Mat 22:3-5 | Barnes | STEP | Verse 3. And sent forth his servants . These represent the messengers that God has sent to invite men to his kingdom. To call them that were bidden . That is, to give notice to those who had before been invited, that the feast was ready. It appears that there were two invitations, one considerably previous to the time, that they might have opportunity to prepare for it, and the other to give notice of the precise time when they were expected. The wedding . The marriage feast. The same word in the original as in . They would not come . They might have come if they chose, but they would not. So all the difficulty that sinners ever labour under, in regard to salvation, is in the will . It is a fixed determination not to come and be saved. (l) "And sent forth his servants"

Matthew 22:3-5

Verse 3. And sent forth his servants. These represent the messengers that God has sent to invite men to his kingdom.

To call them that were bidden. That is, to give notice to those who had before been invited, that the feast was ready. It appears that there were two invitations, one considerably previous to the time, that they might have opportunity to prepare for it, and the other to give notice of the precise time when they were expected.

The wedding. The marriage feast. The same word in the original as in Mt 22:2.

They would not come. They might have come if they chose, but they would not. So all the difficulty that sinners ever labour under, in regard to salvation, is in the will. It is a fixed determination not to come and be saved.

(l) "And sent forth his servants" Ps 68:11, Jer 25:4, 35:15, Rev 22:17 Verse 4. Other servants. Who might press it on their attention. So God repeats his message to sinners, when they reject it.

My dinner. This word literally denotes the meal taken about noon. It is also taken for a meal in general. As marriages were, among eastern nations, in the evening, it refers here to a meal taken at that time.

Fatlings. This word does not refer to any particular species of animals. It denotes any fat animals. As oxen are also mentioned, however, it refers here probably to lambs, or calves, 2Sam 6:13; 1Chr 15:26. Verse 5. But they made light of it. Treated it with contempt, as a thing of no consequence: an exact representation of the conduct of sinners in regard to the gospel.

One to his farm, etc. So men are engaged so much in their worldly employment, that they pretend they have no time to attend to religion. The world is, in their view, of more value than God.

Merchandise. Traffic; trading.

(m) "light" Ps 106:24,25, Prov 1:24,25, Acts 24:25, Rom 2:4