The Parables of Christ no. 22
The
Wedding Garment
Rev. Brian Kocourek
Now, this Morning we will
continue in our study of the parables, and we will study the parable found in Matthew 22:1 which deals with The Wedding Supper. In this particular parable, Jesus
speaks of a call to the wedding, and then the supper afterwards. And in it we find one person some how has
gotten into the wedding and before the supper begins is cast out because he
does not have on a special wedding robe. This morning we will examine all the
pieces of this parable, and show you without any doubts, that this parable was
spoken for this hour.
Now, let’s begin our study this morning by turning to
the Book of
MATTHEW 22 and we will begin reading at verse 1.
MATTHEW 22:1
¶ And Jesus answered and spake unto them
again by parables, and said, 2 The
kingdom of heaven is like unto a
certain King, which made a marriage
for his son, Now this word made
means that this King ordained or authored this marriage to be. He thought of
it, He ordained it, and thus He executed it.
Now, Notice also that Jesus is typing this Marriage
with the
Luke 17:20
¶ And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he
answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: 21
Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the
Br. Billy, who is doing the translation work for us
in French, since he has learned the doctrine, is finding many errors in the
French translation work of brother Branham’s sermons. You see, if you do not
understand the doctrine, how are you going to choose the right words to bring
across the correct understanding? And for
those people who think the King James translation is the only translation, let
me say it is full of error. Unless you have a man who fully understands the
doctrine of Christ, you will never see a Bible translation that is perfect. But
I believe one day there will be. Now, let’s get back to Luke 17.
22 And he said unto the
disciples, the days will come, when ye shall desire to see one of the days of
the Son of man, and ye shall not see it. 23 And they shall say to you, See
here; or, see there: go not after them, nor follow them. 24 For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under
heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of
man be in his day.
Now, this last verse is the key to understanding the
time that Jesus is speaking about. Because we find the same reference being
made to this lightning that lighteneth in Matthew 24:27 For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even
unto the west; so shall also the coming
of the Son of man be. That word coming
was translated from the Greek word Parousia which simply means presence, and
had these men that translated the Bible understood the doctrine of the
Appearing and Coming they would not have translated that word as coming, but
would have translated it as presence. For as the lightning
cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the
Parousia of the Son of man be… “For as the lightning cometh out of the east,
and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the presence of the Son of man
be”.
So when these Christ rejecting Pharisees asked him
when the
Now, in getting back to our parable, we see first of
all, This King (God Himself, the only Immortal King) has arranged a wedding for
His Son. Now, if God is arranging this wedding, then He is the one that is in
control. He is the author of it and the finisher as well. And remember the son can do nothing of
himself.
Secondly, the fact that it speaks of The King is
making arrangement for His Son, tells us the Son is not the King, and therefore
he would have to be a Prince. The Father is the King, and therefore His Son
would have to be The Prince. Therefore if you are Oneness in your thinking, you
cannot make this King calling for a wedding for Himself. The wedding and after
wards the wedding supper are “arranged for” and “ordained by” the King, and
they are for His Son.
Hebrews Chptr 7, PT. 1 57-0915E 291-20 He
was the King of righteousness, the King of
So we see that brother Branham makes the distinction
between the Father and the Son, The Father is the king of Peace and the son of
God is the Prince of Peace. And thus we also see Jesus doing the same thing in
this parable about The King who makes a marriage for His Son.
Now, in verse 3 we see how this King, 3 sent forth his servants to call them
that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come.
Notice these people are bidden to the wedding but
they would not come. Then other servants are sent out again to declare another
message, one with further light upon the wedding, but the recipients of that
message also would not come. 4 Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage. 5 But they made
light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise:
Now, I believe these two messages that went forth
were to the people of Luther’s Day and Wesley’s day for the light started to
come forth with the Message of Justification, as brother Branham stated in the
Rapture Sermon.
And He told us in the Rapture sermon that the rapture
message began in Luther’s day with Justification, and continued in Wesley’s day
with the further light on sanctification. He said, the plant that had laid in
darkness for ages, began to come up towards the light.
Notice the way these servants of God were treated. 6 And the remnant took his servants, and
entreated them spitefully, and slew them.
And many of those who reflected Luther’s message were
slain, and entreated spitefully. Even in Wesley’s day, they were mocked and
called Methodists, because they employed methods in their sanctification
message.
