Matthew, Chapter 22

Matt. 22:1-14 

            Matt. 22:1 "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."

            This passage of scripture is often referred to as the parable of the wedding feast.  We will begin by identifying the individuals in this parable.  The "Kingdom of heaven" is the church kingdom of Christ.  The "certain King" is God.  The "son" is Jesus Christ.  The "bride" is the "church."  Those first "bidden" were the Jews.  The "servants" were the gospel ministers.  The "armies" were the Roman army. "Their city" was Jerusalem.  The "dinner" is the gospel feast.  The "oxen and fatlings are killed" refers to Christ's sacrificial atonement on the cross.  "All things are ready" refers to the church being complete. 

            When a person enters into the church kingdom through water baptism, he identifies with the church and he becomes a part of the militant bride of Christ.  This marriage relationship between Christ and the church is set forth for us in Eph. 5:22, "Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. 24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. 25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. 28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. 29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church."

            "And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come."  The Lord first sent forth the apostles to preach the gospel of repentance throughout the country of Israel."  In essence, they were calling the bidden to the wedding feast.  The words, call and bidden, are translated from the same Greek word, "kaleo."  In other words, they were calling the called.  This indicates there are two callings.  The first calling is an effectual calling.  In this calling, Christ calls the elect to be born of the Spirit.  This calling is solely and totally the work of Christ.  The second calling is the calling of the gospel to repent and enter the gospel church.  All of the elect are called with the first calling.  This calling is irresistible. 

            The ones being called to repent and enter the gospel church are those already born of the Spirit of God and thus they already have eternal life before they hear the gospel.  When the apostles preached the gospel to the born again elect among the Jews, most of them made excuse as to why they could not or would not enter the gospel kingdom: "But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise."  In Luke we are told of their excuses: Luke 14:18, "And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused.  And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused.  And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come."  Truly, there are no legitimate excuses why a child of God should not repent and enter the gospel kingdom. 

            "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."  In addition to the apostles, the Lord sent 70 others to preach the gospel throughout the land of Israel: Luke 10:1 "After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come."  Likewise, most of the Jews did not respond to the preaching of these gospel ministers either.  

            The reaction of the majority of the Jews was to slay most of the servants that the Lord had sent forth: "And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them."  Ultimately, the Lord moved in judgment upon the nation of Israel around 70 A.D. and sent the Roman army to destroy the majority of the Jews and to burn up Jerusalem because of their wickedness:  "But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city." 

            Because of the Jews rejection of the gospel and their murder of the servants of the Lord, the Lord then sent the gospel to the Gentiles: "Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.  Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage."  Beginning with the house of Cornelius and his family and neighbors, detailed for us in Acts chapter 10, the gospel went forth to the Gentiles.  Many of the Gentiles repented and entered into the church kingdom.  They feasted at the wedding feast of the preaching of the gospel. 

            "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."  Certainly a pattern is established here that we should also follow in our day.  The Lord called his servants.  He then sent them forth and even told them where to go.  They went forth under the direction of the Lord and the Lord prospered their efforts and some of God's children entered into the gospel kingdom.  The Lord is still calling gospel ministers today.  He is still sending them forth to preach the gospel.  They are still going where the Lord bids them to go.  They are dependant on the Lord prospering their efforts.  As the Lord prospers their efforts some of God's children enter into the gospel kingdom.

            "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."  There are certain requirements for a child of God to meet before he can partake of the wedding feast.  He must humble himself and repent and believe the gospel.  In his belief system, he must believe that he is made righteous only through the shed blood of Christ and not by his own works.  Thus, he must be clothed with humility and with the imputed righteousness of Christ.  This is the wedding garment he must wear to be a part of the militant gospel kingdom on earth.  If he is full of pride or if he believes himself to be righteous through his own efforts or deeds, then, he does not have on the proper wedding apparel. 

             A person full of pride and self-righteous is blind to the truth of salvation by grace and to the true church of Christ.  He dwells in outer darkness.  He does not see his own exceeding sinfulness and his own depravity.  He does not see that only Christ could make him righteous. 

            "For many are called, but few are chosen."  All of the elect are called by the effectual calling of Christ into eternal life.  Many of the elect are called by the gospel to repent and be baptized and press into the gospel kingdom.  However, only a few of the elect obey the gospel by repenting and being baptized.  These few are chosen to carry on the true worship and service of God in the gospel kingdom here on earth. 

Matt. 22:15-22 

            Matt. 22:15 "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 Show 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."

            The Pharisees and the Herodians had plotted together how they might entangle Jesus in his words and thus bring a charge against him.  The Pharisees were Jewish religious legalists.  While they were self-righteous, they also viewed themselves as being experts on the Jewish laws and customs.  The Herodians were followers of King Herod, who was appointed King over Judah, by Caesar, the Roman emperor.   Their question, "Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?" was designed to bring forth an accusation against Jesus regardless of how he answered, or so they thought.  They expected a yes or no answer.  If the Lord said yes, then the Pharisees were prepared to declare Jesus to be disloyal to the nation of Israel and thus to the kingdom of God.  If the Lord said no, then the Herodians were prepared to bring accusation against Jesus under Roman law that Jesus was promoting rebellion against Rome. 

