Bible in a Year Series - This post is part of a year-long series where we are reading chronologically through the Bible. Click here to learn more. You are most welcome to join along at any time.
We have now reached Tuesday of what Christians call Holy Week. On Friday, Jesus will be crucified.
It is absolutely impossible for a thinking person to read the words of Jesus and not find themselves forced to make a decision about who he is.
Furthermore, Jesus has really turned up the heat and has transitioned from miracle-worker to laser focused teachings that cut deep wounds in the thinking of the religious establishment.
Consider this:
The Parable of the Wedding Feast
"And again Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying, 2 “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son, 3 and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come. 4 Again he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, See, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.’ 5 But they paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, 6 while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them. 7 The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. 8 Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy. 9 Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.’ 10 And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests.
11 “But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. 12 And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ 14 For many are called, but few are chosen.” (Matthew 22:1-14)
Here's a few of my understandings of this text:
- The first words out of Jesus' mouth, when he started his teaching ministry, were "repent, the kingdom of God is at hand". Kingdom of God = Wedding Feast.
- God prepared this wedding feast for his chosen (the Jews) but they refused to come.
- We see an angry king (God), murderers killed, cities burned, and instruction to invite all (Gentiles) to the wedding feast.
- At the wedding feast, a man is found without a wedding garment (true faith in Christ) and is thrown into hell where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.
- And then Messiah ends with this, "For many are called, but few are chosen."
- As C.S. Lewis said, there will be surprises in heaven. Some who thought they were chosen weren't, and perhaps some who we might think were not chosen, in fact are.
As I said earlier, it is impossible for a thinking person to read this passage and not have a reaction of some sort.
Benjamin Franklin's response to these types of passages, in his Jefferson Bible, was to create his own bible where he simply cut out the things that were not appealing to his sensibilities.
What say you?
How do you respond to this historical man Jesus who came claiming to be God, healed thousands, told of a place called heaven and a place called hell, of a coming judgment, an end to the world, and an infinite time of joy for those who are chosen and his elect?
