Gospel Notes
Matthew has spliced together two originally independent parables (vv. 1-10 and 11-14) and allegorized them to speak to his contemporary situation. The original point of the first of these is that the coming Reign of God is to be populated by a motley assortment of outsiders -- in this parable, "street people" --rather than the respectable, invited, but finally unworthy ones (probably pious Jews) who had spurned the invitation. These are the "many called" of verse 14.

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