            In bringing their question before Jesus, the Pharisees and the Herodians used flattery and hypocrisy.  They did not believe that Jesus was God or that he was sent by God.  They posed their question using flattery in an attempt to make Jesus think that they believed him to be a man of God: "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."  Their flattery showed that they neither believed him to be the Son of God, but also was a mockery against him.  However, Jesus being the Son of God and knowing all things knew what they were trying to do and knew their flattery and hypocrisy: "But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites?"

            God is far wiser than any and all men.  He knew their falsehood and he knew how to make them look foolish "because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men (1 Cor. 1:25)."  God answered the hypocrites with: "Show me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny.  And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription?  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."  Thus God answered the hypocrisy of the Pharisees and the Herodians and at the same time taught his people that we have responsibility to God to render to him the things of God in his kingdom.  We also have responsibility to governments to render unto Caesar the things which are Casesar's. 

            "When they had heard these words, they marvelled, and left him, and went their way."  They thought they had the Lord trapped, yet he was far wiser than they. 

Matt. 22:23-33 

            Matt. 22:23 "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."

            The Lord had put to silence the Pharisees and the Herodians along with their hypocrisy.  Now it was the Sadducees turn.  The Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection of the dead.  They believed that they could rationalize through their example that it would be against the laws of God to have a resurrection of the dead.  The Sadducees rationalized from an Old Testament commandment:  Deu. 25:5 "If brethren dwell together, and one of them die, and have no child, the wife of the dead shall not marry without unto a stranger: her husband's brother shall go in unto her, and take her to him to wife, and perform the duty of an husband's brother unto her. 6 And it shall be, that the firstborn which she beareth shall succeed in the name of his brother which is dead, that his name be not put out of Israel."  They rationalized that if a woman married seven brothers and she had no children by any of them, then, whom would she be married to in the resurrection.  They used this rationalization to deny the resurrection of the dead. 

            The Lord answered their rationalization by showing them the error of their thinking: "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."  Relationships that grow out of marriage are earthly relationships and do not go into heaven.  Marriage is for us here on earth.  In heaven we will not marry not be given in marriage.  Thus we will not know people in heaven as husband or wife, or as father or mother, or as son or daughter.  We will know all of the children of God as brothers in Christ.

            Second, the Sadducees did not know the power of God.  Using fleshly logic, we cannot understand such great power and wisdom that it takes to raise one from the dead, yet just because we cannot understand it does not mean it is not so.  The same God who created the universe and everything therein will also use that same power and wisdom to raise the dead.  Furthermore, the Lord used the scriptures to show the Sadducees that there is taught therein 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."  Thus the scriptures teach the resurrection of the dead. 

            "And when the multitude heard this, they were astonished at his doctrine."  Truly, the resurrection of the dead is an astonishing doctrine.  Yet it is quite true and cause of great rejoicing on the part of God's children. 

Matt. 22:34-40 

            Matt. 22:34 "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."

            After the Lord had answered the questions of the Pharisees and Herodians and of the Sadducees, the Pharisees came again to ask another question of the Lord.  This question was designed in an attempt to deny the Lord's wisdom.  There were many laws and commandments in the Old Testament.  When there are many options to choose from then arguments can be made as to the superiority of which is more important or greater.  The Pharisees had enlisted a lawyer to ask the question.  Lawyers are generally quite capable in their ability to argue.  The Pharisees thought that if they could get the Lord to point out one particular commandment as being the greatest, then the lawyer could argue that another commandment was the greater and thus overthrow the perceived wisdom of the Lord.  However, the Lord knows all things and he knows the craftiness of man.  His wisdom is far greater than the combined wisdom of all men.  \

            The Lord pointed out the two greatest commandments in the law and showed that all the laws and commandments and prophets were founded upon these two great commandments.  No argument or rationale can overthrow what the Lord said. 

Matt. 22:41-46 

            Matt. 22:41 "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 Pharisees thought they could trip up the Lord in answering their crafty questions.  After they had asked their questions, the Lord ask them two question.  They were not able to reconcile the second question with their answer to the first question.  The truth is they answered the first question correctly.  The Lord according to the flesh is the decendent or son of David.  What the Pharisees either could not or would not answer or accept is that the Lord is also the Son of God and therefore the Lord of David.  If they confessed the Lord to be the Son of God, then all their crafty questions and actions were exposed and they must admit that the Lord is whom he said he was. 

            In asking these two questions, the Lord put to silence the foolish questions of foolish men: "And no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions."