ready, but they that were bidden were not worthy. Go ye therefore into the partings of

the highways (where a number of roads meet and cross), and, as many as ye shall find,

bid to the marriage.' We remember that the Parable here runs parallel to that other,

when first the outcasts from the city-lanes, and then the wanderers on the world's

highway, were brought in to fill the place of the invited guests.62 At first sight it seems as

if there were no connection between the declaration that those who had been bidden

had proved themselves unworthy, and the direction to go into the crossroads and gather

any whom they might find, since the latter might naturally be regarded as less likely to

prove worthy. Yet this is one of the main points in the Parable. The first invitation had

been sent to selected guests - to the Jews - who might have been expected to be

'worthy,' but had proved themselves unworthy; the next was to be given, not to the

chosen city or nation, but to all that travelled in whatever direction on the world's

highway, reaching them where the roads of life meet and part.

We have already in part anticipated the interpretation of this Parable. 'The Kingdom' is

here, as so often in the Old and i n the New Testament, likened to a feast, and more

specifically to a marriage-feast. But we mark as distinctive, that the King makes it for His

Son, Thus Christ, as Son and Heir of the Kingdom, forms the central Figure in the

Parable. This is the first point set before us. The next is, that the chosen, invited guests

were the ancient Covenant -People - Israel. To them God had sent first under the Old

Testament. And, although they had not given heed to His call, yet a second class of

messengers was sent to the m under the New Testament. And the message of the latter

was, that 'the early meal' was ready (Christ's first coming), and that all preparations had

been made for the great evening -meal (Christ's Reign). Another prominent truth is set

forth in the repeated message of the King, which points to the goodness and

longsuffering of God. Next, our attention is drawn to the refusal of Israel, which appears

in the contemptuous neglect and preoccupation with their things of one party, and the

hatred, resistance, and murder by the other. Then follow in quick succession the

command of judgement on the nation, and the burning of their city - God's army being,

in this instance, the Romans - and, finally, the direction to go into the crossways to invite

all men, alike Jews and Gentiles.

With verse 10 begins the second part of the Parable. The 'Servants' - that is, the New

Testament messengers - had fulfilled their commission; they had brought in as many as

they found, both bad and good: that is, without respect to their p revious history, or their

moral and religious state up the time of their call; and 'the wedding was filled with

guests' - that is, the table at the marriage-feast was filled with those who as guests 'lay

around it' (ανακειµενων ). But, if ever we are to learn that we must not expect on earth -

not even at the King's marriage-table - a pure Church, it is, surely, from what now

follows. The King entered to see His guests, and among them he described one of who

had not on a wedding garment. Manifestly, the quickness of the invitation and the

previous unpreparedness. As the guests had been travellers, and as the feast was in

the King's palace, we cannot be mistaken in supposing that such garments were

supplied in the palace itself to all those who sought them. And with this agrees the