What does the parable of the wedding banquet teach us about election?

[Dave...]

Correct me if I'm wrong on any of the details. It's something I ran across recently and I'm running it across you Baptist board dwellers.

I believe that the same word translated 'elect' in Matthew 24:22-24 is also used in verse in chapter 22:14 with the word "chosen". Matthew 22:1-14 provides context.

"And Jesus answered and spoke to them again by parables and said: "The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son, and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; and they were not willing to come. Again, he sent out other servants, saying, 'Tell those who are invited, "See, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding." ' But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business. And the rest seized his servants, treated them spitefully, and killed them. But when the king heard about it, he was furious. And he sent out his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.' So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests. But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. So he said to him, 'Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?' And he was speechless. Then the king said to the servants, 'Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' For many are called, but few are chosen.""

As I see it, the King is God, the Son is Jesus, the wedding banquet is the kingdom of heaven. The initial guests are the Jewish people who rejected Jesus and the Prophets, and the second are the Gentiles. The the wedding garment, which will probably be the point of contention, I believe that it represents a genuine faith, thus defining who the elect are in the next verse.

Here's where Jesus uses the word translated 'elect' in Matthew 24

Matthew 24:22-24 "And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake those days will be shortened. Then if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or 'There!' do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect."

Here's the source that I read. I'm sure there are many like it.

Who Are The Elect In Matthew 24:22-24? — Gracereach

In Matthew 24, Jesus is answering the disciples’ question about the destruction of the buildings on the temple mount in Jerusalem and the question about the end of the age. They wanted to know when the destruction would happen and what would be the sign of his coming at the end of the age. In Jes

www.gracereach.org

Questions

1)Does the parable of the wedding banquet teach us anything about who the elect are?

2)Why would the Gentiles need to be grafted in in the first place, if everyone was chosen before the foundations of the world?

3) Here's a thought. is the man thrown out of the feast for not having on the wedding garment Judas? Who was it in representation?

What say you?

-----------------------

Another parable that could hold some answers, as it ends with the same phrase, "many are called, few are chosen"

Matthew 20:1-16 "For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.' So they went. Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise. And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle, and said to them, 'Why have you been standing here idle all day?' They said to him, 'Because no one hired us.' He said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right you will receive.' So when evening had come, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, 'Call the laborers and give them their wages, beginning with the last to the first.' And when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius.0 But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received each a denarius. And when they had received it, they complained against the landowner, saying, 'These last men have worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day.' But he answered one of them and said, 'Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good?' So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen."

Thoughts?

 

[Charlie24]

Correct me if I'm wrong on any of the details. It's something I ran across recently and I'm running it across you Baptist board dwellers.

I believe that the same word translated 'elect' in Matthew 24:22-24 is also used in verse in chapter 22:14 with the word "chosen". Matthew 22:1-14 provides context.

"And Jesus answered and spoke to them again by parables and said: "The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son, and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; and they were not willing to come. Again, he sent out other servants, saying, 'Tell those who are invited, "See, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding." ' But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business. And the rest seized his servants, treated them spitefully, and killed them. But when the king heard about it, he was furious. And he sent out his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.' So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests. But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. So he said to him, 'Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?' And he was speechless. Then the king said to the servants, 'Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' For many are called, but few are chosen.""

As I see it, the King is God, the Son is Jesus, the wedding banquet is the kingdom of heaven. The initial guests are the Jewish people who rejected Jesus and the Prophets, and the second are the Gentiles. The the wedding garment, which will probably be the point of contention, I believe that it represents a genuine faith, thus defining who the elect are in the next verse.

Here's where Jesus uses the word translated 'elect' in Matthew 24

Matthew 24:22-24 "And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake those days will be shortened. Then if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or 'There!' do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect."

Here's the source that I read. I'm sure there are many like it.

Who Are The Elect In Matthew 24:22-24? — Gracereach

In Matthew 24, Jesus is answering the disciples’ question about the destruction of the buildings on the temple mount in Jerusalem and the question about the end of the age. They wanted to know when the destruction would happen and what would be the sign of his coming at the end of the age. In Jes

www.gracereach.org

Questions

1)Does the parable of the wedding banquet teach us anything about who the elect are?

2)Why would the Gentiles need to be grafted in in the first place, if everyone was chosen before the foundations of the world?

3) Here's a thought. is the man thrown out of the feast for not having on the wedding garment Judas? Who was it in representation?

What say you?

-----------------------

Another parable that could hold some answers, as it ends with the same phrase, "many are called, few are chosen"

Matthew 20:1-16 "For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.' So they went. Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise. And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle, and said to them, 'Why have you been standing here idle all day?' They said to him, 'Because no one hired us.' He said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right you will receive.' So when evening had come, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, 'Call the laborers and give them their wages, beginning with the last to the first.' And when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius.0 But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received each a denarius. And when they had received it, they complained against the landowner, saying, 'These last men have worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day.' But he answered one of them and said, 'Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good?' So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen."

Thoughts?

Here's the way I see it, Dave.

There are two "elects" in Scripture, Israel being the first and second are all who born-again in Christ Jesus.

Isaiah 45:4

"For Jacob my servant's sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me."

Israel is God's "elect" but Israel is not saved. They are the "elect" in a purpose chosen by God above all the nations of the earth.

