Matthew 22

1 And Jesus answered, and spake again in parables to them, and said,

2 The kingdom of heavens is made like to a king that made weddings to his son. [The kingdom of heavens is like to a man king that made weddings to his son.]

3 And he sent his servants to call men that were bidden to the weddings, and they would not come.

4 Again he sent other servants, and said [saying], Say to the men that be bidden to the feast, Lo! I have made ready my meat, my bulls and my volatiles be slain [my bulls and my volatiles, or my fat beasts, be slain], and all things be ready; come ye to the weddings.

5 But they despised, and went forth, one into his town, another to his merchandise. [Soothly they despised, or reckoned not, and they went away, one into his vineyard, forsooth another to his merchandise.]

6 But [the] others held his servants, and tormented them, and slew [them].

7 But the king, when he had heard, was wroth; and he sent his hosts, and destroyed those man-quellers, and burnt their city.

8 Then he said to his servants [Then he saith to his servants], The weddings be ready, but they that were called to the feast, were not worthy.

9 Therefore go ye into the ends of ways, and whomever ye find, call ye to the weddings. [Therefore go ye to the outgoings, or ends, of ways, and whomever ye shall find, call to the weddings.]

10 And his servants went out into the ways, and gathered together all that they found, good and evil; and the bridal [and the weddings] was full-filled with men sitting at the meat.

11 And the king entered, to see men sitting at the meat; and he saw there a man not clothed with bride clothes [and he saw there a man not clothed with bridal clothes].

12 And he said to him, Friend, how enteredest thou hither without bride clothes [And he saith to him, Friend, how enteredest thou hither, not having bride clothes]? And he was dumb.

13 Then the king bade his ministers, Bind him both hands and feet, and send ye him into outer-more darknesses; there shall be weeping and grinding of teeth. [Then the king said to the ministers, His hands and feet bound, send ye him into utter-more darknesses; there shall be weeping and beating together of teeth.]

14 For many be called, but few be chosen.

15 Then Pharisees went away, and took a counsel to take Jesus in word. [Then Pharisees, going away, took a counsel, that they should take him in word.]

16 And they send to him their disciples, with Herodians, and said [saying], Master, we know, that thou art soothfast, and thou teachest in truth the way of God, and thou carest not of any man [and there is no care, or charge, to thee of any man], for thou beholdest not the person of men.

17 Therefore say to us, what seemeth to thee. Is it leaveful that tribute be given to the emperor, either nay [+Is it leaveful that tribute be given to Caesar, rent, or nay]?

18 And when Jesus had known the wickedness of them, he said, Hypocrites, what tempt ye me?

19 Show ye to me the print of the money. And they brought to him a penny.

20 And Jesus said to them [And Jesus saith to them], Whose is this image, and the writing above?

21 They say to him, The emperor's. Then he said to them, Therefore yield ye to the emperor those things that be the emperor's, and to God those things that be of God. [+They say to him, Of Caesar. Then he saith to them, Therefore yield ye to Caesar those things that be Caesar's/those things that be of Caesar, and to God those things that be of God.]

22 And they heard, and wondered; and they left him, and went away. [And they hearing wondered; and, him left, they went away.]

23 In that day Sadducees, that say there is no rising again to life [that say there is no rising again], came to him, and asked him,

24 and said, Master, Moses said, if any man is dead [saying, Master, Moses said, if any man be dead], not having a son, that his brother wed his wife, and raise seed to his brother.

25 And there were seven brethren to us; and the first wedded a wife, and is dead. And he had no seed, and left his wife to his brother; [Forsooth seven brethren were with us; and the first, a wife wedded, is dead. And he not having seed, left his wife to his brother;]

26 also the second, and the third, till to the seventh.

27 But the last of all, [also] the woman is dead.

28 Also in the rising again to life [Therefore in the rising again], whose wife of the seven shall she be? for all had her.

29 Jesus answered, and said to them, Ye err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the virtue of God.

30 For in the rising again to life, neither they shall wed, neither shall be wedded [For in the rising again, neither they wed, neither be wedded]; but they be as the angels of God in heaven.

31 And of the rising again of dead men, have ye not read, that [it] is said of the Lord, that saith to you [that it is said of the Lord, saying to you],

32 I am God of Abraham, and God of Isaac, and God of Jacob? he is not God of dead men, but of living men.

33 And the people hearing [And the companies hearing], wondered on his teaching.

34 And the Pharisees heard that he had put silence to Sadducees, and came together.

35 And one of them, a teacher of the law, asked Jesus, and tempted him, [And one of them, a teacher of the law, asked Jesus, tempting him,]

36 Master, which is a great commandment in the law?

37 Jesus said to him, Thou shalt love thy Lord God, of all thine heart, and in all thy soul, and in all thy mind [Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, of all thine heart, and of all thy soul, and in all thy mind].

38 This is the first and the most commandment.

39 And the second is like to this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

40 In these two commandments hangeth all the law and the prophets.

41 And when the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them,

42 and said [saying], What seemeth to you of Christ, whose son is he? They say to him, Of David.

43 He saith to them, How then David in spirit calleth him Lord, and saith [saying],

44 The Lord said to my Lord, Sit [thou] on my right half, till I put thine enemies a stool of thy feet?

45 Then if David calleth him Lord, how is he his son?

46 And no man might answer a word to him, neither any man was hardy from that day, to ask him more.

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.