The Parable of the Wedding Feast
Some Christians believe the parable of the wedding feast (Matt. 22:1–14) describes two judgments—one in AD 70, and another at the end of time. But is that really the case? Let’s look at the passage:
“The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king [God] who arranged a marriage for his son [Jesus to the church], and sent out his servants to call those who were invited [Israel] 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 [Israel], and burned up their city [Jerusalem]” (Matt. 22:1–7).
The standard interpretation of this passage is that God had invited Israel to the wedding of Jesus to his church, yet Israel refused to attend. In fact, they treated God’s servants spitefully and killed them. So God burned down their city (Jerusalem). This happened in AD 70. Nothing controversial so far. But the passage continues:
“Then he [God] said to his servants, ‘The wedding is ready, but those who were invited [Israel] were not worthy. Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find [Gentiles], 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’” (Matt. 22:8–14).
Although Christians readily acknowledge that the first section of the parable (vv. 1–7) refers to the judgment of Jerusalem in AD 70, some commentators say the second section (vv. 8–14) refers to the time period we are currently living in, the gospel age, which began at the judgment of Jerusalem in AD 70 and will end with another judgment at the end of time, in which there will be “weeping and gnashing of teeth” (v. 14). Steve Gregg of the Narrow Path comments on this section: “At the end of time there will be sorting out of those who had responded during this [two-thousand-plus-year] gospel age, and those who are not true Christians will not be allowed into the kingdom of God either.”[1]
I disagree with Gregg’s interpretation for several reasons. To start with, the second section (vv. 8–14) refers to the same time period as the first section (vv. 1–7). Both are talking about the same wedding. The second section is merely looking back at what God did after Israel had rejected his invitation; namely, he invited the Gentiles to attend. However, as the parable goes on to say, it would not be enough for the Gentiles to simply attend the wedding; they would have to come “properly dressed in wedding garments.” In other words, they would have to come clothed in the righteousness of Christ (Rev. 19:8). Otherwise, they, too, would be cast out of the wedding, just like the Jews who had rejected the original invitation. The entire parable is about the same wedding.
The Wedding Took Place in the First Century
There are passages all through the New Testament that say this wedding happened in the first century. For example, Revelation says: “Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife [the church] has made herself ready” (Rev. 19:7, italics mine).
The passage continues: “Then I, John, saw the holy city, the New Jerusalem [the church, see Heb. 12:22–24], coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband” (Rev. 21:2, italics mine). This is the marriage of Jesus to his church!
Revelation continues: “Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand” (Rev. 22:10, italics mine). This wedding happened in AD 70. (See also 2 Cor. 11:2, Eph. 5:21–27, and Matt. 25:1–13).
The Old Testament prophets also prophesied about this wedding. For example, Isaiah said:
“You [Israel] shall no longer be termed Forsaken, nor shall your land anymore be termed Desolate…For the Lord delights in you, and your land shall be married. For as a young man marries a virgin, so shall your sons marry you. And as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you” (Isa. 62:4–5).
This is a prophecy about God’s/Jesus’s marriage to his church. It’s the same wedding spoken about in the New Testament. How can we be sure it came to pass in the first century? Because Isaiah says it would be (1) the time of salvation, (2) when Gentiles would see the Lord’s righteousness, and (3) when Israel would be called by another name:
“For Zion’s sake I will not hold My peace, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until her righteousness goes forth as brightness, and her salvation as a lamp that burns. The Gentiles shall see your righteousness, and all kings your glory. You shall be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord will name” (Isa. 62:1–2).
This happened in the first century! Jesus brought salvation (Rom. 10:9). The Gentiles saw God’s righteousness (Rom. 15:9–12). And Israel was called by a new name (Acts 11:26). Therefore, this is when the wedding must have happened too.
Notice, also, what Isaiah says next: “Surely your salvation is coming; behold, His reward is with Him, and His work before Him” (Isa. 62:11). Sound familiar? Jesus alluded to this very passage during his earthly ministry:
“For the Son of Man will come…and reward each according to his works” (Matt. 16:27). And when did Jesus say this would happen? “Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here [in AD 30] who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom” (Matt. 16:28). This would happen within the lifetimes of Jesus’s first-century audience.
On the eve of the fulfillment, in approximately AD 65, Jesus said (through an angel): “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to everyone according to his work” (Rev. 22:12). Same coming. Same rewards. Same timing. The wedding is tied to Jesus’s second coming, which happened in AD 70!
So Gregg is simply wrong in trying to link the wedding to the end of time.
Another way Gregg goes awry is by suggesting that the gospel age will one day end. The Bible, on the other hand, teaches that the gospel age—a.k.a. the new covenant age, Messiah’s dominion, the kingdom of God, the Christian age—will never end! For example, the prophet Daniel said Messiah shall have “an everlasting dominion” (Dan. 7:14). Likewise, Luke said, “He [Jesus] will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end” (Luke 1:33).
Isaiah, too, affirmed the everlasting kingdom of God:
“For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end” (Isa. 9:6–7).
Since the gospel age has no end, therefore, the judgment cannot happen at the end of the gospel age, as Gregg claims. The judgment happened at the end of the old covenant age! In fact, by around AD 65, Peter said Jesus was “ready to judge the living and the dead…the time has come for judgment to begin” (1 Pet. 4:5, 17).
The judgment happened in AD 70…and this is when the wedding happened too.
By Alex Polyak, Director of The Bible Fulfilled, 8/25/24
[1] The Narrow Path, Verse-by-Verse Teaching, Matthew 22:1–22, 22:00, viewed Nov. 25, 2022.
