SEV Biblia, Chapter 22:12
Y le dijo: Amigo, ¿cmo entraste aquí no teniendo vestido de boda? Y a l se le cerr la boca.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Matthew 22:12
Verse 12. He saith unto him, Friend] Rather, companion: so etaire should be translated. As this man represents the state of a person in the visible Church, who neglects to come unto the master of the feast for a marriage garment, for the salvation which Christ has procured, he cannot be with any propriety called a friend, but may well be termed a companion, as being a member of the visible Church, and present at all those ordinances where Christ's presence and blessing are found, by all those who sincerely wait upon him for salvation. How camest thou in hither] Why profess to be called by my name while living without a preparation for my kingdom? He was speechless.] efimwqh, he was muzzled, or gagged. He had nothing to say in vindication of his neglect. There was a garment provided, but he neither put it on, nor applied for it. His conduct, therefore, was in the highest degree insulting and indecorous. As this man is the emblem, by general consent, of those who shall perish in the last day, may we not ask, without offense, Where does the doctrine of absolute reprobation or preterition appear in his case? If Christ had never died for him, or if he had applied for the garment, and was refused, might he not well have alleged this in behalf of his soul?-and would not the just God have listened to it? But there is not the smallest excuse for him: Christ died, the sacrifice was offered, for him; the ministers of the Gospel invited him; the Holy Spirit strove with him; he might have been saved, but he was not: and the fault lies so absolutely at his own door that the just God is vindicated in his conduct, while he sends him to hell, not for the lack of what he could not get, but for the lack of what he might have had, but either neglected or refused it.
Then said the king to the servants] To the ministering angels, executors of the Divine will.
Cast him into outer darkness] The Jewish marriages were performed in the night season, and the hall where the feast was made was superbly illuminated; the outer darkness means, therefore, the darkness on the outside of this festal hall; rendered still more gloomy to the person who was suddenly thrust out into it from such a profusion of light. See all this largely treated of on chap. viii. 12.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 12. And he saith unto him, friend , etc.] Either in an ironical way, or because he professed to be a friend of God and Christ: how camest thou in hither, not having a wedding garment? Which way didst thou come in hither? since he did not come in by faith, in the righteousness of Christ; intimating, that he climbed up some other way, and was a thief and robber; or with what face, or how couldest thou have the assurance to come in hither in such a dress, having nothing but the filthy rags of thine own righteousness? How couldest thou expect to meet with acceptance with me, or to be suitable company for my people, not being arrayed with the garments of salvation, and robe of righteousness, as they are? And he was speechless : or muzzled: his mouth was stopped, he had nothing to say for himself: not but that there will be pleas made use of by hypocrites, and formal professors, another day; who will plead either their preaching and prophesying in Christs name; or their attendance on outward ordinances; or the works they have done, ordinary or extraordinary; but then these will all be superseded and silenced, their own consciences will condemn them, their mouths will be stopped, and they will have nothing to say in vindication of themselves; their righteousness will not answer for them in a time to come. The Jews have a tradition f1172 , that Esau the wicked, will veil himself with his garment, and sit among the righteous in paradise, in the world to come; and the holy blessed God will draw him, and bring him out from thence, which is the sense of those words, (Obidiah 1:4). Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down, saith the Lord. Ver. 13. Then said the king to his servants , etc.] By whom are meant, either the ministers of the Gospel, and pastors of churches, who by the order of Christ, and in the name of the churches, cast out all such as appear, by their bad principles and evil practices, to be without the grace of God, and righteousness of Christ; or rather, the angels, who will bind up the tares in bundles, and burn them, and gather out of Christs kingdom all that offend and do iniquity; and sever the wicked from the just, and use them in the manner here directed to: bind him hand and foot ; as malefactors used to be, to denote greatness of his crime, his unparalleled insolence, and the unavoidableness of his punishment; such methods being taken, that there could be no escaping it: and take him away ; from hence, to prison; a dreadful thing, to go out of a church of Christ to hell. This clause is not in the Vulgate Latin, nor in the Syriac and Arabic versions, nor in Munsters Hebrew Gospel, but is in all the ancient Greek copies; and cast him into utter darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth ; See Gill Matthew 8:12 Ver. 14. For many are called, but few chosen .] See Gill Matthew 20:16 Ver. 15. Then went the Pharisees , etc.] After they had heard the parables of the two sons being bid to go into the vineyard, of the vineyard let out to husbandmen, and of the marriage feast; for it is clear from hence, that these stayed and heard the last of these parables, in all which they saw themselves designed; and though they were irritated and provoked to the last degree, they were obliged to hide their resentments, nor durst they use any violence for fear of the people; wherefore they retired to some convenient place, to the council chamber, or to the palace of the high priest, or where the chief priests were gone, who seem to have departed some time before them: and took counsel ; among themselves, and of others, their superiors; not how