Mǎtaìfúyīn 22

1 Yēsū yòu yòng bǐyù duì tāmen shuō ,

2 Tiānguó hǎobǐ yī ge wáng , wèi tā érzi bǎishè qǔqīn de yánxí .

3 Jiù dǎfa púrén qù qǐng nàxiē beì zhào de rén lái fù xí . tāmen què bù kĕn lái .

4 Wáng yòu dǎfa biéde púrén shuō , nǐmen gàosu nà beì zhào de rén , wǒde yánxí yǐjing yùbeì hǎo le , niú hé féi chù yǐjing zǎi le , gèyàng dōu qíbeì . qǐng nǐmen lái fù xí .

5 Nàxiē rén bù lǐ jiù zǒu le . yī ge dào zìjǐ tián lǐ qù . yī gĕ zuò mǎimaì qù .

6 Qíyú de ná zhù púrén , língrǔ tāmen , bǎ tāmen shā le .

7 Wáng jiù dà nù , fā bīng chúmiĕ nàxiē xiōngshǒu , shāo huǐ tāmende chéng .

8 Yúshì duì púrén shuō , xǐ yán yǐjing qíbeì , zhǐshì suǒ zhào de rén bú peì .

9 Suǒyǐ nǐmen yào wǎng chàlù kǒu shang qù , fán yùjiàn de , dōu zhào lái fù xí .

10 Nàxiē púrén jiù chū qù dào dà lù shang , fán yùjiàn de , bú lùn shàn è dōu zhào jù le lái . yánxí shang zuò mǎn le kè .

11 Wáng jìnlái guānkàn bīnkè , jiàn nàli yǒu yī ge méiyǒu chuān lǐfú de .

12 Jiù duì tā shuō , péngyou , nǐ dào zhèlǐ lái , zĕnme bù chuān lǐfú ne . nà rén wú yán kĕ dá .

13 Yúshì wáng duì shǐhuan de rén shuō , kún qǐ tāde shǒu jiǎo lái , bǎ tā diū zaì waìbiān de hēiàn lǐ . zaì nàli bìyào āikū qièchǐ le .

14 Yīnwei beì zhào de rén duō , xuǎn shang de rén shǎo .

15 Dāngshí , Fǎlìsaìrén chū qù shāngyì , zĕnyàng jiù zheYēsū de huà xiànhaì tā .

16 Jiù dǎfa tāmende méntǔ , tóng Xīlǜ dǎng de rén , qù jiàn Yēsū shuō , fūzǐ , wǒmen zhīdào nǐ shì chéngshí rén , bìngqiĕ chéng chéngshí shí chuán shén de dào , shénme rén nǐ dōu bú xùn qíngmian , yīnwei nǐ bú kàn rén de waìmào .

17 Qǐng gàosu wǒmen , nǐde yìjiàn rúhé . nà shuì gĕi Gāisǎ , kĕyǐ bùkĕ yǐ .

18 Yēsū kàn chū tāmende è yì , jiù shuō , jiǎmàowéishànderén nǎ , wèishénme shìtan wǒ .

19 Ná yī ge shàng shuì de qián gĕi wǒ kàn . tāmen jiù ná yī ge yínqián lái gĕi tā .

20 Yēsū shuō , zhè xiàng hé zhè hào shì shuí de .

21 Tāmen shuō , shì Gāisǎ de . Yēsū shuō , zhèyàng , Gāisǎ de wù dāng guī gĕi Gāisǎ , shén de wù dāng guī gĕi shén .

22 Tāmen tīngjian jiù xīqí , líkāi tā zǒu le .

23 Sādūgāi rén cháng shuō méiyǒu fùhuó de shì . nà tiān , tāmen lái wèn Yēsū shuō ,

24 Fūzǐ , Móxī shuō , rén ruò sǐ le , méiyǒu háizi , tā xiōngdi dāng qǔ tāde qī , wèi gēge shēng zǐ lì hòu .

25 Cóng qián zaì wǒmen zhèlǐ , yǒu dìxiōng qī rén . dì yī ge qǔ le qī , sǐ le , méiyǒu háizi , piē xià qīzi gĕi xiōngdi .

26 Dì èr dì sān zhídào dì qī ge , dōu shì rúcǐ .

27 Mòhòu , fùrén yĕ sǐ le .

28 Zhèyàng dāng fùhuó de shíhou , tā shì qī gèrén zhōng , nà yī ge de qīzi ne . yīnwei tāmen dōu qǔ guo tā .

29 Yēsū huídá shuō , nǐmen cuò le . yīnwei bù míngbai Shèngjīng , yĕ bù xiǎodé shén de dà néng .

30 Dāng fùhuó de shíhou , rén yĕ bù qǔ yĕ bú jià , nǎi xiàng tiān shang de shǐzhĕ yíyàng .

31 Lùn dào sǐ rén fùhuó , shén zaì jīng shang xiàng nǐmen suǒ shuō de , nǐmen méiyǒu niàn guo ma .

32 Tā shuō , wǒ shì Yàbólāhǎn de shén , Yǐsā de shén , Yǎgè de shén . shén bú shì sǐ rén de shén , nǎi shì huó rén de shén .

33 Zhòngrén tīngjian zhè huà , jiù xīqí tāde jiàoxun .

34 Fǎlìsaìrén tīngjian Yēsū dǔ zhù le Sādūgāi rén de kǒu , tāmen jiù jùjí .

35 Neì zhòng yǒu yī gèrén shì lǜfǎshī , yào shìtan Yēsū , jiù wèn tā shuō ,

36 Fūzǐ , lǜfǎ shang de jièméng , nà yī tiaó shì zuì dà de ne .

37 Yēsū duì tā shuō , nǐ yào jìnxīn , jìn xìng , jìn yì , aì zhǔ nǐde shén .

38 Zhè shì jièméng zhōng de dì yī , qiĕ shì zuì dà de .

39 Jī/qí cì yĕ xiāngfǎng , jiù shì yào aìren rú jǐ .

40 Zhè liǎng tiaó jièméng , shì lǜfǎ hé xiānzhī yīqiè dào lǐ de zǒnggāng .

41 Fǎlìsaìrén jùjí de shíhou , Yēsū wèn tāmen shuō ,

42 Lùn dào Jīdū , nǐmen de yìjiàn rúhé . tā shì shuí de zǐsūn ne . tāmen huídá shuō , shì Dàwèi de zǐsūn .

43 Yēsū shuō , zhèyàng , Dàwèi beì Shènglíng gǎndòng , zĕnme hái chēng tā wéi zhǔ . shuō ,

44 Zhǔ duì wǒ zhǔ shuō , nǐ zuò zaì wǒde yòubiān , dĕng wǒ bǎ nǐ chóudí , fàng zaì nǐde jiǎo xià .

45 Dàwèi jì chēng tā wèi zhǔ , tā zĕnme yòu shì Dàwèi de zǐsūn ne .

46 Tāmen méiyǒu yī gèrén néng huídá yī yán . cóng nà rì yǐhòu , yĕ méiyǒu rén gǎn zaì wèn tā shénme .

Mǎtaìfúyīn 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.