Hebrews 3:2a

"How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation;..."


It isn't that Salvation isn't there. I mentioned it so often in John chapter 10, the chapter on the good shepherd - where is the door of the sheepfold? Right at ground level. Not up on some high cliff or across some raging river, but rather it's right at ground level, and in front of every lost person throughout their life. All they have to do is step in by faith, but they neglect to do that. Alright, let's just use a couple of Scripture verses to point that out.


Hebrews 3:2a

"How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation;..."


Alright we'll stop right there and come back to Matthew chapter 22, where the same Greek word, in a little bit different form, nevertheless it's the same Greek root word here in this chapter, and let's look at verses 1-5. But in order to get the real meaning of the verse, I guess we should go to the beginning of the parable, because this is the Lord Jesus speaking during His earthly ministry, and remember these parables again were directed primarily to the Jewish people, and the Pharisees in particular. In fact while you're in this chapter just go back a chapter to 21:45, because I always like to use this verse to explain to people what I mean when I say, that everything Jesus said, was said to Jews under the Law. So let's look at that passage first.


Matthew 21:45

"And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them."


Do you see how plain that is? They understood that all His parables were directed to them, because they were the ones that were so guilty. Now you come into chapter 22, He gives another parable.


Matthew 22:1

"And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, (So who do you think He's directing it to? Well the chief priest and the Pharisees) 2. The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, 3. And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come. 4. Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage. 5. But they made light of it, (they neglected it, they didn't pay any attention. They neglected their invitation to the wedding feast. So in their neglecting it, what was their response?) and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise;"


But instead of responding to the invitation they neglected paying any attention to that invitation to the marriage feast. Now I think I've got another one in chapter 23, at least I hope that's the one I want. Here the Lord Jesus, and you've all seen pictures of it on somebody's wall, where He's looking out over Jerusalem. And it is a thought provoking picture, no doubt about it. But this is what He's saying: