Matthew 22:1 And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said,
Jesus continued His sermon in
parables.
Jesus speaking in parables
refers back:
Matthew 13:10-16
10 And the disciples came,
and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in
parables?
11 He answered and said unto
them, “Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of
heaven, but to them it is not given.
12 For whosoever hath, to him
shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from
him shall be taken away even that he hath.
13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and
hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.
14 And in them is fulfilled
the prophecy of Esaias, which saith,
By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand;
and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:
15 For this people's heart is
waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have
closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their
ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I
should heal them.
16 But blessed are your eyes,
for they see: and your ears, for they hear.
Matthew 22:2-4
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.
Jesus told them, “The kingdom
of heaven is like a certain ruler, who arranged a marriage for his son. He sent his servants to invite those that
were to come to the wedding, but they would not come.
“He sent for them again. His servants told the
prospective guests that He prepared the wedding feast, and everything was ready
and waiting, so come to the marriage.”
Matthew 22:5-6
5 But they made light of it, and went their ways, one
to his farm, another to his merchandise:
6 And the remnant took his servants, and entreated
them spitefully, and slew them.
The guests had a terrible
attitude. His supposed friends made
light of his invitation, and ignored the invitation. One went to his farm. Another went to conduct business. The rest abused his servants, and murdered
them. It was a sad affair.
Matthew 22:7 But when the
king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed
those murderers, and burned up their city.
When the king heard that he
was enraged. So, he sent his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned
their city.
Unfortunately,
Matthew 22:8-10
8 Then saith he to his
servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.
9 Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye
shall find, bid to the marriage.
10 So those servants went out into the highways, and
gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding
was furnished with guests.
Jesus continued, “Then, he
told his servants, ‘The wedding is ready, but those that were invited are not
worthy. Go out into the highways, and bring and as many as you find to the
marriage feast.’
In verse 9, the word “bid”
Comes from the Greek Language imperative Kalesate. They were ordered to come to the marriage feast.
“So, the servants went out
into the highways, and gathered together as many as they found. They invited both bad people and good. And, the wedding was filled with guests.” The Gentiles were invited to the Ruler’s wedding feast for His Son.
Matthew 22:11-14
11 And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw
there a man which had not on a wedding garment:
12 And he saith unto him,
Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a
wedding garment? And he was speechless.
13 Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand
and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be
weeping and gnashing of teeth.
14 For many are called, but few are chosen.
Jesus’ parable continued,
“But, when the ruler came in to see the guests, he saw a man that was not
wearing a wedding garment.
Why was that man there
without a wedding garment?
He had entered the wedding
party without being called to be part of that wedding. Many today have joined a
Church and consider themselves to be Christian without any call from the Holy
Spirit. They sit there insisting that they belong, partaking of the “food” the
gospel, but their names have not been written down in the Lamb’s book of Life!
“He asked him, ‘Friend, why
did you come in without a wedding garment?’
The man was speechless.
“So, the ruler ordered his
servants to bind him, and take him away.
They cast him into outer darkness where there shall be weeping and
gnashing of teeth.
“Because, many are called,
but few are chosen.”
When
Matthew 22:15-16
15 Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they
might entangle him in his talk.
16 And they sent out unto him their disciples with the
Herodians, saying, Master, we know that thou art
true, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any man: for thou regardest
not the person of men.
Then, the Pharisees schemed
against Christ discussing how they might entangle Him in His teaching. They sent their disciples to Christ, along
with the Herodians.
They asked Jesus, “Master, we
know you are true, and teach the correct way of God’s truth, and don’t worry
about what others think, because you don’t regard another’s station in
society.”
Their seeming respect was a
lie. Isn’t it funny how non-believers can give lip-service to Christ! Their
words were cunning! Their hearts were
sin-hardened!
Matthew 22:17 Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or
not?
Then they attempted to trap
Jesus by asking, “What is your opinion? Is it lawful or not to pay tribute to
Caesar?”
Matthew 22:18-22
18 But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why
tempt ye me, ye hypocrites?
19 Shew me the tribute money. And they brought unto
him a penny.
