Matthew 22 continues the Lord's answer to the chief priests and elders who asked Him about His source and authority. He had already used two parables in answering them. In the first parable He exposed their unwillingness to repent that they might enter into the kingdom of God. In the second He revealed to them that He was the Son of God and that, after being rejected by them, in resurrection He would become the chief cornerstone for God's building, the stumbling stone to all the unbelieving Jews, and the smiting stone to all the Gentile nations at the time of His second coming.
In chapter twenty-two He spoke another parable in answer to the chief priests and the elders. This time He covered the ultimate point of what He is. This is the parable of the marriage feast. In the parable of the vineyard, the Lord Jesus did not use the term, "the kingdom of the heavens was likened to," because strictly speaking, at the time of the parable of the vineyard, the kingdom of the heavens had not yet come. He said, "The kingdom of God shall be taken from you and shall be given to a nation producing the fruits of it" (21:43). Even in the parable of the two sons, which described the refusal of the priests and elders to repent, the Lord did not mention the kingdom of the heavens but the kingdom of God. "The tax collectors and the prostitutes are going into the kingdom of God before you" (21:31). In those two parables the kingdom of the heavens had not yet come. The kingdom of the heavens begins with the parable of the marriage feast in chapter twenty-two.
The parable begins in this way: "The kingdom of the heavens was likened to a man, a king, who made a marriage feast for his son" (22:2). It is quite evident that the son here is Jesus Christ. As the Bridegroom, He is the center of the marriage feast. God has prepared a marriage feast, and Christ is its center. According to the parable, God sent forth slaves to invite people to the marriage feast, meaning to invite them into the enjoyment of the kingdom. The first group of servants were those sent by the Lord Jesus—the twelve and the seventy (Luke 9:1-2; 10:1). After this, He was killed, and as the ox and the fatted beast, He was cooked and prepared for the marriage feast. After this killing and preparation, that is, after the Lord's crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension, and after Pentecost, another group of servants were sent to proclaim the kingdom and to invite people to come into the enjoyment of the kingdom. Peter and John were among this group of servants. Some of those who heard were preoccupied with fields and business and made light of the invitation, while others abused and killed His slaves. God was angered and sent His army to destroy the city. According to history, this occurred around 70 A.D. when the Roman army under Titus destroyed Jerusalem and the temple, thus fulfilling the prophesy that, "A stone shall by no means be left upon a stone which shall not be thrown down" (Matt. 24:2). The whole city of Jerusalem was destroyed. God then sent more servants to the highways. This means that God sent many servants to the Gentile world, to all the earth, inviting people to come into the enjoyment of the kingdom.
The center of this parable is Christ Himself. The elders and the priests had asked Him, "Who gave you this authority?" (21:23). Through the parable the Lord Jesus was saying that He is the center of the universe. He is the Bridegroom who has been designated by God the Father as the center of the universal marriage feast. He is not only the Son of God, the cornerstone, the stumbling stone, and the smiting stone, but He is also the Bridegroom at the universal marriage feast. He is the very center of God's economy. This is the central point of this parable and part of the answer to the question regarding His authority and source. The Lord is the Bridegroom. No one is more important at a marriage feast than the bridegroom. Even the father who prepared the marriage feast is not as important as the bridegroom. Christ as the Bridegroom is the center, the focus, of all God's economy. Thus, He has everything, including authority and position. We all must realize that Christ is the focus and center of God's economy for our enjoyment.