The International Sunday School Lessons By J. H. S.
LESSON VIII.—August 23.—T he W edding F east .—Matt. 22:1-14. G olden T ext . —O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, that killeth the prophets and stoneth them that are sent unto her! how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as honor and privilege shown to us. (2) His Ability. All the resources of the realm at the king’s hand. (3) His Authority. To have no heart for the king’s feast is to have none for the king’s self; and to re fuse his bidding is high treason. This “ certain king" is Almighty the “Great King.” What favor He shows. What a feast He can spread. What vengeance He can inflict on the wicked and rebellious. Read the description of Ahasuerus’ feast (Esther 1:1-7). God’s feast is literally a feast, if it is primarily spiritual. 3. Our Princely Bridegroom. He is the king’s “son,” the heir to the realm, to whom equal dignity, ability and authority belong (John 5:23, 27; Ps. 72:1; 2:12). Jesus is the beloved Son in whose honor the feast is made (John 3 :28, 29; Matt. 25 :6, 13). 4. The Espoused Bride. She is the Church (2 Cor. 11:2; Eph. 5 :22-23). Some deny it, but none without a theory to bolster could possibly do that in the face of those texts. “ I speak of Christ and the Church,” Paul writes. The Church is the body be cause she is the Bride for Bride and Groom become “ one flesh.” The Church is both the Bride and the Guests, a paradox due to the limitations of the story-form-lesson. The Bride is made up of the rude rabble fin ally gathered into the wedding and it was against her that the invited guests were angered (Luke 7:34). Like King Cophetua, the Ethiopian, our Prince marries a beggar (1 Sam. 2 :8 ), but for all that she shall wear a wedding outfit for the King is able (Eph. 5:27; Ps. 45:9; Rev. 19:7, 8). The very word for bride in Hebrew means “ complete,” “finished,” “perfect.” It means “quit,” there is nothing to add. Think of that! Bride of Christ, and thou, my soul. 5. Sending the Servants. Guests were I. A C hange from G race to J udgment . 1. Grace. Jesus at first offered to set up the kingdom. It was “ at hand” (Matt 4:17). 2. Judgment. At the end He taught that it was not at hand (Luke 19:11, 12), and began to threaten coming desiruction (Mark 13:2). This was a great change in which a smiling Saviour became a frown-i ing Judge. 3. The Cause of the Change. It was not in the unwillingness of the Lord, but in that of the sinner, who shall have none to blame but himself. Jesus put it pathetically in these words: “H ow often would I, but ye would not" (see Golden Text). Our parable illustrates the case. It opens with, “ Come!” it moves on to “W e will not,” and it closes with “You shall not.” II. A W edding F east . 1. A Sad and Sinful Mistake. Our good Master is mistaken for a hard Master (Matt. 25:24, 25). His call to glory is mistaken for a call to suffering, and the crown He offers for a cross. Salvation is a feasting not a basting; the gospel is a bidding not a forbidding. Feasts of the Lord are mentioned more than 80 times in the Old Testament. The temple was a house of feasting, of song, music, rejoic ing. It was not lawful to be mournful (Deut. 12:12, 18; 14:26; etc.). “ Rejoice, and again I say, Rejoice,” was the gospel of the old as it is of the new dispensa tion (Phil. 4 :4 ). Isaiah 25:26 .makes one’s mouth water. Nothing is more joyous than a wedding and therefore Jesus used it to picture that which is in store for them that accept His gospel. 2. Our Host a King. He chose a king because of (1) His Dignity, to enhance the
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