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OUTER DARKNESS IN MATTHEW 22:1-14

July 04, 2004

The parable of the wedding feast

Matthew 22:1-14

1 And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said,
2 The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son,
3 And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come.
4 Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage.
5 But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise:
6 And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them.
7 But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.
8 Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.
9 Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage.
10 So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.
11 And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:
1 2 And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.
13 Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
14 For many are called, but few are chosen.

The Parables teach doctrine

Mark 4:2-3

2 And he (Jesus) taught them many things by parables, and said unto them in his doctrine,

3 Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow (the parable of the sower):

A warning not to neglect the words of Jesus

1 Timothy 6:3-5

3 If any man (a bible teacher) teach otherwise, and consent not (no agreement) to wholesome (sound) words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;

4 He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,

5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.

Parables are not for the common salvation

Matthew 13:34-35 All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them: 35 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.

Parables are dark sayings

Psalm 78:2 I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old:

Parables hide certain truths

Matthew 13:10-11 And the disciples came, and said unto him (Jesus), Why speakest thou unto them (the multitudes of Jews, v.2) in parables? 11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given (granted) unto you (my chosen disciples) to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them (the multitude of Jews) it (to know the mysteries of the kingdom) is not given.

Eye's that can see and ears that can hear

Matthew 13:16-17 But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. 17 For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

The kingdom of heaven is like a marriage feast

Matthew 22:1-2 And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said, 2 The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage (or “marriage feast,” Nasb) for his son.

The first invitees rejected the offer to come

Matthew 22:3-6 And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come. 4 Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage. 5 But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise: 6 And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them.

The message first restricted to Israel

Matthew 10:5-7 These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: 6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Jesus was a minister of the circumcision

Romans 15:8 Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers:

That generation of Jews were a saved people

Acts 13:17 The God of this people of Israel (God was Israel’s God) chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt, and with an high arm brought he them out of it.

They were a rebellious people

Acts 7:51-53 " You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you. 52 "Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who foretold the coming of the Just One, of whom you now have become the betrayers and murderers, 53 "who have received the law (the law was give to saved people) by the direction of angels and have not kept it."

That generation was judged

Matthew 22:7 But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city (70AD Roman destruction).

The kingdom of God was taken from Israel and given to the gentiles

Matthew 21:43 Therefore say I (Jesus) unto you (Israel), The kingdom of God (the offer) shall be taken from you (the people of Israel, the children of the kingdom), and given to a nation (or the Gentiles) bringing forth the fruits thereof.

Many saved gentiles called to the wedding feast

Matthew 22:8-10 Then saith he to his servants, The wedding [feast] is ready, but they (the people of Israel) which were bidden [called] were not worthy. 9 Go ye therefore into the highways (outside of Israel, to the Gentiles), and as many as ye shall find, bid [call] to the marriage [feast]. 10 So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.

The calling is to his kingdom and glory

1 Thessalonians 2:12 That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.

A man found without a wedding garment

Matthew 22:11-12 And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment (he was naked, unprepared): 12 And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless (ashamed).

Not everyone enters the kingdom of heaven

Matthew 7:21 Not every one (some will enter) that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth [or practice] the will of my Father which is in heaven.

Be Clothed

Revelation 3:18 “I counsel thee to…be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear…”

Ashamed before Him

1 John 2:28 And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at [in] his coming [presence].

Clothed by obedience to doctrine

Titus 2:10 Not purloining, but shewing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.

Nakedness is associated with disobedience & sin

2 Chronicles 28:19 For the LORD brought Judah low because of Ahaz king of Israel (an evil wicked apostate king); for he made Judah naked, and transgressed sore against the LORD.

Wedding garment defined

Revelation 19:7-9 "Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage (feast) of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready (preparation)." 8 And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen (a wedding garment), clean and bright, for the fine linen (wedding garment) is the righteous acts of the saints. 9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb (the feast). And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.

Exclusion from the marriage feast is outer darkness

Matthew 22:13 Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot (a restriction of movement), and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Punishment executed at the start of the kingdom

Matthew 13:41-43 The Son of man shall send forth his angels (at the end of this age before the kingdom age, v.40), and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do [practice] iniquity (lawlessness); 42 And shall cast them into a furnace of fire (“outer darkness”): there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth (temporary pain of suffering loss). 43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

The kingdom ends

1 Corinthians 15:24-25 Then the end will come (temporary), when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. 25 For he must reign (1,000 years) until he has put all his enemies under his feet.

The kingdom is one thousand years

Revelation 20:4 “… They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years.”

Tears wiped away after the kingdom ends

Revelation 21:1,4 Then (AFTER THE KINGDOM) I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

Make your calling and election into the kingdom sure

2 Peter 1:10-11 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things (add to your faith works, v.5-7) , ye shall never fall: 11 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the kingdom AGE of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Matthew 22:14 For many are called, but few are chosen

Some interesting quotes on outer darkness

In Manners and Customs of Bible Lands, Fred H. Wight states the following about the “outer darkness”:

“Ancient banquets were usually held at night in rooms which were brilliantly lighted, and anybody who was excluded from the feast was said to be cast out of the lighted room into the outer darkness of the night.” (pages 62-63)

In Word Studies in the New Testament, Vol. I, Marvin Vincent states the following about the “outer darkness”:

“The Greek order of words is very forcible. They shall be cast forth into the darkness, the outer (darkness). The picture is of an illuminated banqueting chamber, outside of which is the thick darkness of night.” (pages 52,No.12)

In Word Pictures in the New Testament Vol. I, A.T. Robertson states:

"Into the OUTER DARKNESS. Comparative adjective like our "Further Out." The darkness is outside the limits of the lighted palace." (page 65)

In The Hebrew and Greek Key Study Bible, Spiros Zodhiates writes in his notes on Matthew 8:12:

“It [outer darkness] seems to have denoted an area outside a well illuminated banquet hall where there was darkness…the outer darkness may be a reference to a place or position of far less rewards….”