This Daily Reading from Matthew 22: 1-14 is one of the most frightening in all of Scripture. All of us, Protestants, particularly, read about the improperly dressed attendee with fear and trepidation. “Is that me?” we ask, knowing in their hearts that we have fallen short.
Jesus again in reply spoke to the chief priests and the elders of the people in parables saying, “The Kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son. He dispatched his servants to summon the invited guests to the feast, but they refused to come.
A second time he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those invited: “Behold, I have prepared my banquet, my calves and fattened cattle are killed, and everything is ready; come to the feast.”’ Some ignored the invitation and went away, one to his farm, another to his business. The rest laid hold of his servants, mistreated them, and killed them.
The king was enraged and sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. Then the king said to his servants, ‘The feast is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy to come. Go out, therefore, into the main roads and invite to the feast whomever you find.’ The servants went out into the streets and gathered all they found, bad and good alike, and the hall was filled with guests.
But when the king came in to meet the guests he saw a man there not dressed in a wedding garment. He said to him, ‘My friend, how is it that you came in here without a wedding garment?’ But he was reduced to silence. Then the king said to his attendants, ‘Bind his hands and feet, and cast him into the darkness outside, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.’
Many are invited, but few are chosen.”
The symbolism, at first glance, shows that many were too concerned with earthly affairs to worry about saving their immortal soul. Then, a second group hated the thought of God having directly provided a feast for those who responded to His invitation. In every age, those who invite people to God’s feast, His Body and Blood that each needs to “have life in you” (John 6:53) are despised, and, often murdered.
But, after all are invited, someone who is not properly dressed in a wedding garment arrives. God still calls him friend, asking “My friend, how is it that you came in here without a proper wedding garment?” When the man refused to explain that he didn’t know any better, or to apologize, but arrogantly thought the rules didn’t apply to him, God had him bound hand and foot, and cast into the darkness outside, “where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.”
Now, the man was wearing something, but it was not in accord with the rules required by God. Wow! A man was thrown into hell for not following God’s dress code at The Wedding Feast. What was that man wearing? Now, we have a pretty good idea. We may reasonably conclude that he was dressed in some unappealing, home-made, self-righteous garments of Sola Scriptura and Sola Fides.
Wearing those garments without having the humility to apologize ended up getting him a very bad eternity. It is to be hoped that all may learn and be saved.
