Charles Spurgeon Commentary Matthew 22:8-9

"Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they that were bidden were not worthy. Go ye therefore unto the partings of the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage feast." — Matthew 22:8-9 (ASV)

Then, when the King was angry, even then He was gracious. In wrath, He remembered mercy. Judgment is His strange work, but He delighteth in mercy.

Then He said to His servants. The King still had servants left, though His enemies were destroyed. Christian preachers remained when chief priests and Pharisees were extinct and Jerusalem was in ruins.

The royal Host gathered His servants together and put before them the exact position of affairs, The wedding is ready. Gospel provision was made in abundance. There was no lack on the King’s part. His Son’s wedding must be celebrated by a feast, and a feast requires guests, but they which were bidden were not worthy.

This is the last we hear of those who were bidden. Seeing that they judged themselves unworthy of eternal life, others must be called. Salvation is not a matter of worthiness, or no one would be saved. These men were too proud, too self-sufficient, too high-minded to be worthy recipients of the King’s favor. They preferred their farms and their merchandise to doing honor to the King and His Son, for at heart they were traitors.

What was to be done? Should the wedding be canceled and the provision for the feast be destroyed? Not so. The King said to His servants, Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. Glorious was the outburst of grace which bade the apostles turn to the Gentiles. Until now they had not been bidden, but when the Jews finally rejected the Messiah, He gave to His disciples their wider commission, Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature.

In the parable, highwaymen, vagrants, travelers, tramps, and all sorts of people are mentioned, and thus Jesus is to be preached to men in every condition, but especially to those who are “out of the way.” It is not after the manner of men to invite to a wedding banquet those who stray in the highways, but Jesus was setting forth the glorious freeness of the Gospel invitation, as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage.

This indicates no limited call, no preaching to gracious character. Restrictions there rightly were at the first, but after the death of Christ, they were all removed. Even our Lord said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel, and when He first sent forth His twelve apostles, His command to them was, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not.

But the time had come for the universal proclamation of the Gospel. After His resurrection, Jesus said to His disciples, All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations.