Matthew 22

1 And Iesus answered and spake vnto them agayne in similitudes sayinge.

2 The kingdome of heve is lyke vnto a certayne kynge which maryed his sonne

3 and sent forth his servantes to call them that were byd to the weddinge and they wolde not come.

4 Ageyne he sent forth other servauntes sayinge: Tell them which are bydden: beholde I have prepared my dynner myne oxen and my fatlinges are kylled and all thinges are redy come vnto the mariage.

5 But they made light of it and went their wayes: one to his ferme place another about his marchaundise

6 the remnaunt toke his seruantes and intreated them vngodly and slewe them.

7 When the kinge hearde that he was wroth and send forth his warryers and distroyed those murtherers and brent vp their cyte.

8 Then sayde he to his servauutes: the weddinge was prepared. But they which were bydden were not worthy.

9 Go ye therfore out into ye hyewayes and as many as ye finde byd them to the mariage.

10 The seruauntes wet out into the hiewayes and gaddered to gedder as many as they coulde fynde both good and bad and ye weddinge was furnysshed with gestes.

11 Then the kynge came in to viset the gestes and spyed there a ma which had not on a weddinge garment

12 and sayde vnto him: frende how fortuned it that thou camest in hither and hast not on a weddyng garment? And he was eve spechlesse.

13 Then sayde the kynge to his ministers: take and bynde hym hand and fote and caste hym into vtter darcknes there shalbe wepinge and gnasshinge of teth.

14 For many are called and feawe be chosen.

15 Then wet the Pharises and toke counsell how they might tagle him in his wordes.

16 And they sent vnto him their disciples with Herodes servauntes sayinge: Master we knowe yt thou are true and teachest the waye of god trulie nether carest for eny man for thou consydrest not menes estate.

17 Tell vs therfore: how thynkest thou? Is it lawfull to geve tribute vnto Cesar or not?

18 Iesus perceaved their wikednes and sayde: Why tempte ye me ye ypocrites?

19 Let me se ye tribute money. And they toke hym a peny.

20 And he sayde vnto them: whose is this ymage and superscripcion?

21 They sayde vnto him: Cesars. Then sayde he vnto them. Geve therfore to Cesar that which is Cesars: and geve vnto god that which is goddes.

22 When they hearde that they marveled and lefte hym and went there waye.

23 The same daye the Saduces came to him (which saye that there is no resurrcecion) and axed him

24 sayinge: Master Moses bade yf a man dye havinge no chyldre that the brother mary his wyfe and reyse vp seed vnto his brother.

25 Ther were wt vs seven brethre and the fyrste maried and deceased wt oute yssue and lefte his wyfe vnto his brother.

26 Lykewise the seconde and ye thryd vnto the sevethe.

27 Laste of all the woman dyed also.

28 Now in the resurreccion whose wyfe shall she be of the seven? For all had her.

29 Iesus answered and sayde vnto the: ye are deceaved and vnderstonde not the scriptures nor yet the power of God.

30 For in the resurreccion they nether mary nor are maryed: but are as the angels of God in heven.

31 As touchynge the resurreccion of the deed: have ye not redde what is sayde vnto you of God which sayeth:

32 I am Abrahams God and Ysaacks God and the God of Iacob? God is not the God of the deed: but of the lyvinge.

33 And when the people hearde that they were astonyed at his doctrine.

34 When the Pharises had hearde how yt he had put the Saduces to silence they drewe to gedder

35 and one of them which was a doctoure of lawe axed a question teptinge h m and sayinge:

36 Master which is ye chefe comaundment in the lawe?

37 Iesus sayde vnto him: love the Lorde thy God wt all thine herte with all thy soule and with all thy mynde.

38 This is the fyrst and the chefe comaundement.

39 And ther is another lyke vnto this. Love thyne neghbour as thy selfe.

40 In these two commaundemetes hange all the lawe and the Prophetes.

41 Whyll the Pharises were gaddered togeder Iesus axed

42 the sayinge: what thinke ye of Christ? Whose sonne is he? They sayde vnto him: the sonne of David.

43 He sayde vnto the: how then doeth David in spirite call him Lorde sayinge?

44 The Lorde sayde to my Lorde syt on my right honde: tyll I make thyne enemyes thy fote stole.

45 Yf David call him Lorde: how is he then his sonne?

46 And none coulde answere him ageyne one worde: nether dueste eny from that daye forth axe him eny moo questions.

Matthew 22 Commentary

Chapter 22

The parable of the marriage feast. (1-14) The Pharisees question Jesus as to the tribute. (15-22) The question of the Sadducees as to the resurrection. (23-33) The substance of the commandments. (34-40) Jesus questions the Pharisees. (41-46)

