Matthew 22:7
The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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This verse isn't just about a king's anger; it shows how rejecting God's generous invitation isn't a small offense, but a rebellion so grave it leads to the utter destruction of the rebellious city and its people. The king's "armies" aren't just soldiers, but instruments of divine judgment, revealing the immense seriousness of treating God's grace with contempt.
In this parable, Jesus has just described a king inviting guests to his son’s wedding feast, but they all refuse, and some even attack the king's servants. This verse describes the king’s furious reaction to this grave insult, which represents God's judgment upon those who reject His gracious invitation to salvation through Jesus. The king's retribution, sending troops to destroy the murderers and burn their city, foreshadows the destruction of Jerusalem by Roman armies in AD 70 as a consequence of Israel's repeated rejection of God’s messengers and ultimately His Son.
When you reject God's invitation, it's not just a polite 'no.' It's an act of rebellion with serious consequences.
This verse isn't just about a king getting mad. It's a profound picture of God's justice. The parable describes people who were invited to a great feast but not only refused but killed the king's messengers. This wasn't a minor offense; it was treason. The king's response – sending troops to destroy the murderers and burn their city – represents God's judgment against those who reject His gracious call and persecute His messengers. This echoes the ultimate destruction of Jerusalem by the Roman armies, a historical event that fulfilled this prophetic picture. God's holiness cannot tolerate rebellion, and His justice will inevitably address it.
Who are the 'armies' God uses? And why is His anger so significant?
The 'armies' mentioned aren't just random soldiers. The commentary highlights that these are often seen as the Roman armies, acting as instruments of God's judgment. This isn't a God who is losing control; it's a God who, in His sovereign justice, uses even pagan nations to carry out His righteous sentence against persistent rebellion. His anger isn't like human temper tantrums; it's a righteous and holy opposition to sin and defiance. When God is 'wroth,' it signifies a decisive move to address profound injustice and rebellion.
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There's a subtle but powerful shift in language here that speaks volumes about loss and consequence.
In the parable, Jerusalem is referred to as 'their city' after its destruction. This is a significant detail. Before the rebellion, Jerusalem was 'the city of the Great King' (Psalm 48:2), a place chosen by God. But through their persistent rejection and violence against God's messengers, they forfeited that divine favor. The shift from 'God's city' to 'their city' underscores the tragic reality of losing God's presence and blessing due to rebellion. It's a stark reminder that association with God requires faithfulness, not just heritage.
Understand the original words
phoneis · Greek Noun
A person who commits the unlawful killing of another. Spiritually, it denotes those who actively oppose God's purpose and reject His messengers.
This parable powerfully foretells the destruction of Jerusalem by the Roman armies, God's "troops," as a consequence of the Jewish leaders' rejection of His Son and His messengers.
c. 722 BC
Fall of the Northern Kingdom
The Assyrian Empire conquers the northern kingdom of Israel, deporting many of its people and scattering them among other conquered nations.
586 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem and First Temple
The Babylonian Empire under Nebuchadnezzar II conquers the southern kingdom of Judah, destroys Jerusalem and the Temple, and exiles a significant portion of the population to Babylon.
c. 605 BC
First Babylonian Deportation
Nebuchadnezzar II deports a group of Judean elites, including Daniel, to Babylon. This event marks the beginning of the Babylonian exile.
c. 40 BC
Herod the Great Reigns
Herod the Great, a Roman client king, rules Judea. His reign is marked by extensive building projects and political intrigue, and he is known for his ruthlessness.
AD 30-33
Jesus' Ministry, Crucifixion, and Resurrection
Jesus teaches, performs miracles, and offers salvation. He is crucified by the Roman authorities under Pontius Pilate, and His followers proclaim His resurrection.
AD 66-70— this verse
First Jewish-Roman War and Siege of Jerusalem
Jewish rebels revolt against Roman rule, leading to a devastating war. The Roman army, led by Titus, besieges and ultimately destroys Jerusalem and its Temple.
Jesus weeps over Jerusalem, foretelling its destruction by armies because they rejected Him, mirroring the king's judgment in the parable against those who refused His invitation and killed His servants.
Isaiah 10:5-7This passage describes Assyria as an instrument of God's wrath against a sinful people, much like the 'armies' sent by the king in Matthew 22:7 are understood as God's instruments for judgment.
Jeremiah 7:11-15The prophet warns that Jerusalem will be destroyed and its city burned because of the people's wickedness and rejection of God's messengers, echoing the fate of the city in the parable.
Revelation 18:1-8This passage describes the judgment of a great city (metaphorically Babylon) for its sins and persecution of God's people, parallel to the destruction of the rebellious city in the parable.
vincentMatthew 22:7: "But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city."
Armies (στρατεύματα)Not in our grand sense of armies, but troops, soldiers. Compare Luke 23:11, where the word is rendered men of war; Rev., soldiers.
barnesMatthew 22:7: "But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city."
But when the king heard ... - This doubtless refers to the Jews and to Jerusalem. They were murderers, having slain the prophets; and God was about to send forth the armies of the Romans under his providential direction, and to burn up their city. See the notes at Matthew 24 . Wroth - Angry; displeased.
This verse isn't just about a king's anger; it shows how rejecting God's generous invitation isn't a small offense, but a rebellion so grave it leads to the utter destruction of the rebellious city and its people. The king's "armies" aren't just soldiers, but instruments of divine judgment, revealing the immense seriousness of treating God's grace with contempt.
In this parable, Jesus has just described a king inviting guests to his son’s wedding feast, but they all refuse, and some even attack the king's servants. This verse describes the king’s furious reaction to this grave insult, which represents God's judgment upon those who reject His gracious invitation to salvation through Jesus. The king's retribution, sending troops to destroy the murderers and burn their city, foreshadows the destruction of Jerusalem by Roman armies in AD 70 as a consequence of Israel's repeated rejection of God’s messengers and ultimately His Son.
In this parable, Jesus has just described a king inviting guests to his son’s wedding feast, but they all refuse, and some even attack the king's servants. This verse describes the king’s furious reaction to this grave insult, which represents God's judgment upon those who reject His gracious invitation to salvation through Jesus. The king's retribution, sending troops to destroy the murderers and burn their city, foreshadows the destruction of Jerusalem by Roman armies in AD 70 as a consequence of Israel's repeated rejection of God’s messengers and ultimately His Son.
"The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city." — This verse isn't just about a king's anger; it shows how rejecting God's generous invitation isn't a small offense, but a rebellion so grave it leads to the utter destruction of the rebellious city a…
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