Many are called but few are chosen

32. The Parable Of The Wedding Banquet (Matthew 22:1-14)

The Text
1 Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying, 2"The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his

son. 3 He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come.
4 Then he sent some more servants and said, ‘Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and

fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’
5 But they paid no attention and went off--one to his field, another to his business. 6 The rest seized his servants, mistreated them,

and killed them. 7 The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.
8 Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. 9 Go to the street

corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’ 10 So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they
could find, both good and bad, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.
11
But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. 12 ‘Friend,’ he
asked, ‘how did you get in here without wedding clothes?’ The man was speechless. 13 Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie
him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
14 "For many are invited, but few are chosen."

Observations on the Text

The meaning of this parable in the context of the Lord’s Passion Week, in which he was to be betrayed and crucified, is pretty
clear--it condemns the contempt that Israel as a whole (and everyone in general) had (and has) for God’s gracious invitation
through Jesus the Messiah.
The focus of the parable is on the wedding banquet of the Son. The reference is naturally to the Messianic banquet, which is not
only mentioned in the New Testament (Rev. 19) but also in the Rabbinic Literature. At the end of the age, the Jewish tradition
held, all the people of God--Israel--would enjoy a Messianic banquet in their transition from this life to the life to come. The
details of that banquet, or the New Testament’s marriage supper of the Lamb, cannot be pressed too much since the
circumstances are different, as we shall see.
We may also observe that the parable clearly intends to portray Israel’s spiritual indifference to the invitation in the sharpest way,
culminating in their killing the messengers of the covenant. In Matthew 23 Jesus will accuse the hypocritical leaders of killing the
prophets.
The imagery of a wedding banquet turns to the serious message when the man without the proper wedding clothes is not merely
thrown out of the banquet, but is bound hand and foot, and cast into darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. This
is obviously the judgment scene that Jesus repeated so often with these very words. Thus the banquet is the celebration of those
who enter the kingdom, and the exclusion is the judgment of God for those who reject the invitation of grace.
The Development of the Argument
We could break down the passage into several parts, but it seems that there are three natural stages in the story--the invitation
refused (vv. 1-3), the second invitation violently opposed (vv. 4-8), and the invitation given to any who would come (vv. 8-13).
In this last section we have sub-points that we can use: the wider invitation (vv. 8-10) and the rejection of the guest who was not
clothed in the proper attire (vv. 11-13). The parable ends with a short maxim (v. 14).
I. The people invited to the wedding banquet of the Son refuse to come (22:1-3)
A. The Kingdom of Heaven is like a wedding banquet (1, 2).
Here we see the true nature of a parable--it is an extended simile. The Kingdom of Heaven is compared to a wedding banquet.
But the point of this comparison will be the details of the story to follow, answering what there is about the wedding banquet
image that was intended by Jesus to describe the kingdom. The parable will focus on who responds properly to the call.
The parable says that the King gave a wedding banquet for his Son. In the claims of Jesus, God the Father would be this King,
and Jesus, of course, was the Son. The presentation of the King’s Son, the Messiah, as a bridegroom is not uncommon (see 9:15;
25:1; John 3:29; Eph 5:25-32; and Rev. 21:2, 9). This is the New Testament counterpart of the Old Testament usage of marriage
as a symbol of the covenant, i.e., that Israel was the wife of Yahweh, and in the end, an unfaithful wife (see Hosea) who followed
after other lovers (gods). The imagery in the New Testament does not focus on God’s relation to a nation in general, but on the
special relationship between Christ and true believers. The anticipated union with Christ in glory is portrayed by John as a
marriage supper (Rev. 19). Here and elsewhere Jesus uses the same idea to warn people not to refuse the invitation, and not to be
found unprepared for the coming of the Bridegroom.
B. The special invited guests refuse to come (3).
The guest list was drawn up ahead of time, and when the time came for the feast, they were notified that it was ready. But these
guests refused to come (they persistently refused, the tense is imperfect). These special guests would be the Israelites who were
expecting the Messiah; they claimed to be closely related to the King, God. But when the King prepared the banquet for his Son,
they would not come. In the New Testament Christ is often portrayed as the stumblingstone--people might have embraced an
offer of the kingdom, but they had to determine what to do about Jesus? For help in this section, one need only look at the end
of Matthew 23 to get the point: "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have
longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing" (Matt. 23:37). For
many reasons, but one primarily, the Jewish people did not accept Jesus as their Messiah when he came and extended to them the
invitation to come to him (Matt. 11:28). They could explain it in so many ways, but it simply was that they did not believe in
him.
This parable, then, portrays the expected guests as refusing the gracious invitation to attend the banquet. By refusing the offer of
grace they refused a share in the banquet, and in the world to come--if they continued to refuse.
II. Those who continually refuse the invitation become violent (22:4-6).
A. The King graciously repeats the invitation (4).
The King extends his gracious invitation again, although this time he makes it even more appealing. He sent other messengers out
to invite them again. This is so true of the way that the Lord calls people to himself, repeatedly and with all the incentives to
appeal to people. In this parable the incentives are portrayed in the description of the banquet. The word used technically refers to
a morning meal, like a breakfast but eaten mid-morning. However, the translation of "banquet" can be used because the wedding
feasts often went on for days. So this would be the beginning of the days of feasting. And here there would be plenty to eat--the
King says that his oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered and everything is ready for the feast. What could be more
appealing?--the King himself extends the invitation, it is for a joyful time of celebration, and there will be so much there to enjoy.
One is amazed that the invitation needed to be repeated at all! The invitation of the King was both a great honor--and a sovereign
command (one does not refuse the King).
B. Those who continue to refuse turn violent (vv. 5, 6).
