Verse 12
‘And he says to him, “Friend, how did you come in here not having a wedding-garment?” And he was speechless.’
So the king speaks gently bit firmly to the offending man. He begins by calling him, ‘Friend’. In Matthew this is always said with a heavy heart. Compare Matthew 20:13; Matthew 26:50. It indicates someone being addressed who is in the wrong, but is being approached with thought and consideration. And then he questions him as to why he has come to the marriage-feast not wearing a wedding-garment.
The speechlessness of the man is intended to indicate his guilt. Had he had good reason he would have spoken out. But he could hardly tell the king that he had done it because he was contemptuous of the king and his son. And yet that could be the only real reason for doing it. But he had probably not expected the king to come in among such ‘common’ company.
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