Verses 1-14 The provision made for perishing souls in the gospel, is represented by a royal feast made by a king, with eastern liberality, on the marriage of his son. Our merciful God has not only provided food, but a royal feast, for the perishing souls of his rebellious creatures. There is enough and to spare, of every thing that can add to our present comfort and everlasting happiness, in the salvation of his Son Jesus Christ. The guests first invited were the Jews. When the prophets of the Old Testament prevailed not, nor John the Baptist, nor Christ himself, who told them the kingdom of God was at hand, the apostles and ministers of the gospel were sent, after Christ's resurrection, to tell them it was come, and to persuade them to accept the offer. The reason why sinners come not to Christ and salvation by him, is, not because they cannot, but because they will not. Making light of Christ, and of the great salvation wrought out by him, is the damning sin of the world. They were careless. Multitudes perish for ever through mere carelessness, who show no direct aversion, but are careless as to their souls. Also the business and profit of worldly employments hinder many in closing with the Saviour. Both farmers and merchants must be diligent; but whatever we have of the world in our hands, our care must be to keep it out of our hearts, lest it come between us and Christ. The utter ruin coming upon the Jewish church and nation, is here represented. Persecution of Christ's faithful ministers fills up the measure of guilt of any people. The offer of Christ and salvation to the Gentiles was not expected; it was such a surprise as it would be to wayfaring men, to be invited to a royal wedding-feast. The design of the gospel is to gather souls to Christ; all the children of God scattered abroad, Joh. 10:16 Joh. 11:52 . The case of hypocrites is represented by the guest that had not on a wedding-garment. It concerns all to prepare for the scrutiny; and those, and those only, who put on the Lord Jesus, who have a Christian temper of mind, who live by faith in Christ, and to whom he is all in all, have the wedding-garment. The imputed righteousness of Christ, and the sanctification of the Spirit, are both alike necessary. No man has the wedding-garment by nature, or can form it for himself. The day is coming, when hypocrites will be called to account for all their presumptuous intruding into gospel ordinances, and usurpation of gospel privileges. Take him away. Those that walk unworthy of Christianity, forfeit all the happiness they presumptuously claimed. Our Saviour here passes out of the parable into that which it teaches. Hypocrites go by the light of the gospel itself down to utter darkness. Many are called to the wedding-feast, that is, to salvation, but few have the wedding-garment, the righteousness of Christ, the sanctification of the Spirit. Then let us examine ourselves whether we are in the faith, and seek to be approved by the King.

Verses 15-22 The Pharisees sent their disciples with the Herodians, a party among the Jews, who were for full subjection to the Roman emperor. Though opposed to each other, they joined against Christ. What they said of Christ was right; whether they knew it or not, blessed be God we know it. Jesus Christ was a faithful Teacher, and a bold reprover. Christ saw their wickedness. Whatever mask the hypocrite puts on, our Lord Jesus sees through it. Christ did not interpose as a judge in matters of this nature, for his kingdom is not of this world, but he enjoins peaceable subjection to the powers that be. His adversaries were reproved, and his disciples were taught that the Christian religion is no enemy to civil government. Christ is, and will be, the wonder, not only of his friends, but of his enemies. They admire his wisdom, but will not be guided by it; his power, but will not submit to it.

Verses 23-33 The doctrines of Christ displeased the infidel Sadducees, as well as the Pharisees and Herodians. He carried the great truths of the resurrection and a future state, further than they had yet been reveled. There is no arguing from the state of things in this world, as to what will take place hereafter. Let truth be set in a clear light, and it appears in full strength. Having thus silenced them, our Lord proceeded to show the truth of the doctrine of the resurrection from the books of Moses. God declared to Moses that he was the God of the patriarchs, who had died long before; this shows that they were then in a state of being, capable of enjoying his favour, and proves that the doctrine of the resurrection is clearly taught in the Old Testament as well as in the New. But this doctrine was kept for a more full revelation, after the resurrection of Christ, who was the first-fruits of them that slept. All errors arise from not knowing the Scriptures and the power of God. In this world death takes away one after another, and so ends all earthly hopes, joys, sorrows, and connexions. How wretched are those who look for nothing better beyond the grave!

Verses 34-40 An interpreter of the law asked our Lord a question, to try, not so much his knowledge, as his judgment. The love of God is the first and great commandment, and the sum of all the commands of the first table. Our love of God must be sincere, not in word and tongue only. All our love is too little to bestow upon him, therefore all the powers of the soul must be engaged for him, and carried out toward him. To love our neighbour as ourselves, is the second great commandment. There is a self-love which is corrupt, and the root of the greatest sins, and it must be put off and mortified; but there is a self-love which is the rule of the greatest duty: we must have a due concern for the welfare of our own souls and bodies. And we must love our neighbour as truly and sincerely as we love ourselves; in many cases we must deny ourselves for the good of others. By these two commandments let our hearts be formed as by a mould.

Verses 41-46 When Christ baffled his enemies, he asked what thoughts they had of the promised Messiah? How he could be the Son of David and yet his Lord? He quotes ( Psalms 110:1 ) . If the Christ was to be a mere man, who would not exist till many ages after David's death, how could his forefather call him Lord? The Pharisees could not answer it. Nor can any solve the difficulty except he allows the Messiah to be the Son of God, and David's Lord equally with the Father. He took upon him human nature, and so became God manifested in the flesh; in this sense he is the Son of man and the Son of David. It behoves us above all things seriously to inquire, "What think we of Christ?" Is he altogether glorious in our eyes, and precious to our hearts? May Christ be our joy, our confidence, our all. May we daily be made more like to him, and more devoted to his service.