📖 Biblical Definition
A wedding feast is the covenant celebration meal at the marriage of two parties. Christ began His public ministry at the wedding at Cana (Jn 2), turning water into wine; He told parables of the kingdom as a wedding feast (Mt 22, 25); Revelation closes the canon with the marriage supper of the Lamb. The wedding feast is the gospel's favorite picture for the consummation.
📜 Webster 1828 Definition
(Composite.) The covenant celebration meal at marriage; biblical type of the kingdom's consummation.
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Christ's first sign was at a wedding (Jn 2:1-11). His parables include three wedding-feast images (Mt 22:1-14; 25:1-13; Lk 14:7-24). The Apocalypse's climax is the marriage supper of the Lamb (Rev 19:7-9).
The pattern: wedding feasts in Scripture do gospel work. They picture covenant joy, communal celebration, the bridegroom's coming, the bride's readiness, and the table's welcome to those who came in proper wedding attire.
📖 Key Scripture
John 2:1 — "And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee."
Matthew 22:2 — "The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son."
Matthew 25:10 — "And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage."
Revelation 19:9 — "Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb."
⚠️ Modern Corruption
Modern weddings often eclipse the biblical pattern with personal-statement productions; the older Christian wedding feast was a covenant celebration of gospel-typological weight.
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The wedding-feast pattern is communal celebration of a covenant under God. Christ's own attendance at Cana, His parables, and the Revelation supper all assume that human weddings rehearse the cosmic one.
The household's wedding planning carries gospel weight. Each Christian wedding is a tiny preview of the marriage supper of the Lamb. The food, the joy, the gathered community, the bride and bridegroom — each preaches if the wedding is given to Christ.
🔗 Greek & Hebrew Roots
Greek gamos (wedding feast) and Hebrew mishteh (drinking-feast).
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Greek gamos — wedding, marriage feast; both the marriage union and the celebration.
Hebrew mishteh — feast, banquet; literally a drinking-feast.
Usage
"Each Christian wedding rehearses the marriage supper of the Lamb."
"Christ's first miracle was at a wedding."
"The food, the joy, the gathered community — each preaches if the wedding is given to Christ."