October 11, 2020

The universally accepted interpretation (until recently) of the Parable of the Wedding Feast says that the king, introduced at the beginning of the parable, is understood as a reference to God, and the voice the king (God) calls down upon the man without a wedding garment is interpreted as sacred violence levied in judgment for the man’s absolute refusal to accept God’s invitation into God’s kingdom.

Is it possible for a bright sun to shine a new and different light on this text? We’ll try on Sunday morning in the sermon and then at the Sunday morning Bible Class where questions and concerns can be voiced.

I believe Jesus uses this parable to declare to the temple rulers, and to us, that Jesus’ authority will be the authority of the suffering servant. Jesus does this by structuring the parable so that he can introduce into the parable the figure of the “suffering servant” from Isaiah 52:13-53:12. The servant figure in the parable with whom Jesus identifies the servant figure is the man without the wedding garment who suffers expulsion, and worse, at the hand of the king. Jesus is anticipating what will come on Good Friday, which is at the end of the week in which Jesus told the parable. 

Be prepared to think through the issues of the parable at the Bible Class!!!