The Gospel According to Matthew

Chapter 22

The parable of the marriage of the king's son, 1-8. The vocation of the Gentiles, 9-11. The punishment of him who wanted the wedding garment, 12-14. Tribute ought to be paid to Caesar, 15-22. Christ disproves the Sadducees for the resurrection, 23-33; answers the lawyer, which is the first and great commandment, 34-40; and puzzles the Pharisees with a question about the Messiah, 41-46.

1 And Jesus answered and spoke to them again by parables, and said, 2 "The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who made a marriage for his son, 3 And sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding, but they would not come. 4 Again, he sent other servants, saying, 'Tell those who are invited, "Behold, I have prepared my dinner. My oxen and my fattened calves are killed and all things are ready. Come to 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, treated them spitefully, and slew them. 7 But when the king heard of it, he was angry and he sent his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. 8 Then he says to his servants, 'The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. 9 Therefore, go into the highways, and as many as you shall find, invite to the marriage.' 10 So those servants went out into the highways and collected 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 who did not have a wedding-garment, 12 And he says to him, 'Friend, how did you come in here, not having a wedding-garment?' And he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the servants, 'Bind him hand and foot and take him away and cast him into utter 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 trap him in his words. 16 And they sent their disciples out to him along with the Herodians, saying, "Master, we know that you are true and teach the way of God in truth, neither do you care for any man, for you do not regard the person of men. 17 Tell us therefore, what do you think? Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not?" 18 But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, "Why do you test me, you hypocrites? 19 Show me the tribute-money." And they brought a denarius to him. 20 And he says to them, "Whose image and superscription is this?" 21 They say to him, "Caesar's." Then he says to them, "Render therefore to Caesar the things which are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." 22 When they had heard these words, they marveled. Then they left him and departed.

23 The same day the Sadducees came to him, who say that there is no resurrection, and asked him, 24 Saying, "Master, Moses said, 'If a man dies, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife and raise up children for his brother.' 25 Now there were with us seven brothers. The first, when he had married a wife, died, and having no children, left his wife to his brother; 26 Likewise, the second also, and the third, to the seventh. 27 And last of all the woman also died. 28 Therefore, in the resurrection, whose wife shall she be of the seven? For they all had her."

29 Jesus answered and said to them, "You 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 concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you not read that which was spoken to you by God, saying, 32 'I am 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." 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 assembled around him. 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 to him, "'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' 40 All the law and the prophets hang on these two commandments."

41 While the Pharisees were assembled, Jesus asked them, 42 Saying, "What do you think of Christ? Whose son is he?" They say to him, "The son of David." 43 He says to them, "How then does David in the Spirit call him Lord, saying,

44 'The LORD said to my Lord,/
"Sit on my right hand/
until I make your enemies your footstool for your feet"
'?

45 "If David then calls him Lord, how is he his son?" 46 And no man was able to answer him a word, neither did any man dare from that day forth to ask him any more questions.

Commentary

Matthew Henry Commentary - Matthew, Chapter 22[➚]

Notes

[v.1-14] - Gospel Link: Luke 14:16-24.

[v.11-13] - From the Jamieson-Fauset-Brown Bible Commentary: "The custom in the East of presenting festival garments (see Genesis 45:22; 2nd Kings 5:22), even though not clearly proved, is certainly presupposed here. It undoubtedly means something which they bring not of their own—for how could they have any such dress who were gathered in from the highways indiscriminately?—but which they receive as their appropriate dress. And what can that be but what is meant by 'putting on the Lord Jesus,' as 'The Lord Our Righteousness?' (See Psalm 45:13-14)." From the Pulpit Commentary: "He knew he was without excuse. He knew the laws of the feast; he knew that the wedding-garment was provided, and he neglected to put it on. So shall it be in the great day of judgment with all those who had the opportunity to know God's will, but who neglected to do it."

[v.15-22] - Gospel Link: Mark 12:13-17; Luke 20:20-26.

[v.16] - "you do not regard the person of men" - Reference, Deuteronomy 10:17; 2nd Chronicles 19:7; Job 34:19; Luke 20:21; Acts 10:34; Romans 2:11; Galatians 2:6; Ephesians 6:9; Colossians 3:25; 1st Peter 1:17.

[v.23-33] - Gospel Link: Mark 12:18-27; Luke 20:27-39.

[v.24] - Quoting Deuteronomy 25:5.

[v.32] - Quoting Exodus 3:6 (LXX).

[v.34-40] - Gospel Link: Mark 12:28-31. See also Luke 10:25-28.

[v.37] - Quoting Deuteronomy 6:5. See also Deuteronomy 10:12.

[v.39] - Quoting Leviticus 19:18 (LXX).

[v.41-45] - Gospel Link: Mark 12:35-37; Luke 20:41-44.

[v.44] - Quoting Psalm 110:1 (LXX).

[v.46] - Gospel Link: Luke 20:40.

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