THE

WEDDING
GARMENT

Lesson 11 for
June 11, 2011
WHOM IS THE PARABLE OF THE WEDDING FEAST ADDRESSED
TO? We can find the context of
We can find the context of
After the triumphal
entry into
this parable in Matthew
Jerusalem, Jesus chapter 21.
cleaned up the
temple from When the priests
traders and taught and the elders saw
in it. that, they
questioned His
authority.
Jesus answered them
with several parables:
The parable of the
two sons and the evil
farmers.

“When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard Jesus' parables, they
knew he was talking about them” (Matthew, 21: 45)
That third parable --the wedding feast-- was addressed to the priests
and Pharisees as representative of the people of Israel.
 THE INVITATION
THE KING:
God the Father.
THE SON:
Jesus Christ.
THE GUESTS:
The people of Israel.

A king was going to celebrate his son’s wedding, so he invited many people to
that wedding feast.
When everything was ready he sent his servants to call those who are invited.
The guests had already received and accepted the invitation before they were called
to the wedding feast.
The parable begins when the servants were sent to
remember them that invitation. That’s the call to be part
of the wedding feast.
The people of Israel received the invitation to the
wedding constantly through God’s prophets.
 THE FIRST CALL
Who are the servants that give that first call to the guests?

“In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the

Desert of Judea and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of
heaven is near."” (Matthew, 3: 1-2)

“From that time on Jesus began to preach, "Repent, for

the kingdom of heaven is near."” (Matthew, 4: 17)

“These twelve Jesus sent out with the following

instructions: "Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any
town of the Samaritans... As you go, preach this message:
`The kingdom of heaven is near.'” (Matthew, 10: 5, 7)

That first call was carried out through John the Baptist, Jesus and the disciples.
The people of Israel rejected that call.
 THE SECOND CALL
When the people of Israel rejected
Jesus’ message, God sent them the
apostles and disciples with a second
invitation.
“Those who are bidden to the feast did not come. The servants were sent out later to say,
“Behold, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are
ready: come unto the marriage.” This was the message borne to the Jewish nation after the
crucifixion of Christ; but the nation that claimed to be God’s peculiar people rejected the
gospel brought to them in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Many did this in the most scornful manner. Others were
so exasperated by the offer of salvation, the offer of
pardon for rejecting the Lord of glory, that they turned
upon the bearers of the message. There was “a great
persecution.” Acts 8:1. Many both of men and women
were thrust into prison, and some of the Lord’s
messengers, as Stephen and James, were put to death.
Thus the Jewish people sealed their rejection of God’s
mercy”

E.G.W. (Christ’s Object Lessons, cp. 24, pg. 250)

 DESTRUCTION
“The king was enraged. He sent his army and
destroyed those murderers and burned their city”
(Matthew, 22: 7)

Jesus announced the consequences of

rejecting the message of Salvation to
the people of Israel: Jerusalem was
going to be completely destroyed and
the nation would be scattered.

That happened in 70 AD, when the roman army

--commanded by Titus-- entered the city, razed it to the
ground and destroyed the Temple. The survivors were
scattered about the world and many of them were
enslaved and sent to Rome.
 THE THIRD CALL
The wedding banquet was ready and there were no guests
(because those who were invited were not worthy), so the
king sent his servants to the street corners to invite anyone
who were there to the wedding feast.

Who received the

message of Salvation
after the people of Israel
definitely rejected it?

“Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: "We had to

speak the word of God to you first. Since you reject it and
do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now
turn to the Gentiles. For this is what the Lord has
commanded us:
`I have made you a light for the Gentiles,
that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.'"”
Acts, 13: 46-47
THE WEDDING HALL
The wedding hall was finally
filled with guests after the
third call.
But it was filled with all sorts
of people: good and evil.
That huge hall where there is
plenty of space for all those
who want to hear the
message of Salvation is the
Church.
Some come to enjoy the
benefits of the banquet and
others come to honor the
King who invited them.
 THE WEDDING GARMENT
Are you wearing
your dressing
garment?

Everyone who entered the wedding hall was given a garment. That
was a special and expensive gift from the king. When the guests
accepted that garment, they showed they respected the host.
That special wedding garment is salvation and the character that
comes with it, which God offers for nothing.
“When we submit ourselves to Christ, the heart is united with His heart,
the will is merged in His will, the mind becomes one with His mind, the
thoughts are brought into captivity to Him; we live His life. This is what it
means to be clothed with the garment of His righteousness” (E.G.W., “Christ’s
Object Lessons”, cp. 24, pg. 253)
 THE INVESTIGATIVE JUDGMENT
“By the king’s examination of the guests at
the feast is represented a work of judgment.
The guests at the gospel feast are those who
profess to serve God, those whose names are
written in the book of life. But not all who
profess to be Christians are true disciples.
Before the final reward is given, it must be
decided who are fitted to share the inheritance
of the righteous. This decision must be made
prior to the second coming of Christ in the
clouds of heaven…
It is while men are still dwelling upon the
earth that the work of investigative judgment
takes place in the courts of heaven. The lives
of all His professed followers pass in review
before God. All are examined according to
the record of the books of heaven, and
according to his deeds the destiny of each is
forever fixed”

E.G.W. (Christ’s Object Lessons, cp. 24, pg. 251-252)

THE RESULT OF THE JUDGMENT
Every guest who did not wear the wedding
garment was given a chance to explain his
behavior.
In the second resurrection --when the New
Jerusalem will come down--, those who did
not wear Christ’s garment will face their
accusations and will have a chance to defend
themselves.
Then, every glory of this world, every wealth
and fame will look insignificant to them. They
will realize that the garments they decided to
wear are the flag of their alliance with the
first apostate. They will have nothing to
defend themselves, just like the man in the
parable.
But those who have dressed with Christ’s robe
of righteousness will have their reward in the
Second Coming: “And so we will be with the
Lord FOREVER” (1 Thessalonians, 4: 17)
 “The days of our probation are
fast closing. The end is near. To us
the warning is given, “Take heed
to yourselves, lest at any time
your hearts be overcharged with
surfeiting, and drunkenness, and
cares of this life, and so that day
come upon you unawares.” Luke
21:34. Beware lest it find you
unready. Take heed lest you be
found at the King’s feast without a
wedding garment”
E.G.W. (Christ’s Object Lessons, cp. 24, pg. 259-260)