they should behave more agreeably for the future, and escape due punishment and wrath to the uttermost, which the King of kings would justly inflict on them, very plainly signified in the above parables; but how they might entangle him in his talk , or take hold of his words, as in Luke; or catch him in his words, as in Mark: they consulted to draw him into a conversation, on a dangerous and ensnaring subject; when they hoped a word might drop unwarily from him, which they might catch at, lay hold on, and improve to his disadvantage; either with the common people, or the government, and especially the latter; as is to be learned from Luke, who expressly says their end was, that so they might deliver him unto the power and authority of the governor ; the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate, should he say any thing against Caesar, which they endeavoured to ensnare him into; by which means, they doubted not of setting the populace against him, and of screening themselves from their resentments; and of gaining their main point, the delivery of him up into the hands of the civil government, who, for treason and sedition, would put him to death.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-14 - The provision made for perishing souls in the gospel, is represented by a royal feast made by a king, with eastern liberality, on the marriag of his son. Our merciful God has not only provided food, but a roya feast, for the perishing souls of his rebellious creatures. There is enough and to spare, of every thing that can add to our present comfor and everlasting happiness, in the salvation of his Son Jesus Christ The guests first invited were the Jews. When the prophets of the Ol Testament prevailed not, nor John the Baptist, nor Christ himself, wh told them the kingdom of God was at hand, the apostles and ministers of the gospel were sent, after Christ's resurrection, to tell them it wa come, and to persuade them to accept the offer. The reason why sinner come not to Christ and salvation by him, is, not because they cannot but because they will not. Making light of Christ, and of the grea salvation wrought out by him, is the damning sin of the world. The were careless. Multitudes perish for ever through mere carelessness who show no direct aversion, but are careless as to their souls. Als the business and profit of worldly employments hinder many in closin with the Saviour. Both farmers and merchants must be diligent; but whatever we have of the world in our hands, our care must be to keep i out of our hearts, lest it come between us and Christ. The utter rui coming upon the Jewish church and nation, is here represented Persecution of Christ's faithful ministers fills up the measure of guilt of any people. The offer of Christ and salvation to the Gentile was not expected; it was such a surprise as it would be to wayfarin men, to be invited to a royal wedding-feast. The design of the gospe is to gather souls to Christ; all the children of God scattered abroad Joh 10:16; 11:52. The case of hypocrites is represented by the gues that had not on a wedding-garment. It concerns all to prepare for the scrutiny; and those, and those only, who put on the Lord Jesus, wh have a Christian temper of mind, who live by faith in Christ, and to whom he is all in all, have the wedding-garment. The impute righteousness of Christ, and the sanctification of the Spirit, are bot alike necessary. No man has the wedding-garment by nature, or can for it for himself. The day is coming, when hypocrites will be called to account for all their presumptuous intruding into gospel ordinances and usurpation of gospel privileges. Take him away. Those that wal unworthy of Christianity, forfeit all the happiness they presumptuousl claimed. Our Saviour here passes out of the parable into that which i teaches. Hypocrites go by the light of the gospel itself down to utte darkness. Many are called to the wedding-feast, that is, to salvation but few have the wedding-garment, the righteousness of Christ, the sanctification of the Spirit. Then let us examine ourselves whether we are in the faith, and seek to be approved by the King.
Greek Textus Receptus
και 2532 CONJ λεγει 3004 5719 V-PAI-3S αυτω 846 P-DSM εταιρε 2083 N-VSM πως 4459 ADV-I εισηλθες 1525 5627 V-2AAI-2S ωδε 5602 ADV μη 3361 PRT-N εχων 2192 5723 V-PAP-NSM ενδυμα 1742 N-ASN γαμου 1062 N-GSM ο 3588 T-NSM δε 1161 CONJ εφιμωθη 5392 5681 V-API-3S
Vincent's NT Word Studies
12. Not having (mh ecwn). It is hardly possible to convey the subtle sense of the negative particle (mh) to the English reader. A different word for not (ouk) is used in the preceding verse, expressing an outward, objective fact which attracted the king's notice. The man had not (ouk) a wedding garment. When the king addresses the guest, he is thinking not so much of the outward token of disrespect, as of the guest's mental attitude toward the proprieties of the occasion. It is as if he had said, "What were you thinking of, where was your respect for me and for my guests, when you allowed yourself to come hither not (mh) having the proper garment, as you knew you ought to have?" It implies, as Dr. Morison observes, that the man was conscious of the omission when he entered, and was intentionally guilty of the neglect. This distinction between the two negative particles rests on the law of the Greek language, according to which ouj and its compounds stand where something is to be denied as a matter of fact, and mh and its compounds when something is to be denied as a matter of thought.He was speechless (efimwqh). Lit., he was muzzled or gagged. It is used of muzzling the ox (1 Tim. v. 18), and is addressed by Christ to the demon (Mark i. 25), and to the raging sea (Mark iv. 39). Peter uses it of putting the ignorant and foolish to silence (1 Pet. ii. 15).
The outer darkness. See on Matt. viii. 12.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
22:12 {Not having a wedding-garment} (me ecwn enduma gamou). me 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 me 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.
