Matthew 22:8 kjv
Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.
Matthew 22:8 nkjv
Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy.
Matthew 22:8 niv
"Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come.
Matthew 22:8 esv
Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy.
Matthew 22:8 nlt
And he said to his servants, 'The wedding feast is ready, and the guests I invited aren't worthy of the honor.
Matthew 22 8 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Mt 21:43 | "Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people..." | Kingdom given to others due to rejection. |
| Lk 7:30 | "But the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected the purpose of God for themselves..." | Religious leaders rejected God's call. |
| Jn 1:11 | "He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him." | Israel's general rejection of Christ. |
| Acts 13:46 | "...It was necessary that the word of God be spoken first to you. Since you thrust it aside..." | Paul and Barnabas turn to Gentiles. |
| Rom 10:21 | "All day long I have held out My hands to a disobedient and contrary people." | God's persistent invitation to Israel. |
| Rom 11:11-12 | "...by their transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles..." | Israel's stumble led to Gentile salvation. |
| Lk 14:16-24 | "A man once gave a great banquet...those who were invited refused to come..." | Parallel parable of the great banquet. |
| Isa 25:6-8 | "...the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food..." | Prophecy of the Messianic banquet for all. |
| Rev 19:7-9 | "...the marriage of the Lamb has come...Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper." | The ultimate wedding feast in heaven. |
| Lk 13:28-29 | "You will see Abraham and Isaac...and people come from east and west...to recline at table..." | Gentiles entering the kingdom. |
| Acts 5:41 | "...rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name." | Worthy in terms of endurance/faithfulness. |
| Eph 4:1 | "walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called..." | Worthy in terms of lifestyle reflecting calling. |
| Col 1:10 | "walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him..." | Worthy in terms of living for God's glory. |
| 1 Thes 2:12 | "...walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into His own kingdom and glory." | Living consistently with divine call. |
| Rev 3:4 | "Yet you have still a few names in Sardis, people who have not soiled their garments, and they will walk with Me in white, for they are worthy." | Worthy in terms of faithfulness/purity. |
| Heb 1:1 | "Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets..." | God's prior messages through "servants." |
| Mt 23:37 | "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it..." | Rejection of God's messengers. |
| Jer 7:25-26 | "...From the day that your fathers came out...I have persistently sent all My servants the prophets...But they did not listen..." | Persistent sending of prophets, rejected. |
| Mk 12:2-5 | "And at the proper time he sent a servant to the tenants...Again he sent another servant..." | Parallel parable showing rejection of servants. |
| Mt 10:14 | "And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust..." | Dealing with rejection of the message. |
| Mt 28:19 | "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations..." | The universal commission after Israel's rejection. |
| Isa 49:6 | "I will make you as a light for the nations, that My salvation may reach to the end of the earth." | Salvation extending to Gentiles. |
| Rev 7:9 | "a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages..." | Ultimate picture of multi-ethnic worshippers. |
Matthew 22 verses
Matthew 22 8 Meaning
Matthew 22:8 signifies the king's assessment of the initial invited guests to the wedding feast. It declares the readiness of the feast, highlighting the opportunity that was prepared, and simultaneously states that those initially called were deemed "not worthy" due to their rejection and disrespectful actions towards the invitation. This implicitly opens the door for a new group of invitees.
Matthew 22 8 Context
Matthew chapter 22 continues Jesus' teaching in the Temple precincts during Holy Week, immediately following the Parable of the Wicked Tenants (Mt 21:33-46), which also highlighted the religious leaders' rejection of God's messengers. Jesus is confronting the chief priests and elders, who were increasingly hostile towards Him. This parable of the Wedding Feast, often seen as an allegory of salvation history, serves as another stern warning to the leaders and to Israel as a whole regarding their rejection of God's invitation.
Historically and culturally, wedding feasts were elaborate, joyful, and deeply significant social events, often lasting for days. Receiving an invitation to a royal wedding was a supreme honor, requiring a formal, two-step invitation process: an initial notification, then a second call when the feast was actually ready. To refuse the second, final invitation, especially to a king, was an unthinkable insult, an act of open contempt and rebellion against the host's generosity and authority. This cultural context underscores the severity of the "unworthiness" of the invited guests—it was not just indifference but active disdain.
