Participants: Glenn Russell & Ranko Stefanovic (Host)
Series Code: MTBOTB
Program Code: MTBOTB00017A
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00:22 Welcome to the Books of the Book series.
00:24 We're exploring the Gospel of Matthew. 00:27 I'm Glenn Russell, professor 00:28 of religion at Andrews University. 00:29 I'm here with a good friend 00:31 and Bible student Ranko Stefanovic, 00:33 professor of New Testament 00:34 at Andrews University Theological Seminary. 00:37 Ranko, it's a joy exploring God's word together with you. 00:40 Yes, Glenn. It's great joy to me to be with you. 00:44 Glenn, you are a teacher. 00:48 And I know you spent 00:49 a lot of time with young people 00:51 to prepare them for pastoral ministry 00:53 there in the college in the department of religion. 00:58 To our young people who really need education 01:03 in order to be involved in ministry. 01:07 Well, we need the right kind of education. 01:10 You know, it's important to have zeal for the Lord. 01:14 The first thing must be a commitment to Christ, 01:17 desire to follow Him. 01:19 But as I work with our students, 01:21 I'm just so inspired working with young people 01:24 who have a passion for Christ. 01:26 They want to serve Him 01:27 and they want to know more about His word. 01:29 They want to study scripture deeply, 01:31 because they'll be the one who'll be sharing 01:33 with the church members, sharing with the community. 01:36 Yes, they need to have zeal, 01:37 but they need to have knowledge 01:38 that goes with it and that's a powerful combination. 01:41 Knowledge without a passion for Christ, 01:44 knowledge without a heart 01:45 surrendered to Jesus is dangerous. But a heart 01:49 that is surrendered to Christ-- 01:51 And transformed by the Holy Spirit. 01:53 And a mind that is transformed 01:54 by the Holy Spirit, it's a powerful combination. 01:56 Yeah, we live today in the world 02:00 that we have so many different teachings 02:03 that people invented. 02:05 We really are dealing today with many complex issues 02:08 that people are making with regard to the Bible. 02:11 And the purpose of our education 02:14 is to inform our young people 02:17 about the current issues etcetera. 02:20 And to sit there at the feet of Jesus 02:22 and to learn how really to study 02:25 and to deal with the Bible, 02:26 so that our young people are equipped 02:28 when they leave our institutions, 02:30 educational institutions, 02:32 they can preach the word powerfully. 02:34 Not for the purpose of arguing 02:36 and providing arguments. That's right. 02:37 And simply to make the gospel down to the earth 02:40 to help people, to feel the need 02:42 for the gospel and for Jesus Christ. 02:44 And you know what a joy it is when a student comes 02:46 and prays with you, or you pray with them. Yes. 02:48 And to explore scripture together 02:51 where we're both learning, 02:52 because God is teaching us through His word. 02:54 Let's continue doing that 02:55 and let's invite God to bless our study together, 02:58 and let's pray. Lord, we've met You 03:02 as our Lord and Savior. 03:03 We've seen You come through the stories of 03:07 and the teachings of scripture. 03:10 We've seen Jesus, our Messiah introduced in its baptism, 03:15 tested in the temptations, 03:17 teaching the people, healing the people. 03:19 And now as He moves towards the cross, 03:22 may our hearts and ears be especially attentive. 03:26 Lord, may we be receptive to Your spirit 03:30 and to You in Jesus name I pray, amen. Amen. 03:34 Ranko, we were in Chapter 22 of Matthew. 03:38 These are the last days before the cross. 03:41 We should be sure we remember the time period. 03:43 So we have to keep in mind that with Chapter 21, 03:47 Jesus entered Jerusalem there. Yes. 03:50 We saw that the first thing 03:52 that Jesus did there in Jerusalem. 03:54 He was greeted by people like a majesty, 03:57 however His appearance was not of a majesty. 04:01 It was a humble servant Messiah 04:04 riding a donkey entered there. 04:06 But then He enters in the temple, 04:08 He cleansed the temple. 04:10 And for this point on there in Jerusalem, 04:12 everything what we have Chapter 21, 04:14 Chapter 22, and Chapter 23, He's surrounded 04:17 by the Pharisees and the Sadducees, 04:20 challenging Jesus from moment to moment, 04:23 keeping Him so busy. 04:25 By the way this is the context of these chapters 04:28 that we are going out to say. 04:29 So we're moving from the parade 04:31 and all the praise to the cross. Yes. 04:35 And now we see an intensifying conflict 04:38 that you've mentioned. Yes. 04:39 Let's go to Matthew Chapter 22. 04:41 We see Jesus, whatever Jesus is saying 04:44 to that people are listening 04:46 as He is debating with the Pharisees, 04:48 Jesus try to challenge them, 04:53 to bring them to repentance, 04:55 to their realization what they were doing. 04:58 Keep in mind, Jesus always try to save our people. 