Matthew 22
The Parable of the Marriage Feast of the King’s Son (22:1–14)
1 Jesus answered and spoke to them again in parables and said, 2 “The kingdom of the heavens is comparable to a certain king who gave a wedding feast for his son. 3 He sent out his servants to call those who had been invited to the wedding feast, and they did not want to come. 4 Again he sent out other servants saying, ‘Tell those who have been invited, Behold, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and my fattened livestock have been butchered and everything is ready; come to the wedding feast.’ 5 But they did not care and went away: one to his own farm, and another to his business, 6 and the remainder seized his servants and mistreated them and killed them. 7 But the king was enraged, and he sent his armies and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. 8 Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. 9 Therefore go into the streets, and as many as you find, invite them to the wedding feast.’ 10 And those servants went out into the streets and gathered together all they found, both evil and good; and the wedding hall was filled with guests. 11 When the king came in to observe the guests, he saw a man there who was not wearing the wedding garment. 12 And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here not wearing the wedding garment?’ The man was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, and throw 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.’”
A Challenge by the Herodians:
Is it Lawful to Pay Taxes to Caesar? (22:15–22)
15 Then the Pharisees went and plotted how they might trap him in teaching. 16 They sent out their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are truthful and teach the way of God in truth, and make deference to no one; for you are not partial to anyone. 17 Tell us then, what do you think? Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not?” 18 But Jesus perceived their malice, and said, “You hypocrites, why are you testing me? 19 Show me the coin used for tribute.” They brought him a silver [Roman] coin, 20 and he said to them, “Whose image and inscription is this?” 21 They said to him, “Caesar’s.” He replied, “Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s; and to God the things that are God’s.” 22 And when they heard this, they were amazed. And after leaving him, they went away.
A Challenge by the Sadducees:
Whose Wife Will a Remarried Woman Be in the Resurrection? (22:23–33)
23 On that day, some Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus and questioned him, 24 asking, “Teacher, Moses said, ‘If a man dies having no children, his brother as next of kin will marry his wife, and will raise up children for his brother.’ 25 Now there were seven brothers with us; and the first married and died, and having no children left his wife to his brother. 26 So also the second, and the third, until the seventh. 27 Then last of all, the woman died. 28 In the resurrection, whose wife of the seven will she be, for they all married her?” 29 Jesus answered and said to them, “You are mistaken, not understanding the scriptures nor the power of God. 30 For in the resurrection itself they neither marry nor are given in marriage, and so those people will be as angels in heaven. 31 But regarding the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God: 32 ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’ [Ex. 3:6]? God is not the God of the dead but of the living.” 33 When the crowds heard him, they were astonished at his teaching.
The Pharisees Challenge Again:
Which Is the Greatest Commandment in the Law? (22:34–40)
34 When the Pharisees heard that Jesus silenced the Sadducees, they gathered themselves together. 35 Then one of them who was a lawyer asked him a question, testing him, 36 “Teacher, what is the great commandment in the law?” 37 And Jesus said to him, “‘You will love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind’ [Deut. 6:5]. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 The second is like it: ‘You will love your neighbor as yourself’ [Lev. 19:18]. 40 All the books in the Torah and of the Prophets are developments of these two commandments.”
Jesus Asks a Question: Whose Son Is the Messiah? (22:41–46)
Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, saying, “What do you think about the Messiah; whose son is he?” They said to him, “The Son of David.” 43 He said, “Then how does David in spirit call him Lord, saying, 44 ‘The Lord said to my Lord, sit on my right hand, until I put your enemies beneath your feet’ [Ps. 110:1]? 45 If David then calls him Lord, how is the Lord David’s son?” 46 No one was able to answer the question; nor did anyone, any longer and from that day forward, dare ask him another question.