The response to this second invitation is rather surprising, to say the least. The people paid no attention to the messengers, but
went off on their own business. But others seized the messengers and mistreated them and killed them! The King was so outraged
by their treatment of his messengers that he sent his army to destroy the murderers and burn their city.
The violent and harsh conclusion of the story sets this parable apart for the one in Luke. In this context the opposition to Jesus
had grown violent; and Jesus warned his enemies of the coming judgment they would receive. So the focus of the parable,
although severe, is true to history. The Hebrews had often harmed and killed the prophets that God sent to them; and they were
about to do the same with Jesus. But to refuse the offer of the King and murder his messengers was the same as committing
suicide. That would even have been true in their days. But in the story this was not any king, but the King of Glory.
A survey of the Gospels as a whole is necessary to draw together the reasons for the Jews’ rejection and hatred of Jesus. Again
and again Jesus called them to come and follow him and he would give them eternal rest. Their unbelief in him lay behind their
refusal. But perhaps as the repeated appeals of Jesus made the call clearer to them--that Jesus was the divine Son of God, that
they would have to submit to him, and that they could only enter the Kingdom of Heaven through repentance of their sins and
faith in his provision--they became more aware of what he was saying about himself and therefore what he was saying about
them. Their violent response in killing the messengers the LORD sent anticipated their desire to kill Jesus--they did not want to
hear anymore of their guilt and his grace.
And so, just as Jesus explained in the last section, the kingdom would be taken from them and given to a people bearing fruit.
Those who angrily refused the gracious invitation to the wedding feast would be insulting and minimizing the King, and so his
wrath would fall on them.
III. The King invites others to the wedding feast but expels those who do not prepare properly for it (22:8-13).
A. The King invites as many as would come to the feast (vv. 8-10).
Because the ones who were invited refused to come, the king now turns to others. He sends his servants out into the streets to
invite all that they could find, whether good or bad. The banquet hall was soon filled with people wanting to have a share in the
King’s wedding feast for his Son. The call is not for the wise and the learned, certainly not for the smug and self-righteous, but
for all who would come. He came into the world to seek and save that which was lost, not those who had rigorously kept the Law
(or who said they did) and could claim to have the righteousness to enter the Messianic banquet. What is drawn into the hall are
both good and bad people--but all in need of God’s invitation to escape the sin and bondage of this world.
B. The king expels anyone who did not prepare properly (vv. 11-13).
The parable tells how the King arrived to see the guests who wanted to be at the wedding feast for the Son. But he found a man
who was not wearing the proper wedding clothes. The King addressed him as "Friend"--but do not be mislead by this word in
Jesus’ teaching, for when he called someone "friend" it was always in an ironic sense and a word of judgment followed.
Whenever Jesus called anyone "Friend," he usually made it clear they were not. In our story The King wanted to know how the
man got in without the proper attire, but the man was speechless, a sign of his guilt.
Many interpreters take the proper wedding attire to be righteousness, and find many passages that seem to support that. But that
may be pushing the symbol a little too much in this story. Where would he get the righteousness?--the King expected him to have
it to join the wedding feast! Some have suggested that the King provided the attire (i.e., righteousness) but this man refused to
have it. That is adding quite a bit to the parable, and such an addition is not necessary. We can leave the symbolism a bit general
and just say that the man did not prepare properly to act on the invitation he received. So there was an invitation to the banquet,
but not all who responded to the invitation were allowed to remain. The King had the man tied and cast out into the darkness,
where there would be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
The outcome of this man’s situation informs us of the true meaning of the symbolism. We have to say that the proper attire would
correspond to all that Jesus said was required for entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven--true repentance for sin and faith in
Christ, and then a commitment to love and obey the Lord as evidence of saving faith. In Jesus’ day many people certainly wanted
to enter the kingdom, but when Jesus started telling them to come to him and take his yoke upon them and learn of him, they
went away. And in the day of judgment many will claim to have done good deeds, but Jesus will turn them away because they
will not have dealt properly with the basic issue of salvation--they will not be prepared properly and spiritually to be received by
the King at the wedding of the Son.
Conclusion (22:14)
The lesson closes with an explanation ("for"). Many are "called," but few are chosen. The word "many" is not intended to be a
restricted number; it is used several times in Isaiah 53 to speak of those for whom Christ poured out his blood. The invitation has
gone out to all who care to listen, but some just refused, and some wanted to come but refused to submit to the requirements of
entrance into the kingdom. So none of these will be present in the kingdom. Those Jesus refers to as "chosen" are the people who
respond to the invitation to come, and respond in the proper manner so that they are prepared to enter the kingdom. Because the
Bible refers to the recipients of grace as "chosen," we may conclude that it intends to say that God is not surprised by the
acceptance of some and the rejection of many--in other words, sovereign grace is still at work, even though on the human level
we see how some refuse and some accept and prepare.
In Jesus’ experience the invitation to the Messianic banquet had been extended to the Jews first, those who had the promise of the
covenant, the kingdom, and the King; but they refused. But then Jesus began to turn to the Gentiles, and as many as believed in
him would enter the kingdom in the place of the others, even if the ones who believed were formerly prostitutes and sinners
rather than scholars and sages.
More people will reject the invitation or fail to meet the requirement of faith in Christ than those who are chosen, that is, those
who truly believe and enter the kingdom.
In our day the invitation goes out from the Church by the Spirit through the Church:. "The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come’." And
whosoever wills may come and drink of the water of life freely. Those who refuse, whether violently opposed to Christ, or
pretending to be in Christ, will have no part in the kingdom, but will be cast into outer darkness.
This is the message of the Gospel, the good news. It is only good news if salvation delivers us from darkness (if there is no
darkness, no judgment, then there is no reason for good news). The Church must carry the invitation to the world, even if the
world might refuse the invitation, or even treat them violently and kill them.

