Matthew 22

The Wedding Feast for the king's son 1
Taxes 15
Marriage in Heaven 23
The greatest commandment 34
Son of David 41
Text
Comments
In Zephaniah 1, we find a parallel of this wedding story - Go.
The great banquet. Luke 14:15-24; Matt. 22:1-14.
.1 ¶ And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said,
 2  The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son,
   2 - Like a king We see Jesus as the king's son. His marriage is to His faithful people re1907f.
 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.
 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.
.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.
  3 - Sent forth his servants Twice, Jesus sent out the call to the kingdom of heaven. First the 12 went, then the 70.
  6 - Remnant took his servants  Jesus own death and the subsequent destruction of Jerusalem may be seen here.
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.


  8 - They which were bidden The Jewish nation.
  8 - Not worthy They did not appreciate the invitation v5 and thus chose not to be in a class capable of celebrating the wedding of the king's son.
  9 - Highways Outside of Israel and, of course, including faithful individual Jews. Probation had ended for the nation, not the people. Just read about the story of Pentecost ac02. The "highways" were the lines of international travel.
  10 - Notice who responds to the call: both good and bad. Of course there's a third group, those who did not respond at all. The preadvent judgment is for all who want to be in heaven. As during the day of atonement, those who do not humble their hearts are not retained in the camp. le2327ff.
.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.

  11 - See the guests ... wedding garment Here is the judgment. The requirement for entry is the "wedding garment." The man had nothing to say because the garment is the robe of Christ's own righteousness is6110 which is, of course, a free gift. We must give up our own cherished sins and put on the robe. This judgment is also seen in Psalm 96 ps09610.
.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.
  13 - Bind him Once the verdict of the judgment has been announced, no one will be able to or want to change re2211. All will have made a final decision. Those who have died, will have made their decision final, too.
  13 - Outer darkness Death is darkness jb1021f., ps14303. Outer darkness would be the second death which comes after the resurrection of the wicked at the end of the thousand years re2013ff.
  14 - We see both the calling and the choosing in this story.
Paying tribute to Caesar. Mark 12:13-17; Luke 20:20-26; Matt. 22:15-22.
.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.
 17  Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?
 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.
   17 - Tribute to Cæsar Good advice. We should fear when the two lose their difference in a united church and state. Shown below is the penny of Tiberius Cæsar. Also see parallel accounts at mr1213ff and mt2215ff. Solomon wrote of this wisdom pr2604f.

On marriage and resurrection. Luke 20:27-38; Matt. 22:23-33; Mark 12:18-27.
.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.
 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.
 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 (ex0306)? 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.
   24 - On a man marrying his brother's widow, see de2505f.
   23 - Sadducees This sect didn't believe in the resurrection. They had the perfect question to show that He was not what He claimed. The Pharisees who were correct on this point had brought Greek philosophy into their ideas making them probably more dangerous than those of the Sadducees.
   28 - Whose wife? Many today could not answer.
   29 - Scriptures Essential for correct understanding.
   30 - In the resurrection There is no room in this explanation for the modern idea that people go to heaven when they die
   30 - [No marriage or birth of children] This may sound like a disadvantage to some people. We may trust God for happiness. We may not have some of the physical and emotional drives that we know here, but I look forward to discovering new purposes and joys in the hereafter. We can be sure that there will be friendships and with the angels and  all the unfallen universe. And of course with Jesus and the Father.
  32- Not ... of the dead They were literally dead but in the divine perspective, they had the promise of the resurrection. See 1jn0512,13.
Which commandment is the greatest? ; Matt. 22:34-40; Mark 12:28-34. Compare Luke 20:39, 40.
.34 ¶ But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together.
.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.
 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.
  34 - Mark relates this episode beginning at mr1228.
  35 - Lawyer Or "scribe."
  37 - Love ... with ... heart ... soul ... mind.
  39 - Love ... as thyself In our time we hear about self-esteem. It's true that we need to stand tall but only in the righteousness of Christ. Only in Him can we find our true identity. Those who consider that they are not good enough for society and worse, not good enough to come to Christ, are denying His promise to accept His offer of peace from our burdens mt1128-30. At the other extreme are those who feel no need of a Saviour. Both positions are based on selfishness. See mt2239, mt0712, ep0529.
  40 - On these two The first four commandments deal with love for the Lord God ex2002-11. The other six deal with love for others.
Jesus' question about David. Matt. 22:41-46; Mark 12:35-37; Luke 20:41-44.
.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.
  How then doth David ... call Him Lord? They could not answer without admitting that the Messiah had existed before He came to earth. This spoiled their argument that the Messiah could not have been born as Jesus was without a visible father.
  In spirit David had spoken by the Spirit as a prophet.
  My right hand The Messiah would join the Father on His throne, mt2664, ac0755f.
  Neither durst [dared] any man ... ask Every time, their trick questions were turned back on them. See mt2123ff.
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