Preaching on the Gospel Matthew 22: 1-14

Just to prove that life still goes on in Potters Bar!
I've been struggling this week with the lectionary gospel reading. I tend to read quite a few online comments, to 'get me started' and then turn to the books. Most of the online people were clearly stating that the King in this parable of the guests-who-are-invited-but-choose-not-to-attend-the-Wedding-Feast, should be interpretated in an allegorical fashion, as being God.

Firstly, I'm not too sure that the parables are allegories. But more importantly, is God really the kind of King who gives you a second chance, but after that kills you?! The King in the parable reacts to the violence of the guests (some of whom kill his messenger-slaves), with full-scale destruction of the City. The King could not even claim that his response is proportional - the murder of his slaves leads to the murder of an entire City.

And then, once he has done the right thing and invited in 'the good and the bad' from the streets to fill his banquet, he spots one guy who is wearing the wrong clothes - and so throws him out into the place of torment.

So God - the executioner, and God - the fashion judge?!

Fortunately, I was rescued by some Girardian insights (Rene Girard), that I'm slowly grappling to understand. Greenbelt-ers will recognise the name of James Alison, who draws on Girard's work, and I've found a website by Paul Neuchterlain (girardianlectionary.net). This way of thinking rejects the idea of allegory, says that the King in the parable is not God (what a relief), and even suggests that the wedding guest who is thrown out, could be Jesus who is soon (in the Gospel narrative time) to be rejected and killed. Bearing in mind that the narrative context of this parable (like the previous 2), is the questioning of Jesus' authority by the Jewish leaders, then it seems to make better sense.

So, I'm not ready with a sermon yet (it's only Friday!), but with a bit more reading, thinking and contemplating, God normally gets all of my slow moving clogs to click in time for Sunday morning.