Matthew, chapter 22, comments

 

Matthew 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 parable could be a reference to the promised marriage supper of the Lamb in Heaven where the bride of Christ, the church, the body of believers, is called.

 

Revelation 19:9  And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God..

 

As Paul refers to the church as Christ’s bride.

 

2 Corinthians 11:2  For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

 

This union with Christ was offered to the Jews first but they refused. As the passage here in Matthew underscores they even murdered some of the prophets God sent.

 

John 1:11  He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

 

And the call to enter into God’s kingdom was extended to the farthest reaches of the earth.

 

Matthew 8:11  And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. 12  But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

 

In this passage we see God’s wrath on those who would reject His offer of amnesty.

 

John 3:36  He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

 

We also possibly see a reference to the tares, the false Christians, who will be rooted out of God’s kingdom at the end which we saw in the previous parable of the tares and the wheat. Please look over the parable of the tares and the wheat in Matthew, chapter 13.

 

First, Christ is our righteousness;

 

1 Corinthians 1:30  But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:

 

Note this verse in Revelation;

 

Revelation 19:8  And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

 

This person who is not clothed properly is either a type of the false Christian or a type of the Beast of Revelation, as some say. I think it is a reference to the false Christian. But, it also could be a reference to Judas as a false follower of Christ, as some would put it. I’m sticking with a type of the false Christian who will be ripped out at the end.

 

For verse 14 there are several references that bear investigating. Note the contexts of the following;

 

Matthew 7:13  Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 14  Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

 

Matthew 20:16  So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.

 

I had noted in my comments on that passage;

 

“Some are called in youth and some at various stages of life but all are called, and few will receive Christ and everlasting life. Those who will are chosen. God’s foreknowledge knows everyone that will accept Christ as their Saviour and God chooses those who will. On one side of heaven’s metaphorical door it could say, ‘whosoever will’ and on the other side, ‘Chosen from the foundation of the world.’”

 

In this context, though, it appears to be Christ choosing only the genuine convert and not someone just mouthing a 1-2-3 repeat after me prayer with no root of belief and faith in their heart of hearts.

 

Matthew 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  Shew 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, the religious conservative elite, want to trip Christ up so that He can be lawfully taken out of circulation. The Herodians were a pro-Herod and his dynasty political party. They seem be in concord with the Pharisees in their wish for Jewish independence from Rome. Taking a piece of money minted by the state and bearing Caesar’s image they attempt to trick Christ into some seditious speech against Rome suggesting independence.

 

This obvious ruse doesn’t faze Christ in the least. This money belongs to Caesar even though it is used in transactions. God separates the things of this world from the things that He wants from His people as He divides the spiritual Day from the Night even before the sun was created in Genesis, chapter one. In chapter 17 He used supernatural methods to provide tax money to pay to the Romans. “Render unto Caesar,” has become a phrase we use to delineate the differences between our civic responsibility to the state, as in government, and our religious responsibility toward God.

 

Notice how the Herodians call Him Master, as if they were disciples of His. Master can mean teacher or Rabbi.

 

Malachi 2:12  The LORD will cut off the man that doeth this, the master and the scholar, out of the tabernacles of Jacob, and him that offereth an offering unto the LORD of hosts.

 

John 1:38  Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou?

 

Coming up, Jesus will say;

 

Matthew 23:8  But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.

 

We know that all money, as all things, belong to God. But the point being made here by Jesus is that He calls His people to spiritual things. Don’t elevate the temporal to that level.  In America, founded on the principle that the people are king, it is our government that prints the money but the money is ours to do with as we see fit. Still we are under laws of taxation which we would do well to obey all the while fighting for a just tax system, which we don’t have at the present. We give freely to support God’s work but we also must understand that what He wants from us is more important than money.

 

Jesus amazed His questioners with His wisdom and careful speech. There is another scene where Jesus denies that He is the civil authority.

 

Luke 12:13 ¶  And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me. 14  And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you? 15  And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.

