Wedding Garment Parable -In Depth Study

1) The parable of the wedding garment opens before us a lesson of the highest consequence.
2) By the marriage is represented the union of humanity with divinity;
3) the wedding garment represents the character which all must possess who shall be accounted fit guests for the wedding. Christ's Object Lessons p. 307 E.G.W.

FIRST Call (from Father God?) before crucifixion of Christ

The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come. Matthew 22:2,3
Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many: Luke 14:16

SECOND Call (from Christ the Son?) to Israel after crucifixion

Again, he sent forth other servants, 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:

Matthew 22:4,5

And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready. And they all with one consent began to make excuse.

The first said unto him,

I have bought a piece of ground,

and I must needs go and see it:

I pray thee have me excused.

And another said,
I have bought five yoke of oxen,
and I go to prove them:
I pray thee have me excused.

And another said,

I have married a wife,

and therefore I cannot come.

Luke 14:17-20

Crucifixion, martyrdom of disciples & destruction of Jerusalem by Romans in 70AD

And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them. But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. Matthew 22:6,7

THIRD Call (Holy Spirit at work?) to the Gentiles

Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy. Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests. Matthew 22:8-10
And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. Luke 14:23

The Investigative Judgment

And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. Matthew 22:11,12
By the wedding garment in the parable is represented the pure, spotless character which Christ's true followers will possess. Christ's Object Lessons p.310 E.G.W.

The End

Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are called, but few are chosen. Matthew 22:13,14

P.S. :More on the Wedding Garment

"The white robe of innocence was worn by our first parents when they were placed by God in holy Eden. They lived in perfect conformity to the will of God. All the strength of their affections was given to their heavenly Father. A beautiful soft light, the light of God, enshrouded the holy pair. But when sin entered, they severed their connection with God, and the light that had encircled them departed. Naked and ashamed, they tried to supply the place of the heavenly garments by sewing together fig leaves for a covering. This is what the transgressors of God's law have done ever since the day of Adam and Eve's disobedience. They have sewed together fig leaves to cover the nakedness caused by transgression. They have worn the garments of their own devising, by works of their own they have tried to cover their sins, and make themselves acceptable with God. No fig-leaf garment, no worldly citizen dress, can be worn by those who sit down with Christ and angels at the marriage supper of the Lamb. Only the covering which Christ Himself has provided can make us meet to appear in God's presence. This covering, the robe of His own righteousness, Christ will put upon every repenting, believing soul. This robe, woven in the loom of heaven, has in it not one thread of human devising. Christ in His humanity wrought out a perfect character, and this character He offers to impart to us. All our righteousness are as filthy rags. Isaiah 64:6 By His perfect obedience He has made it possible for every human being to obey God's commandments. When we submit ourselves to Christ, the heart is united with His heart, the will is merged in His will, the mind becomes one with His mind, the thoughts are brought into captivity to Him; we live His life. This is what it means to be clothed with the garment of His righteousness. Then as the Lord looks upon us He sees, not the fig-leaf garment, not the nakedness and deformity of sin, but His own robe of righteousness, which is perfect obedience to the law of Jehovah."  Christ's Object Lessons p.311,312 E.G.W.