Confused about the parable of the wedding feast

I read a blog recently where someone posted their "issues" with the parable of the wedding feast in Matthew 22.  I'm going to post the parable first, then I'll provide some of the post's responses.  Last, I will try to clear things up by posting my own explanation.

Here's the parable:

1 And again Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying, 2 “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son, 3 and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come. 4 Again he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.”’ 5 But they paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, 6 while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them. 7 The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. 8 Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy. 9 Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.’ 10 And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests.

11 “But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. 12 And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ 14 For many are called, but few are chosen.” Matthew 22:1-14

Now the responses:

Bart said (to Evelyn):
Evelyn, that passage is a perfect example of why I couldn’t use the bible as a moral compass, or as a path to some sort of salvation. Tossing someone out into the darkness where there is weeping and grinding of teeth, just because they wore the wrong clothes? The murderers should have been caught and punished for killing the servants, but burning the city? Isn’t that a bit harsh? Weren’t there children in that city?
It’s all a bit too crazy for me.

Erick said:
Bart, someone I think is taking the story way too literally.

Jubal said:
From a plain reading it seems the parable is saying that God invites many (not all?) into Heaven, but even if you’re invited you must do certain things. If you ignore the invitation you too will be ignored, if you do evil things you will be punished harshly, and if you do show up but haven’t done all of the things you’re supposed to, you will be punished.  Is there any other reasonable interpretation? That seems to confirm the problem Bart originally pointed out.

My response:
I understand the confusion with this parable but maybe this will help it make sense.  In this parable Jesus is referring to the Jews who were invited to the wedding with Yahweh.  The wedding refers to the covenant between God and His people (made with Abraham in Genesis 17:1-13 and Moses in Exodus 19:5).  "A king" is God the Father; "for his son" refers to Jesus Christ; "sent his servants" is referring to the prophets; "all those invited to the marriage feast" is a reference to the Israelites.  The Jews to whom the law was given did not come to the wedding, instead they rebelled and each went his or her own way (Judges 17:6; Judges 21:25).  "...the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them" refers to how the Jews treated the prophets and would soon treat Christ.  "...he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city" refers to the impending destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD by Titus.  "those servants went out into the roads" refers to the disciples.  "and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good" refers to God inviting everyone regardless of their good or bad deeds to the wedding, meaning his invitation is by grace alone and not a works-based invitation.  "he saw there a man who had no wedding garment" refers to a person who is not wearing the garment of salvation (see Isaiah 61:10 "I will greatly rejoice in the Lord; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation"). "cast him into the outer darkness" refers to exclusion from eternal life of those not having salvation by grace through faith in Christ.  Hope that clears up the parable for you.