7 But when The King heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned
up their city.
Now, notice how all these parable that speak of the
kingdom of heaven tie back together one with the other. Remember a few weeks ago
we studied the 11th hour people who had to wait until the Jews were
back in their home land, and how God stopped world war 1 at the eleventh hour,
the eleventh day of the eleventh month. And here it tells us that because they
turned down the invitation, the armies came, destroyed their cities, etc. That
was the world war 1 judgment that followed the rejection at
First seal the 63-0318 P:34 And then God takes His messenger with the
elect of that age, and lays them away asleep, and then He drops a plague upon
them who rejected it: a temporary judgment. And then, after that is over, then
he goes on, and they denominate, and bring in denominations, and start off with
that man's work like of Wesley and all the rest of them, and then it gets all
in a scrapple again; and then another mystery comes forth. Then what happens?
Another messenger arrives on earth for a church age. See? Then when he arrives,
he--the--the trumpet sounds. He declares war. See? And then what happens?
Finally then he's caught away. And then when he's laid away, then plague falls
destroys them. Spiritual death hits the church and she's gone, that group. Then
He goes on to another one. Oh, it's a great plan until it comes to that last
angel. Now, he has no certain mystery, but he gathers up all that's been lost
in them other ages, all the truths that wasn't truly revealed yet (See?), as
the revelation come. Then he reveals those things in his day. If you want to
read it, there it is: A Revelations 10:1 to--1 to about 4. You'll get it. All
right. See?
Now, watch what
happens as we continue with this parable. 8 Then saith he to his
servants, The wedding is ready,
but they which were bidden were not
worthy. So God turns away from the churches altogether in this
last calling. And says to his servants. 9 Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye
shall find, bid to the marriage. Notice this is a different type of
calling altogether. It is not a formal church calling, but a call to those in
the highways and byways. 10 So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together
all as many as they found,(notice at this ministry there will be a
gathering together just as we see concerning the Parousia presence of Christ
there is to be a gathering.
2 Thessalonians Chapter 2:1 Now we beseech you, brethren,
by the (Parousia) of our Lord Jesus
Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, so we see that there
is to be a gathering together at the Parousia of Christ.
The
Rapture 65-1204 P:93 Therefore, the Message calls the Bride together. See?
And notice that when they gather together in one,
that they have a mixed multitude. 10 So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together
all as many as they found, both bad and
good: (Now the word bad was translated from the Greek word “poneros” which speaks in a physical
sense of those that are diseased and blind) and the wedding was
furnished with guests. (notice here that this calling was of a
different nature. This ministry went forth to those who had need of physical
healing, they were sick, halt, diseased and blind. And notice how perfectly
this fits with the Parousia Presence of the Son of Man, as we see in Malachi
chapter 4.
MALACHI 4:2 But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun
of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and
grow up as calves of the stall. And
notice that brother Branham called this healing in his wings, healing
campaigns.
What is the attraction? 65-0725E P:48 Let
us turn over to another Scripture in the Old Testament, Malachi, the 4th
chapter, and read that little 4th chapter.... But unto you that fear my name
shall the Sun of righteousness rise with healing campaigns, healing in his
wing;...
Now, I want you to notice how brother Branham ascribes these guests just
as I have laid them out for you here. From his sermon called The Wedding Supper
56-1006 P:29 he
said, Now, in the
oriental, let's go back and get the custom, what he said do. When the king made
his supper... Now, you know what? The bridegroom, after the invitations was
given, and all the lame, the halt, and
the blind would come up, or ever who was called and had an invitation came,
now, it was customary that... How could
they come in if they were poor and all different ways of dressing, and how
could they ever look right? One setting with a fine suit on, the other
setting with a pair of overalls, it wouldn't look right. So He said...Now, when
the invitation was given, the bridegroom had to furnish the robe. That's the
oriental custom. The bridegroom had to go and buy a robe for everyone that was
invited, so that when the person come up... And they only had one way (Glory.
Thanks be to God for that.), no nine hundred and sixty different ways, but one
way. Jesus said, "I am that Way."
Now, from this point on we are no longer dealing with
another age, but with this age and those people, that mixed multitude that came
in as a result of the last call that went forth. That call that went forth with
healing campaigns. 11 And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a
wedding garment:. Notice
that this now speaks of the King’s presence with his guests and they are at the
wedding. And one man shows up without the wedding garment. So we need to know
what that wedding garment is. Now, the purpose of the wedding garment was to
make all the guests look the same. That way, there are no big eyes and little
you’
God's
provided way 53-0613 P:36 Brethren, there's no big me and little you
then, when you come by the way of the Door. And then He found a man back there
that didn't have a wedding garment on. He come in some other way besides of the
door. And Jesus said, "Friend, what are you doing here?"
And he was speechless. And you try to
climb up your own moral stepladder or by some creed or some church, brother,
you're going to find yourself the same way. Every man that comes by the Door is
going to get the same robe. And that
robe is the baptism of the Holy Ghost. Every man takes the same tonight. A
lady said to me, said, "That woman standing at the back of the building,
screaming and crying," said, "well, I just... well, that would worry
me." Said, "Why, it just makes chills go up my back to hear her
crying, shouting.” I said, "It did?" I said, "If you'd ever be
fortunate enough to get to heaven, you'd freeze to death then, when you come up
there, hear all that screaming, crying, and shouting up there. Why, they cry
'Holy, holy, holy,' before Him day and night. All the time."
Unpardonable
sin 54-1024 P:57 No wonder Jesus said, "A man come in
without the wedding garment on." He said, "Friend, what are you doing
here? Who brought you in here?" And the man stood helpless, In the parable
there. The bridegroom in the Orients today, the bridegroom sets the wedding
supper.
And when he did, it's up to him to furnish
the robe. Jesus Christ set the Wedding Supper at the end of life, and it's up
to Him to furnish the preparation of the robes. And at the door, the porter, as
it was, or one of his close friends, stood there. (and I’d
like to add, what is a ticket, but a token)
And every man that come up with a ticket got the same kind of robe. They put it on
him. If he was in rags or if he was in
broadcloth, just the same he wore the robe 'cause he looked just exactly like
the rest of them. That's exactly right. And brother, when we come to the
Wedding Supper, we've got to have on the same robe that
Now, notice then we
have all got to have that same robe, and in the message Q& A on the Seals, brother Branham
told us that Robe is the Robe of
righteousness. And
righteousness is a right-wise-ness. And he that is righteous doeth right. 1 John
3:7
Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is
righteous, even as he is righteous.
Now, notice that this
man did not have on the robe of righteousness, which is the baptism of the holy
Spirit. 1 John Chapter
And how are you born
of Him? We are born of His Spirit.
John Chapter 3
Verse 5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto
thee, Except a man be born of water and of The
Spirit, he cannot enter into the
kingdom of God. And remember,
Jesus began the parable by saying 2 The kingdom of
heaven is like unto a certain King,
which made a marriage for his son
And here we found that when you came to this marriage you had to wear a
certain garment, which is the garment of righteousness or the baptism of the
Spirit, because every one that doeth righteousness is born
of him. And the
Scripture tells us that unless you are born of the Spirit of God you can not
enter and neither could any enter without the wedding garment on.
1
Corinthians Chapter 12 Verse 13 For by one Spirit are we all
baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or
free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
And so we next find
out that one person came to this wedding without the wedding garment on.
11 And when the king came in to see the
guests, he saw there a man which had not
on a wedding garment:. 12 And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in
hither not having a wedding garment? And he
was speechless.
Notice that this
person was speechless. He could not speak. He was in the presence of the King
and He could not speak. Now, we are told that the Righteous will have a
boldness to speak in the Presence of God at the time of the Parousia of
Christ.
I JOHN
I JOHN
And the Greek word
which speaks of this boldness of speech is the word parrhesia.
The word parrhesia
means: freedom in speaking, unreservedness in speech; openly, frankly, i.e without concealment;
without ambiguity or circumlocution; without the use of figures and
comparisons 2) free and fearless confidence, cheerful courage, boldness, assurance
ACTS 4:13 Now when they saw the
boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant
men, they marveled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with
Jesus.
ACTS 4:31 And when they had prayed, the
place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled
with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.
EPHESIANS 3:12
In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.
HEBREWS 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly
unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in
time of need.
I JOHN
But notice that this
one without the robe of righteousness or right-wise-ness could not speak. 11 And when the king
came in to see the guests, he saw there
a man which had not on a wedding garment:. 12 And he saith unto him,
Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.