 

Jesus is not a revolutionary. He is confirming what the Father wanted from His people all along. He is not in competition with a king or an emperor. God’s authority over us and the king is absolute but we are called to honor earthly rulers in their due.  Read Romans 13 to see our responsibility and the limitations of governmental authority. Understand that our calling is greater than mere obedience to the state.

 

Acts 5:29  Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.

 

But, when He returns He will assume control over all kingdoms and nations.

 

Revelation 11:15  And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.

 

Remember though, for now;

 

John 18:36  Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.

 

Matthew 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 essence of God’s marriage for mankind, on a purely physical level, is a man and a woman uniting together for life to produce and raise children through the act of sexual intimacy. Any other definition of marriage might be civil or lawful but has no part with the God who created us. What Jesus states here is that there will be no need for sexual intimacy in Heaven. Most likely what we experience in Heaven as we spend eternity with our God will be much more fulfilling and intense than any earthly demand from our flesh.

 

Genesis 2:24  Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

 

Anthropologists call the cultural custom where a widowed woman is married by her dead husband’s brother or brothers a Levirate, if I remember correctly. This is to carry on the dead husband’s line within his family.

 

Genesis 38:8  And Judah said unto Onan, Go in unto thy brother’s wife, and marry her, and raise up seed to thy brother.

 

The sect of the Sadducees follow the Herodians and the Pharisees in trying to trip Jesus up. These liberal people that comprised the ruling elite only believed in God for this life, not in the resurrection or in angels or any other unseen thing.

 

Acts 23:8  For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess both.

 

Jesus makes an important point here in that a resurrection, which the Sadducees do not believe in, is absolutely essential because God is a God of the living.

 

Exodus 3:6  Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.

 

Matthew 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.

 

Here is a great summation of the Law given to Moses. Here, God in the flesh, the Lord Jesus Christ gives this lawyer the essence of God’s intention for the Law. This makes it so simple to understand that it is an amazing set of verses. Love God with all your being and love your neighbor as yourself. This is something we most certainly all fail at. This will stun the Pharisees as Christ has dealt with all parties, political and religious, that He is facing. What God expects from His people is unquestionable.

 

Deuteronomy 6:5  And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

 

See how the Holy Spirit substitutes one word for understanding with mind and might indicating that this is a spiritual command. In no way could one confuse this with killing anyone in the name of Christ.

 

Again, I do not want to make this a harmonization of the gospels so we won’t compare the gospels. They each have their unique memories and takes on the things Jesus said that are worth studying in context. I thought this was interesting in Mark, chapter 12.

 

  Mark 12:28 ¶  And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all? 29  And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: 30  And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. 31  And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. 32  And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou

hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he: 33  And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. 34  And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question.

 

And then from Luke;

 

Luke 10:27  And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.

 

Notice also further instruction in Deuteronomy on this subject.

 

Deuteronomy 10:12 ¶  And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul,

 

Deuteronomy 30:6  And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live.

 

Verse 39 is also a reference to the Law;

 

Leviticus 19:18  Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD.

 

James 2:8 ¶  If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:

 

Luke, chapter 10, shows us that whomever we come in contact with, even one of those we don’t approve of, is our neighbor in God’s eyes. This is very troubling for us. Think about what it means to be like Christ.

 

Matthew 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 are tripped up when asked who Christ, the Anointed One, the Messiah is. They call him the Son of David, a name of the Messiah who is in the lineage of David. Jesus refers to a verse in Psalms,

 

Psalm 110:1  «A Psalm of David.» The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.

 

They viewed the Messiah as a man coming in triumph to restore the kingdom of Israel to its former glory but how could He be a mere man, the son of David, when He was God in the flesh? How could David call his descendant, his son, Lord? This is the mystery of being fully God and fully man which Jesus was. They couldn’t answer His question and they stopped asking Him questions. This exact question plagued the Eastern Roman Empire hundreds of years later and was important in the establishment of the religion of Islam. The question of the full divinity and full humanity of Christ, though answered at councils drove a wedge between Christians in that part of the world and resulted in a fierce religion of conquest, Islam, a subject not for this venue.