (invited, summoned), but few are chosen.”

This parable reminds me of The Great Commission from Mark 16:14-16 Amplified Bible 

The Disciples Commissioned 

"Later, Jesus appeared to the eleven [disciples] themselves as they were reclining at the table; and He called them to account for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who had seen Him after He had risen [from death]. 

And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. 

He who has believed [in Me] and has been baptized will be saved [from the penalty of God’s wrath and judgment]; but he who has not believed will be condemned."