The Wedding Banquet (Matthew 22:1–14)

The texts below are quoted verbatim from public-domain English translations; nothing is paraphrased.

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St. John Chrysostom (c. 347–407)

From his Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew (Homily 69, on Matthew 22:1–14), NPNF translation. Public domain.

On what this parable adds to the one before it:

But this parable has something also more than the other. For it proclaims beforehand both the casting out of the Jews, and the calling of the Gentiles; and it indicates together with this also the strictness of the life required, and how great the punishment appointed for the careless.

On why the feast is called a marriage:

And wherefore is it called a marriage? ... That you might learn God's tender care, His yearning towards us, the cheerfulness of the state of things, that there is nothing sorrowful there, nor sad, but all things are full of spiritual joy. Therefore also John calls Him a bridegroom ... "This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the Church."

On how the marriage after the death proclaims the resurrection:

Hereby He proclaimed the resurrection also. For since in what went before He had spoken of the death, He shows that even after the death, then is the marriage, then the bridegroom.

On the excuses, and how spiritual things must be set first:

They come not, but feign excuses, yokes of oxen, and pieces of ground, and wives. And yet the excuses seem to be reasonable; but hence we learn, though the things which hinder us be necessary, to set the things spiritual at a higher price than all ... for when spiritual things call us, there is no press of business that has the power of necessity.

On the burning of the city, foretold:

Since they were not willing to come, yea and also slew those that came unto them; He burns up their cities, and sent His armies and slew them. And these things He says, declaring beforehand the things that took place under Vespasian and Titus ... not straightway after Christ was slain did the capture take place, but after forty years, that He might show His long suffering.

On the wedding garment as life, and grace that must be kept:

For the garment is life and practice. And yet the calling was of grace; wherefore then does He take a strict account? Because although to be called and to be cleansed was of grace, yet, when called and clothed in clean garments, to continue keeping them so, this is of the diligence of them that are called ... For by having nothing to reply he condemned himself.

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Origen (c. 185–254)

From his Commentary on Matthew, as compiled in the Catena Aurea on Matthew. Public domain.

On the feast filled, and the garments to be put on:

The marriage-feast of Christ and the Church is filled, when they who were found by the Apostles, being restored to God, sat down to the feast. But since it behoved that both bad and good should be called, not that the bad should continue bad, but that they should put off the garments unmeet for the wedding, and should put on the marriage garments, to wit, bowels of mercy and kindness.

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St. Gregory the Great (c. 540–604)

From his Homilies on the Gospels (Homily 38), as compiled in the Catena Aurea on Matthew (Newman trans.). Public domain.

On the marriage feast as the Father joining the Son to human nature and to the Church:

God the Father made a marriage feast for God the Son, when He joined Him to human nature in the womb of the Virgin ... the marriage feast was made by the King the Father for the King the Son when He joined to Him the Holy Church in the mystery of His incarnation. The womb of the Virgin Mother was the bridechamber of this Bridegroom.

On why this is a wedding feast, not the last and eternal supper:

Here, by the wedding-feast is denoted the present Church; there, by the supper, the last and eternal feast. For into this enter some who shall perish; into that whosoever has once entered in shall never be put forth.

On the wedding garment, which is charity, lacked by faith without love:

What ought we to understand by the wedding garment, but charity? For this the Lord had upon Him, when He came to espouse the Church to Himself. He then enters in to the wedding feast, but without the wedding garment, who has faith in the Church, but not charity.

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St. Jerome (c. 347–420)

From his Commentary on Matthew, as compiled in the Catena Aurea on Matthew. Public domain.

On the wedding garment as the commandments and works of the new man:

The marriage garment is the commandments of the Lord, and the works which are done under the Law and the Gospel, and form the clothing of the new man. Whoso among the Christian body shall be found in the day of judgment not to have these, is straightway condemned.

On the man called "friend," invited by faith yet shamed by his dress:

He calls him "friend," because he was invited to the wedding as being a friend by faith; but He charges him with want of manners in polluting by his filthy dress the elegance of the wedding entertainment.

On why the parable ends as it does:

And because in the marriage and supper the chief thing is the end and not the beginning, therefore He adds, "For many are called, but few chosen."

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Blessed Augustine of Hippo (354–430)

From his Against Faustus, as compiled in the Catena Aurea on Matthew. Public domain.

On who it is that comes without a garment:

He goes to the feast without a garment, who goes seeking his own, and not the Bridegroom's honour.