05:02 We read in the text the Son of Man came to save. 05:06 And time is running out for His return. 05:08 His time running out. 05:09 Actually and the time is running out 05:10 for their repentance. That's right. 05:14 So we see at the beginning 05:16 of Matthew Chapter 22, another parable. Yes. 05:18 And let's remember what you said earlier 05:21 that every parable communicates some truth, 05:23 but it also hides some things for people to explore 05:27 and search their hearts about, 05:28 He has enemies-- And this stands out to me. 05:29 This is the one. That's right. Can you read it Glenn? 05:31 Why don't you read this parable? 05:32 All right, "And again Jesus spoke to them in parables, 05:34 saying." Now we're going to verse 2 of Chapter 22, 05:38 "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king 05:40 who gave a marriage feast for his son. 05:42 And when his servants were sent 05:45 to call those who were invited to the marriage feast 05:47 but they would not come. 05:49 And again he sent other servants saying, 05:51 'Tell those who are invited 05:53 behold I have made ready my dinner. 05:55 My oxen and fat cows were killed 05:57 and everything is ready. 05:59 Come to the marriage feast.' 06:02 But they made light of it and went off, 06:04 one to his farm, another to his business. 06:06 While the rest seized to servants, 06:08 treated them shamefully and killed them. 06:12 The king was angry. 06:13 And he sent his troops, 06:14 destroyed those murderers and burned their city. 06:18 Then they said to his servants, 06:20 'The wedding is ready, 06:22 but those who are invited were not worthy. 06:25 Go therefore to the thoroughfares 06:27 and invite to the marriage feast as many as you find.' 06:31 And those servants went out into the streets 06:33 and gathered all whom they found both bad and good. 06:37 So the wedding hall was filled with guests. 06:40 But when the king came in to look at the guests, 06:42 he saw there was a man who had no wedding garment. 06:45 And he said to him, "Friend, how did you get in here 06:47 without a wedding garment?' 06:49 And he was speechless. 06:51 Then the king said to the attendants, 06:52 'Bind him hand and foot, 06:53 and cast him into the outer darkness; 06:55 there men will weep and gnash their teeth.' 06:58 For many are called, and few are chosen." 07:01 Again another statement that's familiar for us 07:03 "many are called but few are chosen" 07:04 but now we understand a little better 07:06 in light of this parable. 07:07 Actually the entire point of this parable is verse 14, 07:13 "Many are called but few are chosen." 07:18 So let's try to see few details 07:21 what this parable is all about. 07:24 It's about what? What is the event here? 07:27 It's the wedding. What is the wedding? 07:31 When according to the Jewish, ancient Jewish practices, 07:36 a young man will go to the gentleman's house. 07:42 The wedding will take place. 07:44 The wedding is a moment, an occasion 07:48 when you have a bridegroom and the bride, 07:52 they joint together. This is the main point. 07:55 They are some getting ready, it takes place. 07:58 But the main point is who is the bride 08:02 that Jesus was talking about? 08:04 Who are also--who are those guests? 08:06 By the way, this is the same concept 08:07 is found in the Book of Revelation. 08:09 Yeah. We see the church. 08:10 The church is both of the bride 08:14 and the church is also the guest 08:16 that are invited to wedding. 08:17 So we have here two different imageries. 08:20 Okay, so who are these people? 08:22 It's evidently the Jewish people. 08:25 They were waiting for the bridegroom, 08:28 for the Messiah to come. 08:29 He came, he came, why? 08:32 Marriage to be united with his people, 08:35 because they were waiting for Him. 08:38 Actually what happened? What happened? 08:41 The call was made. 08:42 The marriage is here. 08:43 The wedding is here. 08:44 The feast is ready. Did they care? No. 08:48 What do we have to mention? 08:49 I mean it's tragic-- Verse 5-- 08:51 This invitation comes. And you know in the east 08:54 many times time is a little less exact. Yeah. 08:57 And so some of thought well, it's not quite time. 09:00 It takes a long time to prepare the food. 09:02 We'll do some other things. We'll procrastinate. 09:04 But now they go beyond procrastination to rejection. 09:09 And even more, some of them 09:11 they ceased those servants, 09:14 they mistreated them and even killed them. 09:17 Do you see what the parable can do? 09:20 This is exactly the history of the people 09:22 of Israel killing the prophets. 09:24 You know, all those, you know, 09:27 things that they were doing, 09:28 the messengers etcetera. 09:31 Actually Jesus told them a lot 09:32 but they couldn't accuse Him, 09:34 because Jesus ignored to make a direct speech 09:37 in addressing the situation there. 