“But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. He asked, ‘How did you get in here without wedding clothes, friend?’ The man was speechless.

“Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

 “For many are invited, but few are chosen.”

Matthew 22:11 – 14

I admit, I have trouble understanding what next happened after the hall was filled with guests.  Being the climax of the story I assume I should be comforted by what happened, but I am left with questions.

It seems to me that the king’s invitation to the wedding feast was so general that everyone who wishes might enter the festivities.  Not so.  There is an additional point that Jesus wishes to make, a point we might miss if we read it without thinking much.

It must do with something I am not at all familiar with.  I have never seen nor worn a “wedding garment” that invited guests proudly wear.  The “wedding garment” is probably the central issue in Jesus’ story.

The king found that one of the many people he invited did not have on this garment.  We are left wondering why in the world did this guest not have on the garment that was evidently given to all invited guests – free!  And why was this such a terrible crime?  My question is, if it was free, why did the guest not get one?   Did he not know the customs?  Obviously, he knew that all who ate at the feast had on this expected special garment.   The person may have reasoned, “If the invitation is free, why bother getting one?”  Or was it perhaps an inconvenience for him or her to ask for one?

And then Jesus ends the story with a statement that does not seem to fit the story at all. “For many are invited, but few are chosen.”  Good – all in the hall were there by invitation.  That we know.  Did Jesus really mean to use the word, “chosen?”  Did they choose the wedding garment or was it offered to them? Probably both.

Is it that Jesus wanted to impress his hearers with the truth that many are invited but few “choose” to wear the free wedding garment?

The hour has come when Jesus is about to purchase full salvation for all who will believe.  Evidently, even though we are invited, we must desire and receive the special garment of grace!  It is not enough to mingle with the thankful but motely group there.  The important thing is to have on the important thing, the garment!  Only “a few” do.

Again, the mystery of divine grace.  I am pondering that again, even deeper, this season of Lent.