His tales have become even stranger.His parables more probing yet.
His instruments wooing and cutting.
His imagery hard to forget.
And now in the City he meets them;
Those rabbis of learning and law,
Who seek to portray him as rebel,
Who seek to uncover some flaw.
Just where will this dialogue take him?
Oh where will this sparring match lead?
Pray not that a jail cell awaits him.
Pray not that he suffer and bleed.
But Jesus has set an agenda,
And now is the time for the test.
To see if the Jews will accept him
And his kingdom-call as the best.
Today’s tale was set at a wedding.
A King was to marry his son.
And friends of the family invited
To share in the joy, every one.
But all of them made their excuses.
Yes all of them had other plans.
The guest list was proving pathetic.
Their love for their Lord but a sham.
The King was aggrieved by their rebuff,
His messengers battered and slain.
His army dispatched to wreak vengeance
On those who had caused him such pain.
Then servants were sent to the country,
(The highway and byway and field.)
To call for the good, bad and ugly;
The King’s wedding feast MUST be filled!
Now here’s where the parable leaves us.
The ugly invited to dine?
To feast at a sumptuous table?
To sample the finest of wine?
And doubtless the rabbis are rabid.
A King sitting next to unclean!
Some beggars who jumped at the invite!
Some wasted and wandering and lean!
Yes, what kind of King seeks the lowly
And calls them to witness his child
In marriage, the best of life’s pleasures,
And makes them his friends? This is wild!
It must be a strange kind of kingdom,
Where Court and the plain-folk are one.
Where Royalty waits on the ragged.
And both find delight in the Son.
Douglas Blair