Principles of Interpretation
This is a parable. Not every detail of the story should be given a specific equivalent, only the main points and ideas. If there are
similar stories, we need to notice the differences as much as the similarities.
In interpreting the parable, the context is so important. Throughout the events of the Passion Week leading up the crucifixion, the
conflict between Jesus and the leaders became much sharper than it had been in Jesus’ public ministry before. Now everything
was clearly set in order in the events and teachings for all to see, and in seeing the issue, the people would know that their
decision to accept or reject the grace of God in Christ was truly a matter of life and death, eternal life and death. He made it clear
that the only way they would ever see the kingdom of heaven was by him.
The story makes it clear that there is no reason, none at all, for people to reject a gracious invitation from the King to come to the
wedding feast and enjoy all good things. The only reason they reject the invitation is that they do not believe the King, or they do
not believe that Jesus is the Son of God. But since this is a call from the King, from God Himself, the people are not free to take
it or leave it, even if they think they can be non-committal. To reject the invitation of God to share in the Kingdom is folly--it is
to choose death; or, to reject the offer of grace is to reject God’s only provision for eternal life.

At various times I’ve had this recurring dream. I would be somewhere out in public and find myself missing one or
more pieces of clothing. From my reading about dreams I learned that I am not alone in such dreams. It’s a bit
unnerving until I wake up and realize it’s only a dream.
I don’t know the psychological reason for such a dream, and I don’t really care. I’m not someone who desires to go out
of the house naked, and I generally think it’s a rather bad idea. But I’m reminded of being found without adequate
clothing by one of Christ’s parables.
In the parable, Jesus tells of a king who prepares a great marriage feast for his son. None of the first round of invitees
is willing to come, and a second group is invited. While everyone who comes is sitting at the tables enjoying the
occasion, one man is singled out for attention because he does not have on the right garments.
“But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. So he said
to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless” (Matthew 22:11-
12). It doesn’t say he was naked, but he was missing something. He did not have on a wedding garment.
Why is the matter of proper dress at a wedding so important? It’s important because the man was making a statement
against what the marriage feast represented. His presence was an intolerable offense.
I know this seems like an overreaction to a modern mind. Dress at any formal event today is more casual than it once
was. To understand what we are dealing with here, let’s back up into the story.
A king’s marriage for his son
The rest of this parable is a straightforward story that begins like many of the others—”The kingdom of heaven is like
…” In this case it’s like a king who arranges a marriage for his son and sends out invitations. A wedding celebration
given by a king is quite an important event. His son is a prince, and such an affair demands attention.
The big royal weddings of our time command a lot of attention. Two years ago Prince William, the grandson of
England’s Queen Elizabeth II, was married in Westminster Abbey while the whole world watched. Many who were
not invited would have paid a princely sum to get in the door of that wedding.
Because of the interest shown in a modern royal wedding, it’s hard to understand in this parable why some would
reject the invitation. But it says, “They were not willing to come” (Matthew 22:3). Even when the event was
described—a menu of prime rib, steaks and all you can eat, and dancing to a full orchestra under the stars on the
palace grounds—they still wouldn’t come.
The king’s servants, sent to encourage them to attend, were seized by them and treated in a shameful manner,
showing great dishonor to the king. The wrath of the king was kindled to a white-hot fury: “But when the king
heard about it, he was furious. And he sent out his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city”
(Matthew 22:7-8).
The marriage feast would still go on, regardless of the fact that those invited would not attend. The king decreed that
the invitation go out “into the highways,” giving people everywhere from all walks of life, “both good and bad,”
opportunity to attend the marriage of his son and the planned festivities. This was an unprecedented invitation.
People from all nations were given opportunity to choose to come, or not, to the marriage feast. In this parable is
profound teaching.
A calling to salvation
God’s calling or invitation is not a light matter. The calling to salvation, pictured here by the glory of a marriage feast,
is a beautiful, precious and once-in-a-lifetime matter. It’s why the garment, or lack of one, was such an issue for
the king.
The garment is important to understand. And the attitude of the guest in not wearing the garment is also important.
Let’s first look at what the garment represents.
This is where it gets easy because the Bible tells us exactly what the garment of this parable means. Revelation 19
states: “And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty
thunderings, saying, ‘Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns! Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for
the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.’ And to her it was granted to be arrayed in
fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints” (Revelation 19:6-8)
There it is, spelled out for us. At this marriage of the Lamb, Jesus Christ, to His Bride the Church, she has put on “fine
linen,” which is defined as “the righteous acts of the saints.” It is all about personal righteousness—good decisions
made by the individual (and the Church is made up of people) that put together a seamless life of godly character and
good works. This requires repenting of sin, accepting the sacrifice of Christ to purge our sins, and receiving God’s
Holy Spirit to enable us to live in obedience to God’s laws.
The Bible uses clothing as an analogy to show how we “put on” behavior that is pleasing to God.
Notice how the apostle Paul describes this in a passage where he teaches how to put off bad habits and put on good
habits: “But you have not so learned Christ, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth
is in Jesus: that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the
deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created
according to God, in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:20-24).
One piece at a time
The apostle Peter writes of resisting Satan and being “clothed with humility” (1 Peter 5:5). Every morning we get out
of bed and dress for the day. We put our clothing on one piece at a time, starting with undergarments and progressing
to shirts and pants and skirts. Character is likewise put on one piece at a time—one action at a time.
Some things are easier than others. If you have had anger issues for years, it can be very hard to change to a calmer,
less agitated nature, but it can be done.
If you are filled with pride and lacking humility, just a single intense trial can reshape the self-image to a flattened,
less inflated one. Ask anyone who has lost a job or gone through a life-changing event.
Character can be altered. But it requires that we have a deep desire to change.
Researchers who study the mechanics of human behavior have concluded that a person will be more likely to change a
behavior when an emotional level is reached. Another way to put this is that we change when the heart is touched. It’s
usually only then that lasting change can be created in a person’s life. Thus, one must come to the point where he or
she has a desire to change for any hope of a new “garment” to be worn.
And with that desire we must also have commitment to follow through.
Willful defiance
With this in mind, we return to the guest at the supper who was found to be lacking the right garment. This man did
not have on the right garment by choice. Knowing what was required, he nonetheless willfully chose to come to the
marriage feast without wearing the right clothing. Further, he was determined not to put on these garments.
He was defiantly opposing the king and all the king represented. He was opposing everything the marriage feast
represented. He was also aligning himself with the opposition—those who had initially refused to accept the
invitation. Here was a willfully defiant attitude of the deepest kind.
When confronted by the king he had nothing to say. There really was nothing for him to say. He knew the
consequences of violating the dress code.
The king’s pronouncement is chilling: “Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away,
and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth’ ” (Matthew 22:13). It is a severe
penalty. The outer darkness indicates a time of judgment. God will judge the world in righteousness, and all who hold
defiant attitudes like the one described here will face a time of reckoning.
The judgment comes for not wearing the right garment—or having a frame of mind that God cannot reach. It is an
awful matter to consider. This is one of the harder aspects of Christ’s teaching. It is sobering to consider and realize
that our actions have consequences. In our modern ways of thinking we’d like to pretend that our choices and actions
don’t matter all that much and that everything is relative, but this parable shows that simply isn’t true.
Many are called, but few are chosen
The parable concludes with a statement from Christ that “many are called, but few are chosen” (Matthew 22:14). The
word “chosen” here applies to those who not only receive a call, but willingly choose to come, being sure they are
dressed with the right garment, and remain committed to the Kingdom of God. To them the Kingdom
meanseverything. They are willing pay any price, make any sacrifice, and remain committed for life to God and
His values.
In this parable the king represents God the Father and the king’s son is of course Jesus Christ. Those invited to the
marriage feast are those God invites to prepare now, in this lifetime, for His Kingdom, which will be established on
the earth when Christ returns. To accept this invitation is to become a “lifer.” You are in for the duration, with no
intention or option of quitting. This Kingdom, this feast, becomes your all.
I wake up from my dreams relieved to not be found out in public naked. How about you? Are you missing a garment
while thinking you are all dressed and ready? This parable is a wakeup call for all of us to make sure we wear the right
garments of godly righteousness!
Parable of the Wedding Banquet
QUESTION: What does the parable of the wedding banquet mean?

ANSWER:

Who doesn’t enjoy a royal wedding? In Matthew 22:1-14, Christ told an intriguing story of what happened to some
reluctant guests. Read the parable below with the commentary in between.

“Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding
banquet for his son. He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they
refused to come.’”

Jesus is following up His answer to the Pharisees and chief priests from the previous chapter. He relates the reluctant
wedding guests to the history of Israel. God chose the descendents of Abraham to inherit His Kingdom on earth. He
sent deliverers to turn the hearts of His people back to Him after they had fallen away. But the Israelites had turned
away from Him to worship other gods.

“Then he sent some more servants and said, ‘Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: “My
oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.”’”

Although rejected, God continued to woo His people. He warned and disciplined them. Still, they refused to repent.
God would not give up on them.

“But they paid no attention and went off -- one to his field, another to his business. The rest seized his servants,
mistreated them and killed them. The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and
burned their city.”

God sent prophets to warn of punishment. But the Israelites tortured and killed these messengers. Through the
armies of Syria, Babylonia, and Rome, God chastened the nations of Israel and Judah.

“Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. God to the
street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’ So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all
the people they could find, both good and bad, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.”

God did not give up on mankind. He desired to find someone to follow Him for their redemption. He sent His servants
to the Gentiles, those who were not of Israel. To this day, Israel is still rebelling against the Messiah.

