Matthew 22 · Verse 11

Matthew 22:11

And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:
Matthew 22:11, King James Version

Matthew 22:11 in other translations

BSBBut when the king came in to see the guests, he spotted a man who was not dressed in wedding clothes.
WEB“But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man who didn’t have on wedding clothing,
ASVBut when the king came in to behold the guests, he saw there a man who had not on a wedding-garment:
YLT‘And the king having come in to view those reclining, saw there a man not clothed with clothing of the marriage-feast,
DARBYAnd the king, having gone in to see the guests, beheld there a man not clothed with a wedding garment.
BBEBut when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man who had not on a guest's robe;
WebsterAnd when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man who had not a wedding-garment:

What does Matthew 22:11 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
11. And when the king came in to see the guests--Solemn expression this, of that omniscient inspection of every professed disciple of the Lord Jesus from age to age, in virtue of which his true character will hereafter be judicially proclaimed! he saw there a man--This shows that it is the judgment of individuals which is intended in this latter part of the parable: the first part represents rather national judgment. which had not on a wedding garment--The language here is drawn from the following remarkable passage in Zep 1:7, 8:--"Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord God; for the day of the Lord is at hand: for the Lord hath prepared a sacrifice, He hath bid His guests. And it shall come to pass in the day of the Lord's sacrifice, that I will punish the princes, and the king's children, and all such as are clothed with strange apparel." The custom in the East of presenting festival garments (see Ge 45:22; 2Ki 5:22), even though nor clearly proved, Is certainly presupposed here. It undoubtedly means something which they bring not of their own--for how could they have any such dress who were gathered in from the highways indiscriminately?--but which they receive as their appropriate dress. And what can that be but what is meant by "putting on the Lord Jesus," as "The Lord Our Righteousness?" (See Psa 45:13, 14). Nor could such language be strange to those in whose ears had so long resounded those words of prophetic joy: "I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for He hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, He hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels" (Is 61:10).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 11. A man which had not on a wedding garment. Anciently, kings and princes were accustomed to make presents of changes of raiment to their friends and favourites, to refuse to receive which was an expression of highest contempt, Gen 14:22, 2Kgs 10:22, Est 6:8, 8:16. It was, of course, expected that such garments would be worn when they came into the presence of the benefactor. The garments worn on festival occasions were chiefly long white robes; and it was the custom of the person who made the feast to prepare such robes to be worn by the guests. This renders the conduct of this man more inexcusable. He came in his common ordinary dress, as he was taken from the highway; and though he had not a garment of his own suitable for the occasion, yet one had been provided for him, if he had applied for it. His not doing it was expressive of the highest disrespect for the king. This beautifully represents the conduct of the hypocrite in the church. A garment of salvation might be his, wrought by the hands of the Saviour, and dyed in his blood. But the hypocrite chooses the filthy rags of his own righteousness, and thus offers the highest contempt for that provided in the gospel. He is to blame, not for being invited; not for coming, if he would come--for he is freely invited; but for offering the highest contempt to the King of Zion, in presenting himself with all his filth and rags, and in refusing to be saved in the way provided in the gospel.

(r) "to see" Zeph 1:12 (s) "wedding garment" Ps 45:14, Isa 61:10, 2Cor 5:3, Eph 4:24, Rev 16:15 Rev 19:8

