1. Great Church writer Origen understood the king as God, the marriage as the restoration of Christ’s Church to him, the servants as the rejected prophets, the banquet as the spiritual food of God’s mysteries, ‘all things ready’ as discourses concerning ultimate realities, the destruction of the city as the Jewish war, the command to invite all as the turning to the Gentiles, and the missing garment as ethical qualities like mercy and kindness. He also took the parable as referring to the marriage of the Logos and the individual.
2. The kingdom is still and will be like a banquet at which those who were supposed to attend were too preoccupied to come and others not expected to attend come and enjoy the feast. The expected are absent and the unexpected are present.
3. No one should take attendance at the Messianic banquet for granted. Unfortunately many people do: they have made a decision, they belong to the right group, they have the right schooling, and they have participated in numerous services and charitable efforts, so they can now get on with their lives.
4. The Church should manifest the sense of joy and urgency in inviting people to participate in the banquet of the Lord. This invitation should not be forced upon. The preachers should preach with a sense of urgency only then people will understand the worth of the Great banquet.
5. Jesus has been attacking the Pharisees through quite a few parables. In this parable he is focusing on the ones who are given an entry in spite of their unworthiness. But the moment they enter, they should try their level best to change their way of life and become worthy by following the rules and regulations of the banquet.
The concept of strict attire for the party is not something new. Many of us are aware of certain parties in which we cannot enter without wearing formals. Imagine a person who cannot afford to go for a party of this sort, gets a free entry pass with the generosity of his/her friend. If he/she is keen on attending the party at least he/she should find ways and means to get himself/herself a formal dress. Getting free pass alone does not ensure your entry. From our part we should also do something to enjoy a privilege.
Courtesy
Stories with Intent – A Comprehensive Guide to the Parables of Jesus – Klyne R. Snodgrass
No comments:
Post a Comment