09:40 But it seems that and may I just pause 09:42 for a moment remind us let's not try to take 09:45 every detail of this and make it an allegoric, 09:48 because Jesus is not saying that God is like a king 09:51 who will slaughter people 09:52 who don't accept His invitation. 09:54 The main point is an invitation has come. 09:57 They come and also the consequences 10:02 for the rejection. That's right. 10:03 Jesus makes very, very clear not only here, 10:06 there's also another place 10:07 where Jesus makes there will be consequences. 10:09 But then Jesus goes beyond that. 10:12 And what is that? You know, He is a masterful storyteller. 10:15 And I just want to say to you viewers, take time 10:18 to read the scriptures and the stories. 10:21 You'll be amazed at how He-- 10:23 Jesus was able to draw our attention. 10:25 And so many times you think, 10:26 the story could stop there, but it goes little further. 10:29 It's not just that He brings others in, the Gentiles. 10:32 But now someone is in who shouldn't be. 10:35 So what is in the next point? 10:38 It's interesting that he comes in and he notes 10:40 that there's a guest there without a garment. 10:42 So the wedding feast is ready, 10:45 but what is the problem? There're no guests, 10:48 there're no participants there. 10:49 So he instructs the servants what to do, 10:54 go to streets, go to the corners, 10:57 go to those homeless people-- look all kind of people go, 11:01 bring them all, because I need the guest in my house. 11:05 I need a guest there in the feast. 11:08 Go to those who are unworthy, 11:09 because the worthy have not responded. 11:12 And he says, "And the wedding hall." 11:14 Verse 10, "And the wedding hall 11:16 was filled with the dinner guest." 11:19 And I know if he had here at the end of the story 11:21 and say, "You'll see those 11:23 who did not accept Jesus, they were rejected." 11:28 Now the Gentiles were added to it. 11:31 But this is not the point of the story. 11:33 Unfortunately people can read something 11:35 that Jesus never intended, 11:36 because this is the real conclusion, 11:38 what do we have in verses 8 and 12? 11:41 He have a guest who's come. 11:42 He is at the weeding but he is not wearing 11:45 the wedding garment. And? 11:47 And Ranko, maybe just a word about the background, 11:51 why would that have been an offensive thing 11:53 to be there without a wedding garment? 11:55 Because evidently, according to this story, 11:59 everybody had to be in the same garment. 12:02 You see the problem is when you have-- 12:04 can you imagine you have people 12:05 who were originally invited, 12:06 some of them evidently came in the rich robes, 12:10 but can you imagine when you bring 12:11 all those homeless people, 12:13 those people live there on the street. 12:16 I mean the difference would be obvious, 12:18 but when you provide the garment to all guests, 12:21 sometimes I saw some pilgrimage etcetera 12:23 everybody is dressed in the same dress. 12:28 Then it makes everybody equal there. 12:31 If nobody is there because of the prestige, 12:34 because of special, you know, place in the society. 12:38 Everybody is there equal at the wedding feast. 12:41 And that's a critical point, 12:43 because his garment is provided as a gift. Yes. 12:46 But he likes his own better. 12:48 Yeah, so what is the point of this story? 12:50 You know, we should not fall into trap. 12:52 You see, some people rejected you see. 12:55 Other people came, they were accepted. 12:56 No, no, all those originally accepted 13:00 and came and those who later were added, 13:04 all of them were there not because they deserve it, 13:08 but because what the master prepare for them, 13:11 it was that garment, that garment 13:13 that make them equal, 13:15 that to make them welcome there into feast. 13:20 The feast, an invitation to be there at the feast 13:24 was really the gracious act of this king, 13:27 you know, of this master. 13:28 What a great lesson to us? 13:30 You know, when we go to rest of the Bible 13:34 very often garment especially the white rope. 13:38 It's a symbol of Christ's righteousness. 13:41 And the things that God can do for human beings. 13:45 You see, so many times we try 13:47 to compare ourselves with others, 13:50 or to compare people with another people. 13:52 But all those who will one day 13:54 find themselves in the king of God. 13:57 It's not because of our goodness, 13:59 not because of who we are or because what we deserve. 14:04 It's because what God has done to us. 14:07 In the eyes of God, everybody is equal 14:12 because what Jesus did for us. 14:15 This is the beautiful lesson given to us. 14:17 What a glorious God we serve and we're gonna explore 14:19 little bit more about the compassion, 14:21 the grace of God, and the response 14:23 of the people in the Gospel of Matthew 14:25 when we come back after a break. 14:27 We'll be right back. Please join us then. |
Revised 2014-12-17