What does Matthew 22:9 mean?

In Jesus' parable (Matthew 22:1–8), the king still wants guests at the wedding feast to honor his son. His first chosen guests have refused to come. Some lacked interest and others acted out in rebellion against him. The king has called those guests, who represent Israel's religious leaders, "unworthy" to attend the feast.

Now the king tells his servants to take his invitation to common people they will find on the "main roads." Some translations choose "street corners" and others "highways" for the Greek phrase diexodous tōn hodōn. The idea includes places where people are most likely to be gathered, as well as the roads that lead out of a town into the countryside. This is a point of distinction between this parable and the one Jesus relates in the gospel of Luke (Luke 14:15–24). There, the frustrated master commands invitations be given to those in all places in the city, especially those where the destitute would gather. Here, Jesus has given a dire warning about the destruction of that entire city (Matthew 22:7).

All who will come are invited, though the following verses will reveal there is yet one requirement for attendance (Matthew 22:11–12).