Matthew 22
22
Parable of the Wedding Feast
1As was his custom, Jesus continued to teach the people by using allegories. 2He illustrated the reality of heaven’s kingdom realm by saying, “There once was a king who arranged an extravagant wedding feast for his son. # 22:2 See Isa. 25:6–8. 3On the day the festivities were set to begin, he sent his servants # 22:3 God is the king who prepares his kingdom feast for his Son, Jesus Christ. The messenger-servants are the prophets he sends to summon the people to enter into the love feast of Jesus. It is all about the wedding of the Lamb to the bride of Christ. What a glorious feast is prepared for us! to summon all the invited guests, but they chose not to come. 4So the king sent even more servants to inform the invited guests, saying, ‘Come, for the sumptuous feast is now ready! The oxen and fattened cattle have been killed and everything is prepared, so come! Come to the wedding feast for my son and his bride!’
5“But the invited guests were not impressed. One was preoccupied with his business; another went off to his farming enterprise. 6And the rest seized the king’s messengers and shamefully mistreated them, and even killed them. 7This infuriated the king! So he sent his soldiers to execute those murderers and had their city burned to the ground. # 22:7 This was fulfilled by the Roman prince Titus (who eventually became emperor of Rome) in the Roman war of AD 67–70.
8“Then the king said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, yet those who had been invited to attend didn’t deserve the honor. 9Now I want you to go into the streets and alleyways # 22:9 The Aramaic is “go to the ends of the roads.” and invite anyone and everyone you find to come and enjoy the wedding feast in honor of my son.’
10“So the servants went out into the city streets and invited everyone to come to the wedding feast, good and bad alike, until the banquet hall was crammed with people! 11Now, when the king entered the banquet hall, he looked with glee over all his guests. But then he noticed a guest who was not wearing the wedding robe provided for him. # 22:11 Those invited to come from the streets had no opportunity to buy wedding clothes. This wedding robe is a picture of the garment of righteousness that grace provides for us. The man without the wedding garment had one provided, but he didn’t want to change into new clothes. A change is necessary, for our King provides garments of white linen for us to wear, our wedding garments. See Isa. 52:1; Rev. 19:8. 12So he said, ‘My friend, how is it that you’re here and you’re not wearing your wedding garment?’ But the man was speechless.
13“Then the king turned to his servants and said, ‘Tie him up and throw him into the outer darkness, # 22:13 The Hebrew Matthew is “the lowest hell [sheol].” where there will be great sorrow, with weeping and grinding of teeth.’ 14For everyone is invited # 22:14 Or “Many are called.” This can be understood to be a Semitic figure of speech that universalizes the invitation. See also Matt. 20:28. to enter in, but few respond in excellence.” # 22:14 The Greek word eklektoi can mean “chosen,” but it can also be translated “worthy,” “pure,” “choice,” “excellent.” See 2 John 1, 13.
The Pharisees Try to Entrap Jesus
15Then the Pharisees came together to make a plan to entrap Jesus with his own words. 16So they sent some of their disciples together with some staunch supporters of Herod. # 22:16 The Hebrew Matthew is “They took violent men from Herod.” The Aramaic is “They took men from Herod’s household.” By bringing with them loyalists to Rome (Herodians), the Pharisees were convinced that Jesus would offend either the Jews, who despised paying the “poll tax” required of every adult male, or those political followers of Herod who sided with the Roman occupation. They said to Jesus, “Teacher, we know that you’re an honest man of integrity and you teach us the truth of God’s ways. We can clearly see that you’re not one who speaks only to win the people’s favor, because you speak the truth without regard to the consequences. # 22:16 Or “You don’t look into the faces of men [before you speak the truth].” 17So tell us, then, what you think. Is it proper for us Jews to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”
18Jesus knew the malice that was hidden behind their cunning ploy and said, “Why are you testing me, you imposters who think you have all the answers? 19Show me one of the Roman coins.” So they brought him a silver coin used to pay the tax. 20“Now, tell me, whose head is on this coin and whose inscription is stamped on it?”
21“Caesar’s,” they replied.
Jesus said, “Precisely, for the coin bears the image of the emperor Caesar. # 22:21 Actual coins from that era have been found with the emperor’s image and a superscription saying, “Tiberius Caesar Augustus, son of the divine Augustus.” Well, then, you should pay the emperor what is due to the emperor. But because you bear the image of God, # 22:21 The coin belongs to Caesar because it carries his image. We have an obligation to God because we carry his image. give back to God all that belongs to him.”
22The imposters were baffled in the presence of all the people. When they realized once again that they were unable to trap Jesus, they went away stunned.
Marriage and the Resurrection
23Some of the Sadducees, a religious group that denied there was a resurrection of the dead, # 22:23 The Aramaic clearly states that the Sadducees said to Jesus, “There is no life after death.” came to ask Jesus this question: 24“Teacher, the law of Moses teaches that if a man dies before he has children, his brother should marry the widow and raise up children for his brother’s family line. # 22:24 See Deut. 25:5–10. 25Now, there was a family with seven brothers. The oldest got married but soon died, leaving his widow for his brother. 26The second brother married and also died, and the third also. This was repeated down to the seventh brother, 27when finally the woman also died. So here’s our dilemma: 28Which of the seven brothers will be the woman’s husband when she’s resurrected from the dead, since they all were once married to her?”