They were given the Law of God, and the Savior of the world, and salvation was first presented to them.

Matt. 24 is concerning God's elect, Israel.

The wedding garment as I see it in the parable is righteousness. The Scripture often refers the covering of righteousness as a garment.

It was custom of kings to furnish a wedding garment for the guests. This one man came to the wedding without a provided garment, which represented in the parable his self-righteousness, and He was cast out into outer darkness.

Vs. 14

"For many are called but few are chosen."

The chosen are those we hear and believe, choosing to trust in Christ and His righteousness, not their own.

 

[Dave G]

As I see it, the King is God, the Son is Jesus, the wedding banquet is the kingdom of heaven.

That's what I see as well.

The initial guests are the Jewish people who rejected Jesus and the Prophets, and the second are the Gentiles.

I agree..."them which are bidden..." is in the same sense as , " He came unto his own, and his own received him not. " The physical nation of Israel.
The second are what I see as both Jew and Gentile elect, seen here:

" [What] if God, willing to shew [his] wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:
23 and that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,
24 even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?
25 As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved.
26 And it shall come to pass, [that] in the place where it was said unto them, Ye [are] not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God." ( Romans 9:22-26 ).

...and here:

" But Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me.
21 But to Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people." ( Romans 10:20-21 ).

Note:
In the phrase, "Many are called but few [are] chosen" in Matthew 22:14, I see the "many" being Israel as a nation, while those chosen were His elect remnant from out of that nation. This also goes on to include those Gentiles who are called, by the Holy Spirit and the preaching of God's word, out of the world as well:

" Other sheep I have that are not of this fold..."

 

[Dave G]

The the wedding garment, which will probably be the point of contention, I believe that it represents a genuine faith, thus defining who the elect are in the next verse

Yes, on that was are, unhappily for me, in disagreement... as I see the Scriptures themselves defining what the "garment" is:

" I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh [himself] with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth [herself] with her jewels." ( Isaiah 61:10 )

" Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness; and let thy saints shout for joy." ( Psalms 132:9 ).

" Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.
8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints." (Revelation 19:8 ).

" Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.
5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.
6 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches." ( Revelation 3:4-6 ).

There are more.

 

[Dave G]

1)Does the parable of the wedding banquet teach us anything about who the elect are?

The parable itself?
Not really... and it's because parables, in and of themselves, are spiritual truths that are purposefully hidden within a story, which is why the Lord chose to plainly reveal some of them to His disciples in, say, Matthew 13 for example.

Despite this,
I hold that bringing in other things that the Scriptures tell us, will lead to an eventual understanding of all parables by those who are His... given enough time and study.

 

[Dave G]

2)Why would the Gentiles need to be grafted in in the first place, if everyone was chosen before the foundations of the world?

As I see it, you're asking a question that demands an answer from the Lord, not men.

That He decided to mainly reveal Himself to men through a particular lineage ( Abraham, Isaac and finally Jacob's ), and then broaden that revelation to include His elect Gentiles from every tongue, tribe and nation, is something to search His word for.
I don't recall, right now, if that particular question is answered by Him or not.

If I find a Scriptural answer, I'll post it.

 

[Dave G]

3) Here's a thought. is the man thrown out of the feast for not having on the wedding garment Judas? Who was it in representation?

No, but I see Judas being one example of people who "believed" and then fell away.

See Matthew 13 and the Lord's explanation of the parables of the sower and of the tares;
Not necessarily the parables themselves, but the fact that He chose to explain them, plainly, to the reader should help to answer some things related to this topic.

To me, the wedding garment represents Christ's righteousness imputed to His saints;
Those who do not have this "garment of righteousness" at the Judgement, represent all those not elect to whom the Lord will say, "I never knew you"... when they thought that they did.

 

[Silverhair]

Yes, on that was are, unhappily for me, in disagreement... as I see the Scriptures themselves defining what the "garment" is:

" I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh [himself] with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth [herself] with her jewels." ( Isaiah 61:10 )

" Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness; and let thy saints shout for joy." ( Psalms 132:9 ).

" Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.
8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints." (Revelation 19:8 ).

" Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.
5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.
6 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches." ( Revelation 3:4-6 ).

There are more.

@Dave G we do disagree on a number of things but on this we do agree. The garments do represent the salvation that all those that will freely trust in God will receive.

The invitation of the gospel is for all whether Jew or Gentile, both evil and good that the wedding hall may be filled.

 

[Silverhair]

No, but I see Judas being one example of people who "believed" and then fell away.

See Matthew 13 and the Lord's explanation of the parables of the sower and of the tares;
Not necessarily the parables themselves, but the fact that He chose to explain them, plainly, to the reader should help to answer some things related to this topic.

To me, the wedding garment represents Christ's righteousness imputed to His saints;
Those who do not have this "garment of righteousness" at the Judgement, represent all those not elect to whom the Lord will say, "I never knew you"... when they thought that they did.

@Dave G and here is where we disagree.

You see the man without a wedding garment as one who was not part of the "elect" from before the foundation of the world. The text as I see it does not support that view.

We see that God has given each guest a garment but the man thrown out it would seem did not see his need of that garment.

This is analogous to a man making a false profession of faith, one based on head knowledge not one from the heart. They know of Jesus but they do not know Jesus.