The Banquet of Matthew 22 - 2005/08/31 00:45At Matthew 22:1-14 we read, "1 Then Jesus gave them another illustration: 2 ‘The Kingdom of the Heavens is like a man, a king, who arranged a wedding banquet for his son. 3 Then he sent his slaves to call those who were invited. However, [those who were invited] didn’t want to come. 4 ‘Again he sent other slaves, saying, Tell those I invited: {Look!} The dinner is prepared, bulls and fattened animals have been slaughtered, and everything’s ready. Come to the banquet! 5 But, nobody paid any attention. One went out to his field, another to his business, 6 and the rest grabbed his slaves, abused them, and then killed them. 7 ‘This sent the king into a rage, so he sent his army to destroy the murderers and burn their city. 8 Then he told his slaves, The marriage feast is indeed ready, but those who I invited weren’t worthy. 9 So, go to the roads leading out of the city and invite everyone you find to the wedding banquet. 10 ‘So, the slaves went out to the roads and gathered everyone they could find, both the wicked and the good, and the wedding hall was filled with those reclining at the tables. 11 When the king came in to inspect the guests, he saw a man who wasn’t properly dressed for a wedding. 12 So, he asked him, How did you get in here [dressed like that]? ‘Well, the man was speechless. 13 Then the king said to his servants, Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside into the darkness. There is where he will cry and grind his teeth. 14 For many are called, but few are chosen."
Now, for a fact I have previously assumed that this parable was speaking of the heavenly hope, because he spoke of "The Kingdom of the Heavens." But as it has been pointed out to me, in Luke it is called "the Kingdom of God," and that whether it's the Kingdom of heaven or the Kingdom of God, those whose hope is earthly are also part of that Kingdom.
An interesting point is that those who were called are both "the wicked and the good," so this doesn't sound like a heavenly hope or the faithful slave, because the anointed aren't selected from among mankind in general. Rather, it appears to be speaking of those on earth who are called to be spiritual Jews... those from among whom the anointed are called. For as Revelation 7:4 says, 'And I heard how many of them had been sealed: a hundred and forty-four thousand from among every tribe of the sons of Israel. But, those who are chosen from that already Identified group (all Christianity - see Luke 22:28-30) seem to be "the great crowd."
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ablebodiedman
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Re:The Banquet of Matthew 22 - 2005/09/01 11:29JWHVACR wrote: For as Revelation 7:4 says, 'And I heard how many of them had been sealed: a hundred and forty-four thousand from among every tribe of the sons of Israel. But, those who are chosen from that already Identified group (all Christianity - see Luke 22:28-30) seem to be "the great crowd."
Jim,
I am not aware of any person outside of Christianity claiming to be of the annointed inside the Christian belief.
Are Muslims or any other religion even aware of the possibility?
What you are claiming above makes sense.
regards
ablebodiedman
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ablebodiedman
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Re:The Banquet of Matthew 22 - 2005/09/01 11:47JWHVACR wrote: 11 When the king came in to inspect the guests, he saw a man who wasn’t properly dressed for a wedding. 12 So, he asked him, How did you get in here [dressed like that]? ‘Well, the man was speechless. 13 Then the king said to his servants, Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside into the darkness. There is where he will cry and grind his teeth. 14 For many are called, but few are chosen."
Now, for a fact I have previously assumed that this parable was speaking of the heavenly hope, because he spoke of "The Kingdom of the Heavens." But as it has been pointed out to me, in Luke it is called "the Kingdom of God," and that whether it's the Kingdom of heaven or the Kingdom of God, those whose hope is earthly are also part of that Kingdom.
Jim,
I think the following scripture explains what the marriage garment is:
Revelation 18:7-8
7 Let us rejoice and be overjoyed, and let us give him the glory, because the marriage of the Lamb has arrived and his wife has prepared herself. 8 Yes, it has been granted to her to be arrayed in bright, clean, fine linen, for the fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the holy ones.”
"for the fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the holy ones"
This next scripture supports the idea that this garment and the parable is intended for those with a heavenly hope only:
Revelation 19:14
14 Also, the armies that were in heaven were following him on white horses, and they were clothed in white, clean, fine linen
regards
ablebodiedman
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JWHVACR
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Re:The Banquet of Matthew 22 - 2005/09/01 12:00They would have to be baptised and partake of the bread and wine to show that they are under the New Covenant. Non-Christians make no such claim.
Post edited by: JWHVACR, at: 2005/09/01 12:28
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JWHVACR
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Re:The Banquet of Matthew 22 - 2005/09/01 12:17Understand that I'm not being dogmatic on this, it just seems like we are missing something very important. These people aren't the bride, they aren't virgins, they are just guests at the banquet. To assume that they are the anointed then means that those who have an earthly hope aren't chosen, but the Bible indicates that Jehovah chooses all His servants. And why are they referred to as 'the wicked and the good?' The problem with those of us who are or have been Witnesses is that our minds default to the things we have learned. And such deep things are difficult to question. But something just doesn't add up here. True, all scriptures that speak of the banquet mention the guests... are they the anointed? Then who is the bride and where is she? The problem we have is that we assume everything Jesus said was addressed to the few who God likes that are being taken to heaven, and the rest of the Bible just mentions the the other faithful as onlookers. My personal study indicates that most of what Jesus said was addressed to all his disciples and that the hope of being taken was just offered to a few and was mentioned far less frequently than we've been taught.
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ablebodiedman
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Re:The Banquet of Matthew 22 - 2005/09/02 00:32Jim,
I am convinced the wicked are also invited with the righteous to a heavenly hope.
Its what they do with the invitation that will determine wether they are finally chosen.
The following scripture indicates that some of the invited to be in heaven were at one time wicked:
1 Corinthians 6:9-11
9 What! Do YOU not know that unrighteous persons will not inherit God’s kingdom? Do not be misled. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men kept for unnatural purposes, nor men who lie with men, 10 nor thieves, nor greedy persons, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit God’s kingdom. 11 And yet that is what some of YOU were. But YOU have been washed clean, but YOU have been sanctified, but YOU have been declared righteous in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and with the spirit of our God.
The persons who Paul is addressing in the above scripture appear to be the same ones he is addressing a few verses earlier where he says:
1 Corinthians 6:2-3 2 Or do YOU not know that the holy ones will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by YOU, are YOU unfit to try very trivial matters? 3 Do YOU not know that we shall judge angels? Why, then, not matters of this life?
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