Mat 22:4, 8, 24:44, 25:10, Luk 12:40, 22:33, 1Pe 1:5 | Barnes | STEP | 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, ; .

Matthew 22:4

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.

Matthew 22:8

Verse 8.

(p) "were not worthy" Mt 10:11,13, Acts 13:46, Rev 3:4, 22:14

Matthew 24:44

Verse 44. Be ye also ready. Lk 21:36 says, that he charged them to pray always, that they might be accounted worthy to escape those things--the judgments coming upon the wicked--and to stand before the Son of man--i. e. to stand there approved by him, or admitted to his favour. He also charged them Lk 21:34 to take heed, and not to suffer their hearts to be overcharged with surfeiting, or too much eating, or drunkenness, or the cares of this life, lest that day should come upon them unawares; things improper if there were no judgment-- peculiarly mad and wicked when the judgment is near.

Matthew 25:10

Verse 10. Went in with him to the marriage. The marriage feast. The marriage ceremony took place before the bride left her father's house; but a feast was given at the house of her husband, and which was also called the marriage, or a part of the marriage solemnities. This part of the parable doubtless represents the entrance of those who are ready, or prepared, into the kingdom of God, when the Son of man shall come. They will be ready who repent of their sins; who believe on the Lord Jesus; who live a holy life; and who wait for his coming. See Mk 16:16, Jn 5:24, Acts 3:19, Rev 22:11, 2Pet 3:11,12; 1Timm 6:17-19, 2Ti 4:6-8.

The door was shut. No more could be admitted to the marriage feast. So, when the truly righteous shall all be received into heaven, it will be closed against all others. There will be no room for preparation afterwards, Rev 22:11, Eccl 11:3, 9:10, Mt 25:46.

(d) "while they went" Amos 8:12,13 (e) "was shut" Heb 3:18,19, Rev 22:11

Luke 12:40

Verse 40.

(k) "Be ye therefore ready" Lk 21:34,36

Luke 22:33

Verses 33,34. Mt 26:33, also Mt 26:34-35

1 Peter 1:5

Verse 5. Who are kept by the power of God. That is, "kept" or preserved in the faith and hope of the gospel; who are preserved from apostasy, or so kept that you will finally obtain salvation. The word which is here used and rendered kept, (φρουρεω--phroureo,) is rendered in 2Cor 11:32, kept with a garrison; in Gal 3:23, and here, kept; in Php 4:7, shall keep. It does not elsewhere occur in the New Testament. It means to keep, as in a garrison or fortress; or as with a military watch. The idea is, that there was a faithful guardianship exercised over them to save them from danger, as a castle or garrison is watched to guard it against the approach of an enemy. The meaning is, that they were weak in themselves, and were surrounded by temptations; and that the only reason why they were preserved was, that God exerted his power to keep them. The only reason which any Christians have to suppose they will ever reach heaven, is the fact that God keeps them by his own power. Comp. Php 1:6; 2Ti 1:12; 2Ti 4:18. If it were left to the will of man; to the strength of his own resolutions; to his power to meet temptations, and to any probability that he would of himself continue to walk in the path of life, there would be no certainty that any one would be saved.

Through faith. That is, he does not keep us by the mere exertion of power, but he excites faith in our hearts, and makes that the means of keeping us. As long as we have faith in God, and in his promises, we are safe. When that fails, we are weak; and if it should fail altogether, we could not be saved. Eph 2:8.

Unto salvation. Not preserved for a little period, and then suffered to fall away, but so kept as to be saved. We may remark here that Peter, as well as Paul, believed in the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints. If he did not, how could he have addressed these Christians in this manner, and said that they were "kept by the power of God unto salvation". What evidence could he have had that they would obtain salvation, unless he believed in the general truth that it was the purpose of God to keep all who were truly converted?

Ready to be revealed in the last time. That is, when the world shall close. Then it shall be made manifest to assembled worlds that such an inheritance was "reserved" for you, and that you were "kept" in order to inherit it. Mt 25:34. This verse, then, teaches that the doctrine that the saints will persevere and be saved, is true. They are "kept by the power of God to salvation;" and as God has all power, and guards them with reference to this end, it cannot be but that they will be saved. It may be added,

(a.) that it is very desirable that the doctrine should be true. Man is so weak and feeble, so liable to fall, and so exposed to temptation, that it is in itself every way a thing to be wished that his salvation should be in some safer hands than his own.

(b.) If it is desirable that it should be true, it is fair to infer that it is true, for God has made all the arrangements for the salvation of his people which are really desirable and proper.

(c.) The only security for the salvation of any one is founded on that doctrine. If it were left entirely to the hands of men, even the best of men, what assurance could there be that any one could be saved Did not Adam fall? Did not holy angels fall? Have not some of the best of men fallen into sin? And who has such a strength of holiness that he could certainly confide in it to make his own salvation sure? Any man must know little of himself, and of the human heart, who supposes that he has such a strength of virtue that he would never fall away if left to himself. But if this be so, then his only hope of salvation is in the fact that God intends to "keep his people by his own power through faith unto salvation"

(d) "kept" Jude 1:24 (e) "faith" Eph 2:8