Matthew 22:12

12 And he said to him, 1'Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?' And he was speechless.

Matthew 22:12 Meaning and Commentary

Matthew 22:12

And he saith unto him, friend
Either in an ironical way, or because he professed to be a friend of God and Christ: how camest thou in hither, not having a wedding garment?
Which way didst thou come in hither? since he did not come in by faith, in the righteousness of Christ; intimating, that he climbed up some other way, and was a thief and robber; or with what face, or how couldest thou have the assurance to come in hither in such a dress, having nothing but the filthy rags of thine own righteousness? How couldest thou expect to meet with acceptance with me, or to be suitable company for my people, not being arrayed with the garments of salvation, and robe of righteousness, as they are? And he was speechless:
or muzzled: his mouth was stopped, he had nothing to say for himself: not but that there will be pleas made use of by hypocrites, and formal professors, another day; who will plead either their preaching and prophesying in Christ's name; or their attendance on outward ordinances; or the works they have done, ordinary or extraordinary; but then these will all be superseded and silenced, their own consciences will condemn them, their mouths will be stopped, and they will have nothing to say in vindication of themselves; their righteousness will not answer for them in a time to come. The Jews have a tradition F12, that

``Esau the wicked, will veil himself with his garment, and sit among the righteous in paradise, in the world to come; and the holy blessed God will draw him, and bring him out from thence, which is the sense of those words, ( Obadiah 1:4 ) . "Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down, saith the Lord."''

FOOTNOTES:

F12 T. Hieros. Nedarim, fol. 38. 1.

Matthew 22:12 In-Context

10 And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests.
11 "But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment.
12 And he said to him, 'Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?' And he was speechless.
13 Then the king said to the attendants, 'Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'
14 For many are called, but few are chosen."

Cross References 1

  • 1. Matthew 20:13; Matthew 26:50
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.