Matthew:22:1-14
rwp@Matthew:22:1 @{Again in parables} (\palin en parabolais\). Matthew has already given two on this occasion (The Two Sons, The Wicked Husbandmen). He alone gives this Parable of the Marriage Feast of the King's Son. It is somewhat similar to that of The Supper in strkjv@Luke:14:16-23| given on another occasion. Hence some scholars consider this merely Matthew's version of the Lucan parable in the wrong place because of Matthew's habit of grouping the sayings of Jesus. But that is a gratuitous indictment of Matthew's report which definitely locates the parable here by \palin\. Some regard it as not spoken by Jesus at all, but an effort on the part of the writer to cover the sin and fate of the Jews, the calling of the Gentiles, and God's demand for righteousness. But here again it is like Jesus and suits the present occasion.
rwp@Matthew:22:2 @{A marriage feast} (\gamous\). The plural, as here (2,3,4,9|), is very common in the papyri for the wedding festivities (the several acts of feasting) which lasted for days, seven in strkjv@Judges:14:17|. The very phrase here, \gamous poiein\, occurs in the Doric of Thera about B.C. 200. The singular \gamos\ is common in the papyri for the wedding contract, but Field (_Notes_, p. 16) sees no difference between the singular here in strkjv@22:8| and the plural (see also strkjv@Genesis:29:22; strkjv@Esther:9:22|; Macc. strkjv@10:58).
rwp@Matthew:22:3 @{To call them that were bidden} (\kalesai tous keklmenous\). "Perhaps an unconscious play on the words, lost in both A.V. and Rev., {to call the called}" (Vincent). It was a Jewish custom to invite a second time the already invited (Esther:5:8; strkjv@6:14|). The prophets of old had given God's invitation to the Jewish people. Now the Baptist and Jesus had given the second invitation that the feast was ready. {And they would not come} (\kai ouk thelon elthein\). This negative imperfect characterizes the stubborn refusal of the Jewish leaders to accept Jesus as God's Son (John:1:11|). This is "The Hebrew Tragedy" (Conder).
rwp@Matthew:22:4 @{My dinner} (\to ariston mou\). It is breakfast, not dinner. In strkjv@Luke:14:12| both \ariston\ (breakfast) and \deipnon\ (dinner) are used. This noon or midday meal, like the French breakfast at noon, was sometimes called \deipnon mesmbrinon\ (midday dinner or luncheon). The regular dinner (\deipnon\) came in the evening. The confusion arose from applying \ariston\ to the early morning meal and then to the noon meal (some not eating an earlier meal). In strkjv@John:21:12,15| \arista\ is used of the early morning meal, "Break your fast" (\aristsate\). When \ariston\ was applied to luncheon, like the Latin _prandium_, \akratisma\ was the term for the early breakfast. {My fatlings} (\ta sitista\). Verbal from \sitiz\, to feed with wheat or other grain, to fatten. Fed-up or fatted animals.
rwp@Matthew:22:5 @{Made light of it} (\amelsantes\). Literally, neglecting, not caring for. They may even have ridiculed the invitation, but the verb does not say so. However, to neglect an invitation to a wedding feast is a gross discourtesy. {One to his own farm} (\hos men eis ton idion agron\) or field, {another to his merchandise} (\hos de epi tn emporian autou\) only example in the N.T., from \emporos\, merchant, one who travels for traffic (\emporeuomai\), a drummer.
rwp@Matthew:22:7 @{Armies} (\strateumata\). Bands of soldiers, not grand armies.
rwp@Matthew:22:9 @{The partings of the highways} (\tas diexodous tn hodn\). Vulgate, _exitus viarum_. \Diodoi\ are cross-streets, while \diexodoi\ (double compound) seem to be main streets leading out of the city where also side-streets may branch off, "by-ways."
rwp@Matthew:22:10 @{The wedding} (\ho gamos\). But Westcott and Hort rightly read here \ho numphn\, marriage dining hall. The same word in strkjv@9:15| means the bridechamber.
rwp@Matthew:22:12 @{Not having a wedding-garment} (\m echn enduma gamou\). \M\ is in the _Koin_ the usual negative with participles unless special emphasis on the negative is desired as in \ouk endedumenon\. There is a subtle distinction between \m\ and \ou\ like our subjective and objective notions. Some hold that the wedding-garment here is a portion of a lost parable separate from that of the Wedding Feast, but there is no evidence for that idea. Wunsche does report a parable by a rabbi of a king who set no time for his feast and the guests arrived, some properly dressed waiting at the door; others in their working clothes did not wait, but went off to work and, when the summons suddenly came, they had no time to dress properly and were made to stand and watch while the others partook of the feast.
rwp@Matthew:22:13 @{Was speechless} (\epsimth\). Was muzzled, dumb from confusion and embarrassment. It is used of the ox (1Timothy:5:18|). {The outer darkness} (\to skotos to exteron\). See strkjv@Matthew:8:12|. All the blacker from the standpoint of the brilliantly lighted banquet hall. {There shall be} (\ekei estai\). Out there in the outer darkness.
rwp@Matthew:22:14 @{For many are called, but few chosen} (\polloi gar eisin kltoi oligoi de eklektoi\). This crisp saying of Christ occurs in various connections. He evidently repeated many of his sayings many times as every teacher does. There is a distinction between the called (\kltoi\) and the chosen (\eklektoi\) called out from the called.
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