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 11 When the king came - When God shall come to judge the world. Wedding garment - Among the orientals, long white robes were worn at public festivals; and those who appeared on such occasions with any other garments were esteemed, not only highly culpable, but worthy of punishment. Our Lord seems here to allude to Zep 1:7, Zep 1:8, The Lord hath prepared a Sacrifice, he hath Bidden his guests. And it shall come to pass, in the day of the Lord's sacrifice, that I will Punish the princes, and the King's Children, and All Such as are clothed with Strange Apparel. The person who invited the guests prepared such a garment for each, for the time being; and with which he was furnished on his application to the ruler of the feast. It was this which made the conduct of the person mentioned in the text inexcusable; he might have had a proper marriage garment, if he had applied for it. To afford accidental guests clothing suitable to a marriage feast, was a custom among the ancient Greeks. Homer relates that Telemachus, and the son of Nestor, arriving at Lacedaemon when Menelaus was making a marriage feast for his son and daughter, were accommodated with garments suited to the occasion, after having been bathed and anointed. Τους δ' επει ουν δρωμαι λουσαν και χρισαν ελαιῳ, Αμφι δ' αρα χλαινας ουλας βαλον ηδε χιτωνας, Ες ρα θρονους εζοντο παρ' Ατρειδην Μενελαον Odyss. l. iv. ver. 49-51 They entered each a bath, and by the hands Of maidens laved, and oiled, and clothed again With shaggy mantles and resplendent vests, Sat both enthroned at Menelaus' side. Cowper Among the Asiatics, garments called caftans, great numbers of which each nobleman has ordinarily ready in his wardrobe, are given to persons whom he wishes to honor: to refuse to accept or wear such a dress would be deemed the highest insult. This marriage feast or dinner (the communication of the graces of the Gospel in this life) prepares for the marriage supper of the Lamb, Rev 19:7-9, the enjoyment of eternal blessedness in the kingdom of glory. Now, as without holiness no man can see the Lord, we may at once perceive what our Lord means by the marriage garment - it is Holiness of heart and life: the text last quoted asserts that the fine, white, and clean linen (alluding to the marriage garment above mentioned) was an emblem of the Righteousness of the Saints. Mark this expression: the righteousness, the whole external conduct; regulated according to the will and word of God. Of the Saints, the holy persons, whose souls were purified by the blood of the Lamb.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Matthew 22:1-14

The provision made for perishing souls in the gospel, is represented by a royal feast made by a king, with eastern liberality, on the marriage of his son. Our merciful God has not only provided food, but a royal feast, for the perishing souls of his rebellious creatures. There is enough and to spare, of every thing that can add to our present comfort and everlasting happiness, in the salvation of his Son Jesus…

Read the full comment on Matthew 22:1-14 →

Matthew 22:11 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ΕἰσελθὼνEiselthōnHaving entered inG1525
δὲdethenG1161
ὁhotheG3588
βασιλεὺςbasileuskingG935
θεάσασθαιtheasasthaito seeG2300
τοὺςtousthoseG3588
ἀνακειμένουςanakeimenousrecliningG345
εἶδενeidenhe sawG1492
ἐκεῖekeithereG1563
ἄνθρωπονanthrōpona manG444
οὐκouknotG3756
ἐνδεδυμένονendedumenonbeing dressed himselfG1746
ἔνδυμαendumain clothesG1742
γάμουgamouof weddingG1062

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Matthew 22:11

  • Revelation 3:4-5

    Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy. He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.

  • Revelation 19:8

    And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

  • Zechariah 3:3-4

    Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel. And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment.

  • Hebrews 4:12-13

    For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

  • Revelation 16:15

    Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.

  • Romans 13:14

    But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

  • Colossians 3:10-11

    And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.

  • Ephesians 4:24

    And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

  • Revelation 3:18

    I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.

  • Galatians 3:27

    For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

  • 2 Corinthians 5:3

    If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.

  • 1 Corinthians 4:5

    Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
when.
3:12; 13:30; 25:31,32; Zep 1:12; 1Co 4:5; Heb 4:12,13; Re 2:23
which.
2Ki 10:22; Ps 45:13,14; Isa 52:1; 61:3-10; 64:6; Zec 3:3,4; La 5:22
Ro 3:22; 13:14; Ga 3:27; 2Co 5:3; Eph 4:24; Col 3:10,11; Re 3:4,5,18
Re 16:15; 19:8

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Matthew 22:10

    So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.

  • Matthew 22:11

    And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:

  • Matthew 22:12

    And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.

Read all of Matthew 22

Matthew 22:11 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y entró el rey para ver los convidados, y vió allí un hombre no vestido de boda.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et le roi, étant entré pour voir ceux qui étaient à table, aperçut là un homme qui n’était pas vêtu d’une robe de noces.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Als aber der König hereinkam, die Gäste zu besehen, sah er daselbst einen Menschen, der nicht mit einem Hochzeitskleide bekleidet war.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Intravit autem rex ut videret discumbentes, et vidit ibi hominem non vestitum veste nuptiali.