Matthew 22:12 (KJV)
And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.
I want to tie this verse—and indeed the whole parable of the wedding in Matthew 22:1-14—to Matthew 22:29 (KJV):
Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.
There are some aspects of the parable that are hard to understand:
• Why would the king destroy a city because the people refused to attend the wedding?
• Why would he be so furious that a man, compelled to attend, did not wear a wedding garment? Doesn’t the Bible teach us not to judge people for their clothing?
• Why would the king be so harsh as to cast him, bound, into outer darkness for simply being improperly dressed?
A person who does not know God—though these were self-professed spiritual experts—and a person who does not know the Scriptures—though this group had written volumes about them—errs in their judgment of the Scriptures.
I’ve had many conversations with people who twist the Bible and quote it to argue that the Scriptures, and the God of the Bible, are either false or monstrous.
It’s essential to recognize that this account is a parable.
"The kingdom of heaven is like…" The subject is not a wedding; the subject is eternity. The king is not a corrupt or doting father—He is God. The stakes are not the happiness of His precious daughter. Jesus is addressing the righteousness of God versus the sin of mankind.
The lesson is clear:
Everyone—Jew, Gentile, rich, poor, farmer, laborer, prince, or pauper—is invited.
But the standards are high, and only those who enter through the righteousness of Christ are accepted.
The alternative is one to avoid at all costs.
- God’s grace is demonstrated in His invitation to all.
- God’s grace is revealed in His purchase of our salvation through Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection.
- God’s holiness is manifested in the reality that there is only one salvation offered.
No matter the reason for rejection, those who do so err, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God.
#GodsGraceAndHoliness #RighteousnessThroughChrist #ParableOfEternity #ScriptureTruthMatters #KnowGodKnowTruth
Ye Do Err: God’s Grace, Christ’s Righteousness, and Eternal Stakes
What do you think the wedding garment represents in Matthew 22? Share your thoughts in the comments! This week, take a moment to read Matthew 22:1-14 and share the Gospel with someone you know. For more biblical insights and resources, visit marvinmckenzie.org. We’d love to see you there!
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