Revelation
chapter 4 pt 1 60-1231 P:50 Now, what do you think when the Bridegroom
come back and found a man setting there without a wedding garment on? Said,
"Friend, how'd you get in here?" And he stood speechless; it showed that he come some other way besides the
Door. He come in a window; he come in a back door. And He called him a friend: showed he was a church member,
"Friend, how did you get in here without a garment on?" Now, Jesus
said this Himself. And He calls in the porter; He said, "Bind him foot and
hand." And he was cast out into outer darkness where there'll be weeping,
wailing, and gnashing of teeth. That's Christ's own Words. Right, "He was
cast out." Because it proved, without the wedding garment, he come some
other way besides the Door. If he'd have come by the Door, he would receive the
wedding garment.
And did not Jesus tell us in Matthew 13:
he that hath to
him shall be given, and he shall have more abundantly? And have not
we shown you over the years that the word Jesus used for hath was the Greek
word echo? He that is of such a nature to echo back the word, to him shall be
given a greater measure. And so if you don’t have the Word, then how can you
echo it back? And so this man was
speechless because he did not have the Word.
Now, notice that he did not have the Word, and
therefore since Christ is the Door and He is the Word, this man came in some
other way than by the Door which was Christ.
Meanest
man in Santa Maria 62-0630E P: Remember in the parable, how one man come
in without a wedding garment? He'd come by the door or some denomination. He had come by a window, not the door.
Or if he'd have come by the door, he'd have got a robe. He come down the way of some creed or denomination. He was throwed
out. He wasn't fit to set at the table. He, First he must be washed, and made
groomed, and anointed. And then he was ready to come in.
Revelation
chapter 4 pt 3 throne mercy 61-0108 P:92 See how this man got in here at the wedding
supper, and he come in some other way? Here was the Door. Jesus said, "I am the Door." And this wedding
table was set here, and the people all setting around, and here was one man up
here that didn't have a wedding garment on. And when the King come in, He said,
"How'd you get here, my friend? How'd you ever get in here?" It showed that he didn't come in by this
Door. He went in at a window, or come the back way, or through some creed
or denomination. He didn't come by the Door.
Now, in the final scene of this parable we see the
King having this one bound hand and foot and throne out of the Invisible Union,
which is the wedding that is now taking place.
13 Then said the king to the
servants, Bind him hand and foot, and
take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and
gnashing of teeth.
Now, in QA on the Seals brother Branham explains this parable and let’s
us know that this one that came in not by the Word but another way is thrown
out into tribulation period.
QA on
the seals 63-0324M P:154 30. Brother Branham, Please explain who
the man in Matthew 22:11, the man that
didn't have on a wedding garment... I know this man couldn't get into heaven
without the wedding garment on. This was a guest, I know, not the Bride.Yes,
that's right. He would be a guest. Yeah, he just slipped in. See? Now, look.
Now, It'd just take a whole sermon on that, and I got ten minutes to pray for
the sick and finish this up, and I've got one half of them done. Notice. But
I'm going to hurry, right sure enough after this one. See?
155
Here's what happened. If you know the oriental custom (See?), when a bridegroom
gives out invitations for his wedding, he just gives out so many invitations.
And for every invitation he sent, he had a porter standing at the door to put a
robe on him, whether he was poor or whatever he was, he had... If he was rich or poor, whatever it was,
he, all had to wear this wedding garment. When they stood at the door, they put
this on him; it covered up what his
outside had been. He's
invited--whether he was a millionaire, or whether he was a pauper, whether he
was a farmer, ditch digger, or whatever he is, or plutocrat, he's here with the
robe on, now, because the robe's put on him at the door when he enters in
at the door. 156 Now, take
Finally in verse 14 Jesus says, 14 For many are
called, but few are chosen. Let’s
just bow our heads and our hearts in prayer.
Dear Gracious Father
we are so thankful for the presence of your Great Spirit to be among us to
guide us and show us these things. For
this is the garment of your righteousness which you are handing to us and we
are being made ready by your Spirit and Your great Presence among us and by Thy
Word you are dressing Your bride.
Therefore we thank
you, dear Father, and ask that You fill
us with Your great Goodness and Mercy, and may we all be dressed with the same
chosen cloth that has been chosen by Yourself, and may none of us be left with
the remnant for we ask it in Jesus Christ name. Amen.