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| Chapter 22 |
| Bible Text | Notes and Thoughts |
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1 ¶ And Jesus answered and spoke unto them again in parables and said, 2 "The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a certain king, who made a marriage for his son. 3 And he 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 that 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, and another to his merchandise, 6 and the remnant took his servants and treated 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. 8 Then said he to his servants, ‘The wedding is ready, but they that 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 all together as many as they found, both bad and good, and the wedding was furnished with guests. 11 And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man who did not have on a wedding garment. 12 And he said 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." 15 ¶ Then the Pharisees went 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 Show Me the tribute money." And they brought unto Him a penny. 20 And He said unto them, "Whose is this image and superscription?" 21 And they said unto Him, "Caesar’s." Then said 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 marveled, and left Him and went their way. 23 ¶ The same day the Sadducees, who say that there is no resurrection, came to Him 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, died; and having no issue, he 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 concerning 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. 35 Then one of them, who 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 neighbor as thyself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets." 41 ¶ While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, 42 saying, "What think ye of Christ? Whose Son is He?" They said unto Him, "The son of David." 43 He said unto them, "How then doth David in the Spirit call Him ‘Lord,’ saying, 44 ‘The Lord said unto my Lord, "Sit Thou on My right hand until 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 dared any man from that day forth ask Him any more questions. |
v1-14 Marriage Feast Parable. This parable is similar to Luke 14:16-24, but there are differences and the occasion when told. We should not therefore attempt to compare the two stories. As part of the marriage there was also a supper in honour of his son to which many people close to the king were invited. How would you feel if all your close friends rejected your invitation to your wedding? v2 Jesus is using this parable to show the Jews what will happen if they reject the invitation He is giving from His Father. The king, his son and the marriage feast represent, God the Father, Jesus, and the coming Messianic kingdom. The marriage involves the son of the king, the son is heir to the throne so any refusal to attend the marriage is not only discourtesies (very rude, not polite) but also shows the real loyalty of the person to the king. Under the customs of the time there is an initial invitation sent out, then a second invitation on the day of the event. v3-6 The king now sends out the servants with the second invitations but those invited, (Israel), but they make light of the invitation and found various excuses for not coming, even though they had been previously been invited and knew all about the coming wedding. Not only did they ignore the invitation they also attacked the messengers. For example look at Israel’s attitude to John, Matt 21:25,26; and Stephen, Acts 7:51-60. v7 When the king hears of the refusals and behaviour of the people he sends in his armies to destroy them. This is probably a prediction of the destruction of Jerusalem by the Roman armies in A.D.70 because they had rejected the invitation by God. Today many people are too busy to consider their future and heaven, no time to accept the invitation of Jesus. Business and pleasure are more important. v8,9 The king needs guests for his wedding and sends his servants out into the streets and highways and invite anyone who will come. This is obviously referring to the message of salvation being taken to the Gentile nations. In the Kingdom of Christ the Gentiles who turned to Christ became the Church who was to become the Bride of Christ. In this parable Jesus is explaining the result of unbelieving by the Jews and their relationship with the coming Messianic Kingdom. As the Church did not exist at this time perhaps these people from the highways were Jew’s who did respond to the invitation after the resurrection or even during the Tribulation. v10 The servants went out and found both ‘good and bad,’ the gracious invitation by God was offered to all, both sinners and those who thought they were religious responded. Compare Matt 13:47ff. v11-14 The wedding garment. It must have been the custom for a king to supply suitable clothing for entry into his presence, those coming from the ‘highways’ would not have suitable clothes. The man is held responsible for the failure to not have the correct clothes. He had received the invitation but had not bothered to enter the way the king had demanded, all he needed had been provided. The lack of suitable wedding clothes prevents the man entering the feast, this must also apply to the future Kingdom. The clothes indicate that entrance to the Kingdom of Christ needs the righteousness of God, given as a gift through the death of Jesus. Just attending church, following all the ceremonies to the letter is not the right "clothes" needed to enter God’s heaven, the heart must also be made right. This man stands in the presence of the king with no excuse. v12 ‘Friend’ a way of addressing someone who was not known. This man represents a person who has claimed that they are ready for the kingdom of Christ but were not. In the other parables this person is shown as ‘Tares’ or ‘bad fish’. v13 ‘Outer Darkness.’ The person is removed from the presence of the king and his feast, - from the presence of God, into eternal punishment- ‘weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ v14 A reminder that only a few respond to the call for salvation through Jesus. Scripture teaches that we each are responsible for any rejection, as in this story. See also Matt 11:28. v15-46 Jesus is questioned. v15-22 ‘Pharisees’ and ‘Herodians’ ask questions about payment of tax. The Pharisee leaders send their ‘disciples’ with the Herodians, each group were against the other but joined together because of a common hatred of Jesus. v16 A very hypocritical introduction, the speakers certainly did not believe what they were saying. v17 The Roman Poll tax was imposed (forced) upon every Jew. The question was deliberately made in an attempt to force Jesus to either accept submission to the Roman Empire, thus admitting He could not be the Messiah, or make an anti Roman statement, saying it was not necessary to make the payment and risk being charged with treason by the Roman authority. v18 Jesus could read their evil thoughts and knows what they are attempting to do. He challenges them. "Why are you tempting me, you hypocrites?" v19 "Show me a Roman tribute coin," the tax was paid with a penny, a denarius, a day’s wages for a labourer. v20,21 The questioners agree that the coin contained an image and inscription of Caesar. This allowed Jesus to respond with "Render (present as payment) therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s." This coin came from Caesar’s government, so Jesus tells them to pay it back to him. Consider Rom 13:1-7; 1 Peter 2:13-15; Acts 4:19,20. ‘To God the things that are God’s. The believers are told to be subject to the powers of government as God put them there, but we must always be subject to His Will in all things. v23-33 Marriage questions. Sadducees’ question the resurrection. Their question comes as a way of proof that there cannot be any resurrection. "Moses said," Deuteronomy 25:5. A practice which had been practiced by the ancient people. On death of the husband the brother was expected to marry the widow. This practice had now ceased so was not of real interest for the Sadducees. The Sadducees gave the example of multiple weddings, "whose wife was she?" they asked. v29-30 "You do not know the scripture," these men thought that if resurrection was to occur then men would be restored to their earthly state, the same form of existance. A commonly held view by many religious teachers, but there is no scripture teaching to confirm this. They could not see that God could raise the person to a much more glorified level. "Made as the angels" in the matter of marriage, Jesus does not say man would become an angel, neither that any earthly relationships will be forgotten. Consider 1 Cor 15:38-50. v31-33 "Have you not listened to what God said? I am the God of the living, not the dead." By saying that God was "I AM" the God of Abraham..." The patriarchs were not dead but still living beings. v34-40 Once again the religious leaders were showing how little they understood the teaching of God, it must have pleased the Pharisees that the Sadducees had been embarrassed. A Pharisee lawyer now approaches Jesus. See Mark 12:28-34. "What is the greatest law?" We are not told why the lawyer is asking this question. Some Bible students think that he planned to develop an argument using the 613 rabbi expansions of the original commandments. v37-40 The answer by Jesus gives the main points of Deuteronomy 6:5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. and Leviticus 19:18. We should have a full reverence for God and care for our neighbour’s. "All your heart," The Hebrew belief was that the heart was the center of the person, it was from the heart ‘self comes’. They believed the heart controlled all the right and wrong of a person, their moral thoughts. Problem is that the ‘heart’ also shows and controls the bad in a person. v41-46 Jesus now turns and asks the Pharisees a question about the Messiah. He asks them the same question he had asked the disciples in Matt 16:15,16. "The son of David." The Messiah was expected to be from the family line of David, this was the normal teaching of the scribes and Pharisees, Mark 12:35. Jesus then developed this response by quoting Psalm 110:1ff. "How was it that David called the Messiah Lord?" The Jews accepted that the Messiah was a descendant of David, yet David acknowledged that the Messiah was his superior. The Jew’s saw the Messiah as a king, a political ruler, but this Psalm, "given by the Spirit," shows that the Messiah was greater than David. Mark 12:36. Jesus shows that their teaching and understanding of scripture had numerous problems and as a result they did not challenge Jesus any more. |
Easy English Translation
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