In Matthew 22:1-14, the Savior gives a parable regarding a wedding feast. The king invited many to celebrate the forthcoming marriage of his son, but those who were invited sneered and scoffed. Some went so far as to murder the servants bearing the invitation! The king then chose to invite people from the highways, who attended the joyous occasion. The Savior then states a phrase oft-repeated in the church: “Many are called, but few are chosen.”
According to Elder Bruce R. McConkie, the Savior teaches four truths: “(1) His own divine Sonship; (2) the impending destruction of Jerusalem; (3) the rejection of the Jewish remnant of the covenant race; (4) the gospel call to the Gentiles; and (5) that those who answer the gospel call will not be chosen for salvation unless they put on the robes of righteousness.”
The Savior teaches of His own divine Sonship because He is the son of the king, even Heavenly Father, who was dishonored by the Jewish people who should have received Him with joy. The people who rejected the invitation with violence were the Jewish descendents of ancient Israel, and their city, Jerusalem, was ultimate destroyed by the Lord. The apostles then taught the gospel to the Gentiles – the “man on the street,” the people outside of the Jewish race, and those Gentiles received the news of the Lord with gladness.
The last truth pertains of the robes of righteousness. According to the Seminary Student manual (I told you I have a manual fetish), the Jewish custom included the need to be well dressed before the king, and that appropriate apparel would be white robes. The men and women invited off the highway would, of course, not have such robes on hand, and so the common practice was for the king to supply such robes from his own closets. All of the guests had been invited to wear such robes, but one did not partake. According to Joseph F. McConkie, “the man cast out had chosen to trust his own dress rather than that provided by the king.” Because of his pride, he was cast into outer darkness.
We have been called to the feast of the king’s son, even Jesus Christ, and invited to partake of His love and sacrifice. How do we choose to clothe ourselves? Will we let the atonement take away our sins, or will we stubbornly trust in our own ability to improve ourselves without Christ’s help? There are times we might resist asking Heavenly Father to help us make the changes we need to make, determined instead to trust in our own abilities. We must make sure that we are leaning on Him even while we try to become more like Him.
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