Explanation: The Parable of the Wedding of the King's Son is the third of three parables which Jesus told on Tuesday of the Passion Week in response to the challenge to his authority mounted by the Jewish authorities. In the Parable of the Two Sons, Jesus challenged their disobedience. In the Parable of the Wicked Husbandmen, he challenged their greed and thievery. In this parable (represented in a modern form above), he challenged their disrespect and hostility to God. In this parable, the king invites people to the wedding of his son, but they make light of the invitation and go about their daily lives. Some even kill the king's servants. In response, the king brings people from the highways to the wedding feast and destroys the original invitees and their town. At the feast the king sees someone who does not have a wedding garment. He has him cast into outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. The parable thus makes it clear that the consequences of despising God (the King) are destruction and hell.

     ¹ And Jesus answered and spoke unto them again by parables, and said, ² The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, ³ And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come. ⁴ 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. ⁵ But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise: ⁶ And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them. ⁷ But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. ⁸ Then said he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy. ⁹ Go you therefore into the highways, and as many as you shall find, bid to the marriage. ¹⁰ 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. ¹¹ And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: ¹² And he said unto him, Friend, how came you in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. ¹³ 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. ¹⁴ For many are called, but few are chosen.

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