Matthew 22 8 Word analysis
- Then: (τότε - tote) Marks a continuation of the narrative, transitioning to the next logical step in the parable's unfolding.
- he said: (ἔφη - ephē) The king speaks. Emphasizes the royal decree and authority. His statement is an assessment and a new directive.
- to his servants: (τοῖς δούλοις αὐτοῦ - tois doulois autou) The "servants" are instrumental in the parable. They represent the messengers God sent to Israel throughout history—prophets in the Old Testament (e.g., Jer 7:25), John the Baptist, Jesus Himself, and later the Apostles and disciples. They act on the king's behalf.
- The wedding / The wedding hall: (Ὁ μὲν γάμος - Ho men gamos) Refers to the full feast, the celebration of the marriage. This symbolizes the Messianic banquet, the ultimate joy and blessing of the Kingdom of God (Isa 25:6, Rev 19:7-9).
- is ready: (ἕτοιμός ἐστιν - hetoimos estin) Signifies completeness and availability. The "readiness" of the feast points to God's redemptive plan being fully prepared and offered. The timing is God's timing.
- but: (οἱ δὲ - hoi de) Introduces a strong contrast. A decisive turn from the prepared state to the problem.
- those I invited / they which were bidden: (κεκλημένοι - keklēmenoi) This is a perfect passive participle, indicating those who "had been called/invited" previously. It speaks of the original invitees—Israel, who were uniquely called by God into covenant relationship. The perfect tense indicates a completed action with lasting results.
- were not worthy: (οὐκ ἦσαν ἄξιοι - ouk ēsan axioi)
- were not: (οὐκ ἦσαν - ouk ēsan) Simple negation, asserting a definite state of being.
- worthy: (ἄξιοι - axioi) From axios. This does not mean they were inherently good or deserved the invitation in their own merit (no one inherently "earns" divine grace). Rather, it means they proved "unworthy" by their response and actions. They did not honor the invitation, treating it with contempt and failing to value the King's immense generosity (e.g., Lk 14:18-20, they made excuses). Their unworthiness stemmed from their rebellion and spiritual indifference, essentially rejecting the divine privilege they had been given (Mt 21:43). This concept of worthiness is often tied to one's conduct aligning with a given call or privilege (Eph 4:1, Col 1:10). In this context, it speaks to the spiritual unworthiness displayed through their rejection of God's offered salvation and kingdom.
Words-group analysis:
- "Then he said to his servants": Establishes the authority of the King and the agency of His messengers in conveying His message and will throughout salvation history.
- "The wedding hall is ready, but": This crucial phrase juxtaposes God's perfect preparation of salvation with the decisive refusal by those initially invited. The opportunity is ripe, but a fundamental problem exists.
- "those I invited were not worthy": This declaration is the core judgment of the verse. It encapsulates the historical reality of Israel's widespread rejection of the Messiah and the Kingdom. Their unworthiness was not a lack of innate value but a profound failure to respond appropriately to the unparalleled divine invitation.
Matthew 22 8 Bonus section
This verse subtly underscores the immense grace of God. Despite the severe insult of the initial guests, the king's primary desire remains to have his wedding hall filled. Their unworthiness does not cancel the feast but redirects the invitation. This parable, leading into the broader New Testament narrative, highlights that God's plan of salvation will never be thwarted by human rejection, but rather will extend to reach an even wider audience. It's a precursor to the Great Commission to preach the gospel to all nations (Mt 28:19).
Matthew 22 8 Commentary
Matthew 22:8 marks a pivotal point within the Parable of the Wedding Feast, signifying the divine judgment on those initially privileged. The "wedding hall being ready" points to the absolute completeness of God's redemptive plan in Christ. The banquet represents the joyous consummation of salvation in the Kingdom of God, prepared for all who will come.
The statement that "those I invited were not worthy" serves as a direct indictment. This is not about their inherent sinfulness—all are unworthy by grace—but their unworthiness in their response. Their actions (disrespect, violence towards messengers, preoccupation with mundane matters as seen in surrounding verses) demonstrate their contempt for the king's honor and the feast itself. Historically, this directly points to Israel's leadership and the nation as a whole, who had received God's consistent invitation through prophets and ultimately through Jesus Himself, but had rejected it, clinging to their own righteousness or worldly concerns rather than embracing God's gracious offer of the Kingdom. This rejection by the chosen people opens the door for a new, universal invitation.