SEV Biblia, Chapter 22:3
y envió sus siervos para que llamasen los invitados a las bodas; pero no quisieron venir.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 3. And sent forth his servants , etc.] The ministers of the Gospel, who are the servants of the most high God, of his choosing and ordaining, of his calling and sending, and of his qualifying and employing, and who voluntarily and cheerfully serve him; and may intend John the Baptist, and the twelve apostles of Christ, who were sent to call them that were bidden to the wedding ; µyawrqh , “those that were called”, as in ( 1 Samuel 9:13,22) by whom are meant the Jews, who were the “bidden”, or “called ones”; called of God, and therefore styled “Israel my called” ( Isaiah 48:12) and by the Targum interpreted ynmzm , “my bidden”. They were called by the name of God, and called the people of God, and the children of God, and were the children of the kingdom; and were called to many valuable and external privileges; and had previous notice of the Gospel dispensation by the prophecies concerning Christ, and the blessings of his grace under the former dispensation; and by the ordinances and sacrifices of it, which in a very significant manner set him forth to that people; and now were called to embrace him, to receive his doctrines, and submit to his ordinances, by the ministry of John the Baptist, and the disciples of Christ. It seems, it was sometimes customary to give two invitations to a feast, or to send a second time to the persons bidden to the feast f1170 ; to which the allusion is here; and they would not come : which shows the insolence and ingratitude of men, their natural aversion to the Gospel, and the ordinances of it; the depravity of the will of man, with respect to things spiritual and evangelical; the insufficiency of outward means, to work with effect, upon the minds of men; and the necessity there is of efficacious and unfrustrable grace to bring men to believe in Christ, cordially to receive his truths, and be subject to his commands. There is a two fold call by the ministry the word; the one is internal, and that is, when the word comes not in word only, but in power; is the power of God unto salvation, and the savour of life unto life; for by the Gospel are the elect of God called to the obtaining of the glory of Christ; ( 2 Thessalonians 2:14). This call is of grace; it springs from the free grace and favour of God, and it is effected by the mighty power of his grace; and it is to special blessings of grace; it is a fruit of God’s everlasting love, and an evidence of it; and is according to the eternal purpose of God, which is never frustrated: it is a call to the enjoyment of spiritual blessings, as peace, pardon, righteousness, and everlasting happiness; by it men are called to light and liberty, to the grace of Christ, and communion with him; to all the privileges of God’s house here, and eternal glory hereafter; to which he that calls them, gives them a right and meetness, and infallibly brings them to it: and therefore it is styled an heavenly calling, and the high calling of God in Christ; for this call is ever effectual, and the ends of it are always answered; it is unchangeable, irreversible, and never repented of. But besides this, there is a bare external call to the sons of men, through the preaching of the word; which is not to make their peace with God, a thing impossible to be done by them, and which is contrary to the Gospel, and reflects dishonour on Christ, the peacemaker; nor to get an interest in him, which, wherever possessed, is given, and not gotten; nor to regenerate themselves; this is the work of the Spirit of God, and in which men are as passive, as the infant in its natural generation, conception, and birth; nor to the exercise of evangelical grace, as faith, love, etc. which are not in them, and no man can exercise that which he has not, nor should he be called to it; nor to any spiritual vital act, since men are dead in trespasses and sins, and cannot put forth any: but this call in the word, is to the natural duties of religion, as to hear, read, and pray; to attend on the word, to wait at Wisdom’s gates, and watch at the posts of her door, and so lie in the way of being effectually called by the grace of God; but this call may be where election does not go before, and where sanctification does not follow, and where there may be no salvation, ( Matthew 20:16) and is often slighted, neglected, and of no effect, which is the case here.
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 απεστειλεν 649 5656 V-AAI-3S τους 3588 T-APM δουλους 1401 N-APM αυτου 846 P-GSM καλεσαι 2564 5658 V-AAN τους 3588 T-APM κεκλημενους 2564 5772 V-RPP-APM εις 1519 PREP τους 3588 T-APM γαμους 1062 N-APM και 2532 CONJ ουκ 3756 PRT-N ηθελον 2309 5707 V-IAI-3P ελθειν 2064 5629 V-2AAN
Vincent's NT Word Studies
3. To call them that were bidden (kalesai touv keklhmenouv). Perhaps an unconscious play on the words, lost in both A.V. and Rev., to call the called. This was according to the Oriental custom of sending a messenger, after the invitations have been issued, to notify the invited guests that the entertainment is prepared. Thus Esther invites Haman to a banquet on the morrow, and, at the actual time, the chamberlain comes to bring him to the feast (Esther v. 8; vi. 14).
Robertson's NT Word Studies
22:3 {To call them that were bidden} (kalesai tous keklˆmenous). "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 (#Es 5:8; 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 eqelon elqein). this negative imperfect characterizes the stubborn refusal of the Jewish leaders to accept Jesus as God's Son (#Joh 1:11). this is "The Hebrew Tragedy" (Conder).