20 And he saith unto them,
Whose is this image and superscription?
21 They say unto him, Caesar's. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things
which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's.
22 When they had heard these words, they marvelled, and left him, and went their way.
But, Jesus perceived their
wicked plot, and responded, ‘Why do you hypocrites tempt me? Show me the
money!”
Did you know that religious
leaders may be hypocrites?
They brought Jesus a coin.
Then Jesus asked, “Whose
picture and superscription is on the coin?”
They answered, “Caesar's.”
So, Jesus told them, “Render
unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's, and unto God the things that are
God's.”
When they had heard those
words, they were astounded, and left him alone.
Matthew 22:23-28
23 The same day came to him the Sadducees, which say
that there is no resurrection, and asked him,
24 Saying, Master, Moses said, If a man die, having no
children, his brother shall marry his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.
25 Now there were with us seven brethren: and the
first, when he had married a wife, deceased, and, having no issue, left his
wife unto his brother:
26 Likewise the second also, and the third, unto the
seventh.
27 And last of all the woman died also.
28 Therefore in the resurrection whose wife shall she
be of the seven? for they all had her.
That same day, the Sadducees
came to Him and asked, “Master, Moses said that if a man dies, having no
children, his brother shall marry his wife, and raise his children as if they
are his brother’s. Now, suppose there were seven brothers, and the first
married and died, having no sons. Then, the second, and the third, even the
seventh married that woman and died with no sons. Lastly, the woman died. The question is this: in the resurrection
whose wife shall she be of the seven? After all they all married her.”
This is a trick
question. Sadducees did not believe in
the resurrection!
Matthew 22:29-30
29 Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not
knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.
30 For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are
given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.
Jesus answered, “Your question
is in error, because you don’t know the scriptures, nor the power of God. In the resurrection they neither marry, nor
are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.”
Matthew 22:31-34
31 But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have
ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying,
32 I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and
the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.
33 And when the multitude heard this, they were
astonished at his doctrine.
34 But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put
the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together.
“However, concerning the
resurrection of the dead, haven’t you read what is spoken by God, saying, ‘I
(Gr. ego-egw) am
(Gr. eimi-eimi) the God (Gr. ho Theos-o QeoV) of Abraham, and the
God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the
living.’”
When the people heard His
response they were astonished at Jesus’ teaching. But, when the Pharisees heard
that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together.
Sin makes strange
bedfellows. Sadducees did not believe in
the resurrection, but Pharisees did.
Now, they put aside their arguing to destroy Christ.
Matthew 22:35-37
35 Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a
question, tempting him, and saying,
36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy
God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
One of them was a lawyer, and
he asked Jesus a question in order to tempt Christ. “Master, which is the great
commandment in the law?
Jesus answered, “You shall
love the Lord your God with all you heart, soul, and mind.
Matthew 22:38-40
38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy
neighbour as thyself.
40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the
prophets.
Jesus then said, “That is the
first and great commandment. And, the second is like it. You shall love your
neighbor as yourself. On those two commandments hang all the law and the
prophets.”
Christ knew the Bible well
enough to respond immediately. We should
study to show ourselves approved of God.
Of course, we will never know it as well as He, but that should not
prevent our studies.
Matthew 22:41-46
41 While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus
asked them,
42 Saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he?
They say unto him, The Son of David.
43 He saith unto them, How
then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying,
44 The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right
hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool?
45 If David then call him Lord, how is he his son?
46 And no man was able to answer him a word, neither
durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions.
When the Pharisees were
gathered together, Jesus asked them, “What do you think of Christ? Whose son is
he?
Talk about a trick
question. Their answer was of little
concern. This is a “gotcha” question. If
they answered it, they would stick their collective foot in their collective
mouth. And, that is exactly what they did!
They said, “He is the Son of
David.” That is the typical traditional
answer.
Jesus replied, “How does
David (in spirit) call him Lord when he said, ‘The LORD said to my Lord, Sit on
my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool?’
“If David called Him Lord,
how can He be His son?” Gotcha!
From that day on, none dared
to ask him any more questions.
Jesus had silenced his
critics!