Charles Spurgeon Commentary Matthew 22:4-6

"Again he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them that are bidden, Behold, I have made ready my dinner; my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come to the marriage feast. But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his merchandise; and the rest laid hold on his servants, and treated them shamefully, and killed them." — Matthew 22:4-6 (ASV)

Saying, Tell them, which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage. But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise: And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them.

The great majority of those who heard the invitation "made light of it"; and this is still the habit of the bulk of mankind, and even of many whom I am now addressing.

You seem to imagine that any day will do for you to think about Christ. He may have your leavings; when it comes to the last, you think that you can send for a minister to come and pray with you, and that then all will be well.

You make light of it—you make light of present mercy, of immediate reconciliation to God, you make light of the love and grace of God, and of the precious blood of Jesus.

Take heed what you are doing, for the great King in heaven regards this as high treason against himself; he looks upon it as a presumptuous attempt to lower his infinite majesty in the eyes of men.

When a king has killed his oxen and fatlings for his son's wedding feast, and there is nobody to eat the provision, then it is a dishonour to him; and if it were possible for the gospel provisions to be universally rejected, God would be dishonoured.

There are some, however, who go further than merely making light of the invitation. "The remnant" would, if they could, maltreat and slay the messengers of mercy; and, as they cannot, nowadays, kill their bodies, they try to slay their reputations.

Any slander which they have heard, or any lie which they have invented, will do to tell in order to make the minister of Christ of less repute than he deserves to be.