Matthew Chapter Twenty-Two
The Parable of the Wedding Feast
22:1 And again Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying, 2 “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son, 3 and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come.
Jesus proceeds to tell His third and final parable demonstrating just how far the Jewish leadership has moved away from God and His ways (first parable began with Matthew 21:28). Perhaps to clarify who He is talking about, Jesus introduces the parable as being about the “kingdom of heaven.”
Because most Jews believed that the kingdom of heaven was reserved exclusively for them, and possibly a few Gentile proselytes, the audience in the Temple immediately knew that what Jesus was going to say closely applied to them.
Although they had many perverted ideas about the kingdom of heaven, because the term heaven was so often used as a substitute for the covenant name of God (Yahweh, or Jehovah), most Jews would have understood that it was synonymous with the kingdom of God and represented the realm of God’s sovereign rule.[1]
Using the example of a classic wedding feast,[2] Jesus illustrates their cold and indifferent attitudes towards serving God through their lack of interest or desire to attend. In this parable the King represents God the Father, the Son of course needs no introduction (being Jesus Himself) and the invited are those in the line of Israel, the Jews. The servants would be people like Moses and other Old Testament writers and prophets, We further read that none of the invited guests, referring to the Jews, were interested or concerned about attending the wedding feast for the King’s Son.
22:4 Again he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.” ’ 5 But they paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, 6 while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them.
The King sent other servants to remind those that have been invited that it was nearing the time for the wedding feast. The meal was ready, the oxen and calves have been slaughtered and all that remained was for the guests to show up. But still there was no interest. Jesus adds that many of the servants were persecuted and some killed. He was making a reference to their long history of disobedience and deplorable handling of many of the prophets sent by God.
22:7 The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. 8 Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy. 9 Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.’ 10 And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests.
The wedding feast was to be a blessing to the people of Israel, but instead they rejected the invitation and refused to attend. The King became angry and sent His troops and destroyed the murders and burned their city. While one could use several examples of past history before Jesus spoke this parable, it appears that Jesus was pointing to a future series of events, the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple in the year of 70 A.D.
The King sends out His servants again, except this time He tells them to go to the main roads and invite as many as they can find. All were now invited to attend as the opportunity for salvation was opened to all. The servants went out and gathered all they could find. The wedding hall became filled with guests. It is interesting to note that Jesus added, “both bad and good,” a statement that acknowledges that corruption will indeed enter the church.[3]
22:11 “But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. 12 And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ 14 For many are called, but few are chosen.”
When the King joined the guests He sees a man without a wedding garment, who is then bound and thrown out into the outer darkness. This seems by many to be an overreaction, however, when we remember that Jesus is comparing this feast with the Kingdom of Heaven we can recognize that the wedding garment represents the righteousness obtained from and through Jesus. If someone attempts to enter heaven without Jesus, perhaps feeling they are righteous enough to be there on their own merits, they cannot enter heaven. Those that will not accept the righteousness offered by God (the context implies that the king would freely offer and provide the wedding garments) will be thrown into the outer darkness (hell) where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.[4]
Much of the Jewish leadership, and certainly the Pharisees, saw no need for Jesus as they were convinced that their righteousness was sufficient for them to enter heaven without His help. Even today some believe that since they are “good people” that they, like the leaders and people Jesus is talking to, have no need to accept the free offer of salvation provided by Him.
The parable’s message can certainly be applied today, the servants would be those God has called to spread the gospel, essentially being all Christians (see Matthew 28:18-20). The invited guests would by those who have heard the gospel message but have chosen to reject the invite to salvation.
Jesus concludes the parable by saying, “many are called, but few are chosen.” Even though the Greek word ‘eklektoi’,[5] translated here as ‘chosen’, can be translated in several ways including ‘select’ (for example, making the verse read something like, “for many are invited but few have accepted the invitation”), this word, seen for the first time in the New Testament, is widely accepted to refer to the concept of ‘Election’, also known as ‘Predestination’.
Considerations
As previously discussed,[6] Christians often do not always agree on what is considered Christian doctrine. There are very few subjects in theology that are more divisive than the topic of election and predestination. In its simplest form predestination is the belief that the “end point” in life has been established, predetermined. On one end of the argument is the belief that God determines where someone ends up (being elected, chosen by God) while others believe in absolute free will (the person is able to decide). Through the years various ‘theologies’ have been proposed embracing nearly every variant between these two points. Due to this subject being so contentious, positions are often ‘emotionally’ defended and rarely investigated through the Word of God. A Bible study of predestination and election is included in Appendix 3.
Paying Taxes to Caesar
[Text parallels Mark 12:13-17 and Luke 20:20-26]
22:15 Then the Pharisees went and plotted how to entangle him in his words. 16 And they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are true and teach the way of God truthfully, and you do not care about anyone’s opinion, for you are not swayed by appearances.
Undoubtedly still concerned not to take any direct action against Jesus due to His popularity,[7] the Pharisees again attempt to trap Him (see Mark 12:13). If they can get Him to say something against Rome, they would be able to have Him arrested and killed for inciting an insurrection all without being identified as the instigators. To further minimize being affiliated with this plot, the Pharisees send their disciples (see Mark 2:18) who would likely appear less ornately dressed than the Pharisees. Oddly, they appear to be joining efforts with the Herodians. There is little known about the Herodians other than, as implied by their name, supporters of being ruled locally by the Herod family. Believed to have started, or at least strongly encouraged during Herod the Great’s rule, it appears that some of the Herodians may have received favorable political appointments in the Roman government. With the line of Herods being Idumean[8] and not Jewish, the Pharisees would have little interest in joint efforts, except perhaps to bring down a mutual enemy. The Herodians likely saw Jesus as a threat to their way of life as well (see Mark 3:6; 8:15).
Perhaps hoping that Jesus would enjoy and revel in a statement of admiration and say something without guarding how He responds to a question, they first offer a three-fold compliment: 1) they call Him ’Teacher’, a term of endearment and respect; 2) they know Him to be true and teach the way of God truthfully; and 3) that He does not care[9] about man’s opinion, one who is not swayed by the reaction of those listening. The compliments, while true, would not have been honestly offered. Providing another reason why the Pharisees likely sent their disciples, as this statement is contrary to their beliefs and therefore no self-respecting Pharisee would ever agree to publicly compliment Jesus in this manner. Although the Pharisees appear to have been present or at least nearby (see verse 34).
22:17 Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” 18 But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why put me to the test, you hypocrites? 19 Show me the coin for the tax.” And they brought him a denarius. 20 And Jesus said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” 21 They said, “Caesar’s.” Then he said to them, “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” 22 When they heard it, they marveled. And they left him and went away.
Continuing in their attempt to flatter Jesus, they now ask Him to offer His opinion on an important matter. They ask, “Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” The Greek word translated as ‘lawful’, is ‘exestin’[10], meaning possible, a moral possibility, can also be translated as being right or allowed. We might call this today a “trick question,” as a straight ‘yes’ or ‘no’ could incite trouble (a response of ‘yes’ would alienate the people and a ’no’ would be public statement against Rome). Knowing their malice (Greek ‘ponērian’,[11] evil disposition) Jesus exposes them by asking, “Why put me to the test, you hypocrites?” He asks them to show Him the coin that is to be used to pay the tax, so they brought Him a denarius.[12] Jesus then asks whose image and inscription is on the coin and they answered, “Caesar’s.” Jesus answers their question by concluding, therefore give to Caesar those things that belong to Caesar and give to God those things that are God’s. An answer that favorably satisfies everyone! Astonished by His answer, they knew they would not be able to get Jesus to say anything that He could be arrested for, so the disciples of the Pharisees and the Herodians left.
Sadducees Test Jesus Regarding Resurrection
[Text parallels Mark 12:18-27 and Luke 20:27-40]
22:23 The same day Sadducees came to him, who say that there is no resurrection, and they asked him a question, 24 saying, “Teacher, Moses said, ‘If a man dies having no children, his brother must marry the widow and raise up offspring for his brother.’ 25 Now there were seven brothers among us. The first married and died, and having no offspring left his wife to his brother. 26 So too the second and third, down to the seventh. 27 After them all, the woman died. 28 In the resurrection, therefore, of the seven, whose wife will she be? For they all had her.”
