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,
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.
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.
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.
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.
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? 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, 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.
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.
The 22nd chapter of the book of Matthew in the King James Version (KJV) of the Holy Bible is a rich tapestry of parables, interactions, and teachings. It presents Jesus Christ in his prophetic role, teaching through parables and directly answering questions from the Pharisees and Sadducees. The chapter is segmented into four main sections, each with its unique theme and spiritual significance. These sections include the Parable of the Wedding Feast, the Question about Paying Taxes, the Question about the Resurrection, and the Greatest Commandment.
Matthew 22 opens with Jesus speaking in parables to the crowd and his disciples. He narrates the story of a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son but was rejected by the invited guests. The king then extends the invitation to everyone, both good and bad, filling the wedding hall with guests. However, one man who did not wear wedding clothes was thrown out into the darkness.
The parable is a metaphor for the Kingdom of Heaven. The king represents God, and the son symbolizes Jesus Christ. The initial guests who rejected the invitation stand for the Israelites who rejected Jesus as the Messiah. The subsequent guests who were invited from the streets represent the Gentiles. The man without the wedding garment signifies those who attempt to enter the Kingdom of God without the righteousness of Christ. This parable emphasizes the inclusivity of God's kingdom, the importance of accepting the invitation to salvation, and the necessity of being clothed in Christ's righteousness.
The Pharisees, attempting to trap Jesus, ask him about the legality of paying taxes to Caesar. Jesus, understanding their malicious intent, asked for a denarius, a common Roman coin. He then asked them whose image and inscription were on the coin. When they answered, "Caesar's," Jesus responded, "Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's (Matthew 22:21 KJV)." His response confounded the Pharisees and silenced their attempts to entrap him.
This interaction teaches several profound truths. It reaffirms the divine wisdom of Jesus, who could not be trapped by human cunning. It also establishes the principle of dual citizenship for believers - the earthly and the heavenly. Christians are urged to fulfill their earthly obligations (like paying taxes) while not neglecting their spiritual duties to God.
The Sadducees, who did not believe in the resurrection, posed a hypothetical situation to Jesus about a woman who had seven husbands in her lifetime. They asked whose wife she would be at the resurrection. Jesus rebuked them for not knowing the Scriptures or the power of God. He explained that there would be no marriage in the resurrection because people would be like angels. He further affirmed the reality of the resurrection by citing God's self-revelation to Moses in the burning bush, where God referred to Himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, implying that these patriarchs were still alive, thus affirming the doctrine of resurrection.
This section demonstrates the importance of understanding the Scriptures and the power of God. It affirms the reality of life after death and the resurrection, which are central to Christian belief. It also shows that our earthly understanding of relationships and institutions, like marriage, will not apply in the heavenly realm.
The Pharisees, after hearing how Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, gathered to test him again. One of them, an expert in the law, asked Jesus which is the greatest commandment in the Law. Jesus replied that the greatest commandment is to love God with all your heart, soul, and mind. The second greatest is to love your neighbor as yourself. Jesus added that all the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.
This teaching underscores the centrality of love in Christianity. Love for God and love for fellow humans are the fundamental principles upon which all other commandments and teachings are based. It also stresses the need to internalize the law, moving beyond mere ritualistic observance to genuine love-driven actions.
Matthew 22 presents a comprehensive view of the teachings of Jesus, from parables about the kingdom of heaven to direct answers to questions about taxes, resurrection, and the greatest commandment. It emphasizes the inclusivity of God's kingdom, the importance of fulfilling both earthly and heavenly obligations, the reality of the resurrection, and the centrality of love in the Christian faith. It also showcases the divine wisdom of Jesus and his mastery over the Scriptures. As such, it provides invaluable lessons for believers on how to live a righteous and fulfilling Christian life.
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