“But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. ‘Friend,’
he asked, ‘how did you get in here without wedding clothes?’ The man was speechless.”

This verse speaks to those who are Christians in name only. To those who are depending on their own works, their
own self-righteousness, to make them acceptable before God (see Ephesians 2:8-10). Just as the king provided the
wedding garment for the guests, God provides salvation. To refuse the garment is insulting to the giver. In the
parable, the one who insulted the king was thrown into the darkness.
Nothing is hidden from God. If you are maintaining a faзade of righteousness, He knows. If you are trying to hold onto
the world and maintain your salvation, it won’t work. You cannot serve two masters (Matthew 6:24). Accept God’s
free gift of salvation today.

“Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside into the darkness, where there will
be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’”

“The wages of sin is death,” the Bible warns (Romans 6:23). Nothing will save us except the blood of Jesus.

“For many are invited, but few are chosen.”

The invitation is for everyone, but not many will respond. Have you responded?

“Choose for yourselves this day, whom you will serve. . . . .but as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord”
(Joshua 24:15).

Romans 10:2-3 English Standard Version (ESV)

2 For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. 3 For, being

ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God's
righteousness.
Isaiah 61:10
Verse Concepts
I will rejoice greatly in the LORD, My soul will exult in my God; For He has clothed me with garments of salvation, He has
wrapped me with a robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, And as a bride adorns herself with her
jewels.
Isaiah 64:6
Verse Concepts
For all of us have become like one who is unclean, And all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment; And all of us wither like
a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.
like the wind, take us away.
Psalm 132:9
Verse Concepts
Let Your priests be clothed with righteousness, And let Your godly ones sing for joy.
Zechariah 3:4
Verse Concepts
He spoke and said to those who were standing before him, saying, "Remove the filthy garments from him " Again he said to him,
"See, I have taken your iniquity away from you and will clothe you with festal robes."
Revelation 3:4
Verse Concepts
'But you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments; and they will walk with Me in white, for they are worthy.
Question: "What is the marriage supper of the Lamb?"

Answer: In his vision in Revelation 19:7–10, John saw and heard the heavenly multitudes praising God because the
wedding feast of the Lamb—literally, the “marriage supper”—was about to begin. The concept of the marriage supper
is better understood in light of the wedding customs in the time of Christ.

These wedding customs had three major parts. First, a marriage contract was signed by the parents of the bride and
the bridegroom, and the parents of the bridegroom or the bridegroom himself would pay a dowry to the bride or her
parents. This began what was called the betrothal period—what we would today call the engagement. This period
was the one Joseph and Mary were in when she was found to be with child (Matthew 1:18; Luke 2:5).

The second step in the process usually occurred a year later, when the bridegroom, accompanied by his male friends,
went to the house of the bride at midnight, creating a torchlight parade through the streets. The bride would know
in advance this was going to take place, and so she would be ready with her maidens, and they would all join the
parade and end up at the bridegroom’s home. This custom is the basis of the parable of the ten virgins in Matthew
25:1–13. The third phase was the marriage supper itself, which might go on for days, as illustrated by the wedding
at Cana in John 2:1–2.

What John’s vision in Revelation pictures is the wedding feast of the Lamb (Jesus Christ) and His bride (the Church)
in its third phase. The implication is that the first two phases have already taken place. The first phase was
completed on earth when each individual believer placed his or her faith in Christ as Savior. The dowry paid to the
bridegroom’s parent (God the Father) would be the blood of Christ shed on the Bride’s behalf. The Church on earth
today, then, is “betrothed” to Christ, and, like the wise virgins in the parable, all believers should be watching and
waiting for the appearance of the Bridegroom (the rapture). The second phase symbolizes the rapture of the Church,
when Christ comes to claim His bride and take her to the Father’s house. The marriage supper then follows as the
third and final step. It is our view that the marriage supper of the Lamb takes place in heaven between the rapture
and the second coming (during the tribulation on earth).

Attending the wedding feast will be not only the Church as the Bride of Christ, but others as well. The “others”
include the Old Testament saints—they will not have been resurrected yet, but their souls/spirits will be in heaven
with us. As the angel told John to write, “Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb”
(Revelation 19:9). The marriage supper of the Lamb is a glorious celebration of all who are in Christ!