Almost as if the Sadducees were patiently waiting on the sidelines ready to challenge Jesus, they approach Him with another question after the Herodians and the disciples of the Pharisees left. Note that Matthew first points out that the Sadducees do not believe in the resurrection of the dead[13] (see also Acts 23:8) and since the question they are going ask is about the resurrection, he is alerting his readers that this is another attempt to ‘trick’ Jesus. The question involves the law of levirate marriage[14] addressing the scenario of when a son of a family that has at least two married sons dies without having any son of their own, the other son is to take the wife of his brother as his own wife in order to perpetuate the brother’s name (see Deuteronomy 25:5-10). The question applies this levirate process to the wife of the first son that died all the way through to the seventh son. Since that wife would have been married to all seven brothers, the question presented to Jesus was whose wife would she be in the resurrection?
22:29 But Jesus answered them, “You are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God. 30 For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. 31 And as for the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was said to you by God: 32 ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not God of the dead, but of the living.” 33 And when the crowd heard it, they were astonished at his teaching.
Jesus quickly tells them that they are wrong due to their ignorance of God’s Word and their inability to comprehend the power of God (not recognizing that God is omnipotent). Even though verse 30 is often misunderstood and misapplied, it is actually straightforward. We need to understand that after the resurrection, life for believers will be as God originally intended before sin.
The relationship of marriage is beautiful and divinely ordained, but it is an entirely earthly and temporal institution. Sexual relationships, reproduction, and childbirth have no place in heaven, because there is no death there and no new life born as there is on earth. Nor will there will be any exclusive relationships in heaven, because everyone will be perfectly and intimately related to everyone else, including to the living God Himself.[15]
Jesus further explains that believers at that time will be like (Greek ‘hōs’,[16] similar, sometimes or in some way equivalent) the angels, being eternal without death, equally spiritual and glorified. Jesus then turns to the subject regarding the primary reason the Sadducees don’t believe in the resurrection, their inability to accept the fact that God is omnipotent and that He has the power and ability to resurrect people. Jesus asks if they had not read in Scripture where God states that He is the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. An identity that connects Him to being the God of the Israelites, the God of the Scriptures and the God that promises life after death. Perhaps to emphasize that last part, Jesus clearly states that God is not God of the dead, but is the God of the living. God indeed has the power to change earthly, sin-infected and corrupt (even dead) human bodies into God-glorified sin-free living heavenly bodies.
The crowd was astonished (Greek ‘ekeplēssonto’,[17] being knocked out of one’s senses, struck with amazement) by Jesus’ teaching.
Considerations
Jesus identified two barriers that prevented the Sadducees from knowing the truth. Namely ignorance of Scripture and a viewpoint that limited God’s ability. Sadly, both of these barriers affect Christianity today. As discussed before, many Christians have not been taught the Word of God, nor are they encouraged to learn.[18] The apostle Paul made it clear that God gave “the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.” (Ephesians 4:11-16) The job of the church, pastors (Latin for shepherd) and teachers is to equip believers (saints) for the work of the ministry. If a Christian only has limited knowledge of Jesus they will not likely reach spiritual maturity and will be tossed by the waves of deceit and carried by every changing wind of doctrine, making them essentially useless as believers. Christians need to know and grow, a process that never ends.
The second issue has tainted many theologians and their theologies long before Jesus was born. It appears that man loves to limit God to be and do only as man can be and do. If one truly believes that God can create something from nothing as Scripture teaches, then they should also believe that He can do anything including resurrect the dead. God is omnipotent and not limited to our understanding of what is and what is not possible. A good “rule of thumb” to remember would be if we can understand everything about God, then that God is too small to save us. The apostle Paul would remind us, “But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?” (Romans 9:20) The simple truth is that the clay that is being molded cannot know or understand the molder, there is too big of a gap between them. Thanks be to God that He lovingly provided everything we need to know about Him in the written Word of God, the Bible. Which brings us back to knowing Scripture, we need to take the time to study the Bible, grow closer to Him and as we mature in the Word, go and tell others about God and His amazing plan for salvation.
Pharisees Test Asking About The Great Commandment
[Text parallels Mark 12:28-34]
22:34 But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. 35 And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. 36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”
After seeing how Jesus quickly silenced (Greek ‘ephimōsen’,[19]to muzzle) the Sadducees, the Pharisees gathered together, undoubtedly to confer with each other to devise another test for Jesus. This time they send a lawyer (Greek ‘nomikos’,[20] one skilled in the law, considered experts of the Torah) to test Him. The lawyer asks, “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus responds with two commandments, the first from Deuteronomy 6:5 and the second from Leviticus 19:18.
Some may be confused as to why Jesus did not choose one of the Ten Commandments. The Biblical text actually refers to them as the “Ten Words” (or ‘Decalogue’ in the Greek). The identification, or naming, of these ten ‘words’ as the “Ten Commandments” first appeared in the 1560 Geneva Bible. Most consider the Ten Commandments to be a summary, or perhaps better stated, the ‘heart’ of God’s Law. In both Christianity and Judaism, the Ten Commandments are considered the supreme precepts of the Torah. First, these commandments are fundamental with far-reaching and important influence in all of human civilization and history. Secondly, the Ten Commandments are considered supreme by the awe-inspiring manner God revealed them. Where amid thunder and lightning and the sounding of the trumpet, amid flames of fire that enveloped the smoking mountain, God’s loud thunderous voice pronounced the words, which from that day on have been the guide of conduct to mankind (see Exodus 19:16-20:21). While these ten are indeed important and considered supreme, God’s Law actually contains several hundred commandments. Here Jesus identifies two of those commandments and elevates them above the Ten Commandments.
Jesus points out that the most important commandment in God’s law is to love the LORD (the four-letter Hebrew ‘tetragrammaton’ name of God is used in Deuteronomy 6:5) your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. The verse in Deuteronomy states “with all your might,” or strength which is included in Mark’s account (see Mark 12:30). Some consider the omission an error, however, considering that to love someone requires total commitment, desire, and dedication, all being mental in nature, that loving someone with all our minds would be the natural manifestation of loving with all our might.
The second most important commandment is to love our neighbors just as we love ourselves. Sadly, instead of embracing what Jesus is asking believers to do, some prefer to debate the definition of ‘neighbor’. The Hebrew word translated in Leviticus 19:18 as ‘neighbor’ is ‘rē’ǎ’[21] which is not very specific, it simply means another person, anyone from a friend to an enemy. Understanding that hating someone is contrary to God’s desire for all Christians, loving everyone else unconditionally is what the commandment is instructing. The apostle Paul identifies the type of love Christians should have for others in 1 Corinthians 13:1-13. However, when closely examined one can see that the love Paul describes is not humanly possible without God’s help through the Holy Spirit. That unnatural love will shine brightly in a dark world showing that Christians are truly followers of Jesus. “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34-35)
Jesus then concludes His answer by saying, “On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” The Greek word translated as ‘depend’ is ‘krematai’[22] means to hang or suspend. Jesus is saying that the entire Law (first five books of the Bible) and all the words of the prophets of God point to love. God’s love for humanity is beyond comprehension,[23] instead of deserting mankind He sent His Son to die for all people.
Considerations
God created man with the ability to choose who and what they love. This should not be surprising as He is the ultimate example of love, as demonstrated in the words, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16) The command stated in Deuteronomy tells us that we should return that love, even though stated as a command, this requirement is still optional. For the Israelite, long before Jesus was born, they could either obey God and follow the law’s rules and regulations, or not obey. If they complied with the law, but did not desire to serve God in their heart, they were essentially wasting their time, as God told them, “For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.” (Hosea 6:6, also quoted by Jesus, see Matthew 9:13; 12:7, see also 1 Samuel 15:22) For those of us who live after God offered salvation through His Son Jesus, the choice of rejecting God and His plan is still optional today. Even though those that chose to not trust God in the Old Testament, thus rejecting the promise of the coming Messiah, and those that reject Jesus as their Savior as recorded in the New Testament, will face eternal damnation, the choice remains theirs, they can still choose. Perhaps the most important aspect to remember in our relationship with God is that love cannot be faked, He always knows the truth. Going through the motions (such as attending a church or acting godly) is no replacement for loving God. If God is our primary priority, above everything, and everyone else in life, He promises to, and will, handle the rest.
Some have difficulty with the concept of love being ‘commanded’, since love is considered to be an emotional state of mind that produces affection and therefore cannot be ‘commanded’. It has been argued that in this context, the love that is being referenced is not so much an emotion, but as a behavior that is “becoming to love,” referring to loyalty and obedience. The truth is, God offered “His all” for “their all,” and He is asking that they fully trust and have faith in Him, as He would handle all of their other concerns in life. In the same way, Jesus desires believers to love Him and have trust and faith in Him in all aspects of their lives. The Apostle John would remind us that, “We love because he first loved us.” (1 John 4:19). Therefore, it’s not as much a command as it is a desire.
Whose Son Is the Christ?
[Text parallels Mark 12:35-37 and Luke 20:41-44]
22:41 Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question, 42 saying, “What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is he?” They said to him, “The son of David.” 43 He said to them, “How is it then that David, in the Spirit, calls him Lord, saying, 44 “ ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet” ’? 45 If then David calls him Lord, how is he his son?” 46 And no one was able to answer him a word, nor from that day did anyone dare to ask him any more questions.
After answering the lawyer’s question Jesus now has a couple of questions for the Pharisees to answer. He first asks, whose son is the Christ?[24] They answer, “The son of David,” being a well-known Messianic title[25] (which nearly any Jew at that time could answer). Jesus then asks how could David write: “The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet”? If then David calls him Lord, how is he his son?” Before proceeding we need to note two things: 1) Jesus identifies that David’s authority and inspiration to write this verse (quoted from Psalm 110:1) came from the Holy Spirit; and 2) the Bible teaches that the superior (or older) person is the one that blesses the inferior (or younger) person. “It is beyond dispute that the inferior is blessed by the superior.” (Hebrews 7:7) If David calls his son ‘Lord’ he would be identifying his son as being superior to him, which appears to be contrary to that understanding. The text doesn’t tell us how the Pharisees reacted other than no one was able to answer His question, and from that time on no one dared to ask Him any more questions.
Why were they not able to answer that question? They missed the context of the verse. The text from Psalm 110:1 reads, “The LORD says to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.” Note the use of the Tetragrammaton, the first ‘LORD’ is God and He is talking to His Son Jesus (see 1 Corinthians 15:20-28; Ephesians 1:15-23; Hebrews 2:5-9; 10:12-14; 1 Peter 3:18-22) who is both the Son of God and in the lineage of David.
⇐Previous Chapter (Introduction/Index) Next Chapter⇒
[1] MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (1985). Matthew (Vol. 3, p. 305). Chicago: Moody Press.
[2] See Appendix 7 - "A Galilean Wedding" for additional information regarding how Jesus taught using local Galilean customs.
[3] See commentary under Matthew 13:33 regarding the Parable of the Hidden Leaven and the Considerations under Mathew 16:5-12 regarding "How Does God’s Word Get Corrupted?"
[4] See commentary and Considerations under Matthew 8:5-13.
[5] Strong’s Greek 1588.
[6] See Considerations under Matthew 16:20 regarding “Vectors and Polarizations.”
[7] See commentary under Matthew 19:3-9.
[8] See the commentary under Matthew 2:1-6 and the Considerations under Matthew 2:7-12 regarding the Herod family.
[9] Strong’s Greek 3199, ‘mílei’, not concerned.
[10] Strong’s Greek 1832.
[11] Strong’s Greek 4189.
[12] See commentary under Matthew 17:24-27; 18:23-35.
[13] See commentary under Matthew 3:7-10 and the Considerations under Matthew 3:11-12 regarding the "Pharisees" and "Sadducees."
[14] A Latin term meaning “husband’s brother,” or brother-in-law, the word is not associated with Levi, the tribe of Levi, Leviticus or the Levitical priesthood. See also commentary under Matthew 1:12-16.
[15] MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (1985). Matthew (Vol. 3, p. 332). Chicago: Moody Press.
[16] Strong’s Greek 5613.
[17] Strong’s Greek 1605.
[18] See commentary under Matthew 7:6, 15-20, 21-23 and Considerations under Matthew 7:15-20 and Matthew 11:18-19.
[19] Strong’s Greek 5392.
[20] Strong’s Greek 3544.
[21] Strong’s Hebrew 7453.
[22] Strong’s Greek 2910.
[23] See Considerations under Matthew 20:1-16 titled “The Sovereignty of God.”
[24] See Considerations under Matthew 1:17 titled “Not a Last Name.”
[25] See commentary under Matthew 1:1; Matthew 20:29-34 and Matthew 21:14-17. See also Considerations under Matthew 1:17 titled “Gospel Genealogy Overview.”