Matthew 22:10Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Thus, while there are righteous individuals among us, one must bear with the wicked while still in this life. Those who refuse to endure the wicked reveal their own lack of goodness through their impatience. Consider Abel, who, unaffected by Cain’s wrongdoing, accepts death. Just as the grain lies beneath the chaff during harvest, and flowers flourish among thorns, a fragrant rose may emerge amidst prickly stems. The story of the first man illustrates this truth through his two sons, one chosen and the other unrighteous (Gen. 4:1). Noah's ark also contained three sons; among them, two were chosen, while one was not (Gen. 6:10). Similarly, Abraham had two sons, one selected and one wicked (Gen. 21:10ff.). Isaac’s two sons also reflected this duality, with one chosen and the other unrighteous (Gen. 27:37). Jacob, having twelve sons, experienced the sale of one innocent son by his brothers who acted out of wickedness (Gen. 37:28). The twelve apostles included one who would betray and eleven who stayed faithful (John 6:71). The seven deacons appointed by the apostles (Acts 6:5) were joined by one who later strayed into error (Rev. 2:6). Therefore, within the Church, the righteous cannot exist without the unrighteous, nor the unrighteous without the righteous. Beloved brethren, let us reflect on the times gone by and prepare ourselves to endure the wicked among us. If we are indeed children of the elect, we must follow their lead. Refusing to withstand the wicked does not demonstrate goodness. This is reflected in the words of Job, who declared, “he became a brother to jackals and a friend to ostriches” (Job 30:29). Additionally, Solomon, through the voice of the bridegroom, articulates to the Holy Church, “as the lily is among thorns, so is my beloved among virgins” (Song of Songs 2:2). The Lord, through Ezekiel, also counsels, “But thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, nor dread their speeches, if they be wolves and thorns to thee, and thou dwell with the scorpions; be not afraid of their speeches, nor dread their faces, for they are a rebellious house” (Ezekiel 2:6). Similarly, Peter lauds Lot's righteousness, stating, “but the righteous Lot, weary of being treated among men of fierce depravity, he delivered (for this righteous man, living among them, was daily tormented in his righteous soul, seeing and hearing the works of iniquity)” (2 Pet. 2:7-8). Paul also commends the life of disciples, urging, “that you may be blameless and pure, children of God, blameless in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world” (Phil. 2:15). John speaks of the Church in Pergamos, saying, “I know your works, and that you dwell where Satan's throne is, and that you keep My name, and have not denied My faith” (Rev. 2:13). Thus, dear brethren, reviewing all these accounts, we recognize that every good person has faced temptation from the wicked. Indeed, the refinement of our souls is akin to iron, which can only be sharpened through the trials posed by external wickedness.

You need not be troubled by the multitude of the wicked within the Church and the scarcity of the good; akin to the ark which endured the flood—serving as a symbol of today's Church—was broad at the bottom and narrow at the top, tapering down to a single foot. This design likely accommodated the beasts and creeping creatures below while allowing birds and humans above. Thus, the Church appears expansive in its earthly presence yet constrains itself spiritually. Where it tolerates worldly behavior, it broadens; where it nurtures those who are spiritually grounded, it elevates, albeit at the cost of being a narrower assembly due to their number. For “ye enter in by a narrow gate: for wide is the gate, and spacious is the way, that leadeth unto destruction, and many go in by it: for narrow is the gate, and narrow is the way, that leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it” (Matt. 7:13-14). At its pinnacle, the ark reaches a narrowness that mirrors the holiness of its members; in the Holy Church, the more sanctified an individual is, the rarer they are. At the Church's highest point is He who is the solitary Man among men, incomparable and born of holiness. According to the Prophet, He is “as a lonely bird on the roof” (Psalm 101:8). The wicked, therefore, must be tolerated in greater numbers, as even on the threshing floor, it is not the multitude of grains that fill the granary, but large heaps of chaff that are burned away.

Consequently, the calling of the Gentiles has been realized; there are no longer barriers between nations, nor does Israel hold any exclusive advantage, for grace extends even to the lowly and the outcast, the wise and the unlearned (Rom. 1:14), as Paul notes, and to both the unrighteous and the righteous, as depicted in the parable. Thus, He refers to those who indulge in self-care compared to those who are entirely wicked. The wicked may be transformed from their sinful ways if they truly respond to the life-giving call and embrace the new self (Eph. 4:24). Otherwise, although they may have received a call, they are not chosen, and their invitation is rendered void: they face rejection due to their insincere approach (Matt. 22:11-12). The servants (Matt. 22:13) who expel such individuals are angels.

Although he was a Gentile, he demonstrated a deep reverence for God along with his household, giving generously to those in need and diligently praying and fasting (Acts 10:1-2).

There is a query regarding the statement about “the marriage of them that recline shall be fulfilled.” If we interpret marriage as the spiritual union through faith between Christ and every pure soul, or the Church and the heavenly kingdom, we find that the marriage is not yet completed for those who recline. Daily, through faith and virtue, individuals who are sanctified unite with Jesus Christ, and those who believe in Him continue to be added to the Church, resulting in an ever-growing multitude of souls transitioning from this world into God’s kingdom. This confusion can be clarified when we consider that the parable illustrates events as though they have already transpired. When He said “Gathered, saith He, all,” it wasn’t at the moment the parable was delivered by the Savior that the apostles gathered, but afterwards—specifically, after His resurrection. Since that time, disciples have been drawing believers into the fold, a practice that will persist until the end of time as they gather the faithful into the Church. Thus, it is evident that this phrase “they gathered” is a replacement for “they will gather.” Similarly, “it shall be fulfilled” signifies that the heavenly kingdom will ultimately be filled with those who are saved and reclining.

Peter baptized Cornelius and his household, while Paul declared to the people of Athens that God was calling all men everywhere to repentance. They, too, gathered both the unrighteous and the righteous. Nathanael was righteous, Cornelius was righteous, and the Gentiles, who were without the Law yet acted according to their own conscience, were righteous as well; conversely, the unrighteous were those for whom sin exerted a stronger influence than on others; the affliction that plagued humanity was more pronounced in some than in others. The kingdom of God serves as a net that ensnares both the virtuous and the wicked, including those who previously sought to live righteously under the Law, and those who were completely lost in their transgressions yet responded to the gospel message with repentance and faith in Christ. ‘And the wedding banquet was filled with those who reclined.’ Thus far, Christ's parable has illuminated the reasons behind God's judgment on the people of Judah and their leaders, who explicitly rejected the message of salvation, and it has shed light on how the Gentiles would be welcomed into the kingdom of God.

The Lord's servants, comprising the apostles and their successors, have extended an invitation to all, both the wicked and the good; yet receiving this invitation does not guarantee being chosen. Among those called, only the worthy, the elect, will be welcomed to the feast. The parable does not imply that all who were summoned participated in the feast, whether righteous or unrighteous; rather, it states that the servants gathered all who were found. It does not assert that the feast was filled with both types of individuals, but only mentions that the wedding feast was filled with those who reclined.

Moreover, before the feast could be filled with guests, the King must provide wedding garments to the attendees, and these garments were not given to everyone who received an invitation. Therefore, it is evident that a selection was made prior to seating the guests, allowing only the chosen ones among those invited to attend. The parable indicates that one of the guests was not wearing a wedding garment. This individual, deemed unworthy, had not received the garment and entered the King's celebration without authorization, ultimately being cast into outer darkness. While such a situation could conceivably happen at the banquet of an earthly monarch due to the oversight of his attendants, it is impossible in the kingdom of heaven. The Lord uses this parable to illustrate that entry into the kingdom of heaven requires wearing the garment provided by the King.

If the unrighteous had also been permitted to the celebration, it follows that there would have been many guests who lacked wedding garments. Since the King found only one without a wedding garment, it serves to underscore that the Lord's message was to convey that mere goodness is insufficient; one must shed the garment of sin and don the garment of righteousness, which can be bestowed only by the King of Heaven.

If someone argues that the call to the Gentiles did not happen at that moment (Matt. 22:8), when the apostles endured persecution and faced numerous hardships (Matt. 22:6), but rather immediately after the Resurrection during Jesus’ directive to "Go and make disciples of all nations" (Matt. 28:19), we would respond that the apostles initially addressed the Jews both prior to and following Christ's sacrifice. Prior to the cross, Jesus instructed them to "Go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel" (Matt. 10:6). After His crucifixion, He neither restricted them nor neglected to command them to preach to the Jews. He specifically directed them to "make disciples of all nations," but before ascending to heaven, He instructed them to prioritize preaching to the Jews first (Acts 1:8).

Thus, the apostles engaged with the Jewish people first and, after spending considerable time in Jerusalem, when they faced expulsion from the Jews, they dispersed among the Gentiles.