Musick-al note # 147
Jesus taught in his parable that the kingdom of heaven is like a marriage feast given for the king’s son. A good study of it reveals many lessons to be gained, many invited guests ignored the invitation, and others turned to other pursuits giving no care or concern to the great occasion even ridiculing the messengers or killing them. The king rejected them and sought others to fill the wedding hall. Seemingly, in the midst of the rejoicing throng, the king saw an individual without a wedding garment which, according to custom, all had been given to wear. Why then, did he not have it on? The statement ‘he was speechless’ indicates that he knew but that he chose not to accept it or wear it. Then why had he gone in? It must be that he lived among the saints with a right-seeming life, did good works, payed his debts, acted like believers by helping the poor and even meeting with the saints yet never obeying the Gospel of Christ. Too late he learned that good works do not merit salvation.
As in all parables, Jesus was teaching spiritual truths so this parable teaches about the coming marriage of Jesus to His bride, the church, whom He loves and will present her in splendor and perfection to Himself (Ephesians 5:25-32). We should prepare ourselves for that occasion by wearing the wedding garment prepared and given to us for that occasion. Those garments are revealed in God’s Word so we can be ready. Take note of these verses regarding those things we are to put on. Galatians 3:27 ‘put on Christ’, Colossians 3:10 ‘put on the new self after his image’, Ephesians 4:24 ‘put on the new self, created in the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness’, Ephesians 6:10-18 ‘put on the whole armor of God’. These all point to entering the narrow gate and living faithfully until death. One begins their spiritual dressing by obeying the Gospel to put on Christ. Then one must continue to live in Christ by following His will to be self-controlled, upright and godly (Titus 2:12,) be just, love Christ steadfastly and walk humbly before God (Micah 6:8) presenting our bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God (Romans 12:1) and at death put on immortality (1Corinthians 15:53), fully dressed for the great banquet of God.
Gordon Musick
Musick-al Notes 