29Jesus answered them, “You are deluded, because your hearts are not filled with the revelation of the Scriptures or the power of God. 30For after the resurrection, men and women will not marry, just like the angels of heaven don’t marry. 31Haven’t you read what God said: 32‘I am the Living God, # 22:32 As translated from the Aramaic and implied in the Greek. the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.” # 22:32 The implication Jesus is making is that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were all alive (in glory) when God spoke to Moses in the burning bush. See Ex. 3:6.
33When the crowds heard this they were dazed and astonished over his teaching! # 22:33 As translated from the Hebrew Matthew. The Greek is “teaching.”
The Greatest Commandment
34When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they called a meeting to discuss how to trap Jesus. 35Then one of them, a religious scholar, posed this question to test him: 36“Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?”
37Jesus answered him, “ ‘Love # 22:37 The Hebrew Matthew is “worship,” also quoted as “worship” by Justin Martyr (ca. AD 165), First Apology XXI. the Lord your God with every passion of your heart, with all the energy of your being, and with every thought that is within you.’ # 22:37 Or “with all your mind.” See Deut. 6:5. 38This is the great and supreme commandment. 39And the second is like it in importance: ‘You must love your friend # 22:39 As translated from the Aramaic word kareb, which means “one who is close to you” (emotionally or by proximity). The Greek is “neighbor.” in the same way you love yourself.’ # 22:39 See Lev. 19:18. 40Contained within these commandments to love you will find all the meaning of the Law and the Prophets.”
Jesus, Son of David—Lord of David
41While all the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus took the opportunity to pose a question of his own: 42“What do you think about the Anointed One? Whose son is he?”
“The son of David,” they replied.
43Then Jesus said to them, “How is it that David, inspired by the Holy Spirit, could call his son the Lord? For didn’t he say:
44The Lord said to my Lord,
‘Sit beside me in the place of authority
until I subdue all your enemies under your feet’? # 22:44 See Ps. 110:1, which is the Old Testament passage of Scripture most often quoted in the New Testament.
45“So how could David call his own son ‘the Lord’?” # 22:45 As translated from the Aramaic. To those who insisted on only interpreting the Scriptures literally, Jesus was proving there was a deeper spiritual interpretation. To say the Messiah would be the Son of David means that the Anointed One would manifest the qualities and devotion that David walked in. A true “spiritual” son of David.
46No one could come up with an answer. And from that day on none of the Pharisees had the courage to question Jesus any longer.
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Matthew 22: TPT
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Learn More About The Passion TranslationMatthew 22
22
1And Jesus answering spoke to them again in parables, saying, 2The kingdom of the heavens has become like a king who made a wedding feast for his son, 3and sent his bondmen to call the persons invited to the wedding feast, and they would not come. 4Again he sent other bondmen, saying, Say to the persons invited, Behold, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and my fatted beasts are killed, and all things ready; come to the wedding feast. 5But they made light of it, and went, one to his own land, and another to his commerce. 6And the rest, laying hold of his bondmen, ill-treated and slew them. 7And when the king heard of it he was wroth, and having sent his forces, destroyed those murderers and burned their city. 8Then he says to his bondmen, The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy; 9go therefore into the thoroughfares of the highways, and as many as ye shall find invite to the wedding feast. 10And those bondmen went out into the highways, and brought together all as many as they found, both evil and good; and the wedding feast was furnished with guests. 11And the king, having gone in to see the guests, beheld there a man not clothed with a wedding garment. 12And he says to him, My friend, how camest thou in here not having on a wedding garment? But he was speechless. 13Then said the king to the servants, Bind him feet and hands, and take him away, and cast him out into the outer darkness: there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth. 14For many are called ones, but few chosen ones.
15Then went the Pharisees and held a council how they might ensnare him in speaking. 16And they send out to him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, Teacher, we know that thou art true and teachest the way of God in truth, and carest not for any one, for thou regardest not men's person; 17tell us therefore what thou thinkest: Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not? 18But Jesus, knowing their wickedness, said, Why tempt ye me, hypocrites? 19Shew me the money of the tribute. And they presented to him a denarius. 20And he says to them, Whose is this image and superscription? 21They say to him, Caesar's. Then he says to them, Pay then what is Caesar's to Caesar, and what is God's to God. 22And when they heard him, they wondered, and left him, and went away.
23On that day came to him Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection; and they demanded of him, 24saying, Teacher, Moses said, If any one die, not having children, his brother shall marry his wife and shall raise up seed to his brother. 25Now there were with us seven brethren; and the first having married died, and not having seed, left his wife to his brother. 26In like manner also the second and the third, unto the seven. 27And last of all the woman also died. 28In the resurrection therefore of which of the seven shall she be wife, for all had her? 29And Jesus answering said to them, Ye err, not knowing the scriptures nor the power of God. 30For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are as angels of God in heaven. 31But concerning the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read what was spoken to you by God, saying, 32I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not God of the dead, but of the living. 33And when the crowds heard it they were astonished at his doctrine.
34But the Pharisees, having heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, were gathered together. 35And one of them, a lawyer, demanded, tempting him, and saying, 36Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law? 37And he said to him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy understanding. 38This is the great and first commandment. 39And the second is like it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40On these two commandments the whole law and the prophets hang.
41And the Pharisees being gathered together, Jesus demanded of them, 42saying, What think ye concerning the Christ? whose son is he? They say to him, David's. 43He says to them, How then does David in Spirit call him Lord, saying, 44The Lord said to my Lord, Sit on my right hand until I put thine enemies under thy feet? 45If therefore David call him Lord, how is he his son? 46And no one was able to answer him a word, nor did any one dare from that day to question him any more.
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First published in 1890. This edition is maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.