THE BOOK OF MATTHEW – Chapter 22, The Marriage Feast, The Poll-tax, Jesus and the Sadducees

 

THE BOOK OF MATTHEW – Chapter 22

The Marriage Feast, The Poll-tax, Jesus and the Sadducees.

 Parable of the Marriage Feast

Matthew 22:1, Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying, verse 2, “The kingdom of heaven is like a king who held a wedding feast for his son. Verse 3. And he sent his servants to call those who had been invited to the wedding feast, and they were unwilling to come. Verse 4. Again he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who have been invited, “Behold, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and my fattened cattle are all butchered and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast!”’ Verse 5. But they paid no attention and went their separate ways, one to his own farm, another to his business, verse 6, and the rest seized his servants and treated them abusively, and then killed them. Verse 7. Now the king was angry, and he sent his armies and destroyed those murderers and set their city on fire. Verse 8. Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. Verse 9. So go to the main roads, and invite whomever you find there to the wedding feast.’ Verse 10. Those servants went out into the streets and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good; and the wedding hall was filled with dinner guests.

Verse 11. “But when the king came in to look over the dinner guests, he saw a man there who was not dressed in wedding clothes, verse 12, and he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without wedding clothes?’ And the man was speechless. Verse 13. Then the king said to the servants, ‘Tie his hands and feet, and throw him into the outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth in that place.’ Verse 14. For many are called, but few are chosen.”

(Commentary Break): These verses seem to be a continuation from Matthew chapter 21, as Jesus is warning the Jews.

Jesus, as is His way, holds nothing back when speaking to matters of urgency. And in this case, He is warning the Jews, in no uncertain terms, of their fate if they do not repent and turn from their ways.

Let’s put these terms and images into perspective. The kingdom of heaven is being compared to a King.

(#1), There is only one King and He is God.

(#2), The wedding feast is the wedding feast of the Lamb (Jesus and His Church).

(#3), The servants are Jesus’ Apostles.

(#4), Those who have been invited are the Jews, those who are the nation of Israel by lineage, birthright and descendancy.

(#5), Those who were then called as guests to the wedding feast are the gentiles.

(#6), The wedding guest who had no wedding clothes is any man or woman who would feign to be a friend of Jesus, a follower of Jesus, mixing with the Body of believers.

Jesus is the long anticipated Jewish Messiah, who has been rejected by the Jews. So when the time comes for the wedding feast or the marriage supper of The Lamb, the eternal joining together of the Church with Christ in the heavens, those who have rejected Him, (those who are unwilling to come or have ignored the invitation), will be left behind. They not only refused the invitation, however, but they seized Jesus’ servants, treated them badly and killed them. Therefore, God has become angry with the Jews and “He has sent armies and destroyed those murderers and set their city on fire”. This can be seen throughout history, and will be seen again in the Last Days, before God intervenes.

There will be those who are not true followers of Christ, but are tares (unbelievers), mixed among the wheat, (Christians), also known as goats who are separate from the sheep of God, both Jew and gentile, who will be found out and their fate is to be “cast into the outer darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth”.

The wedding guest who had no wedding clothes is any man or woman who would feign to be a friend of Jesus, a follower of Jesus, mixing with the Body of believers. but he or she is not clothed ‘in the righteousness of Christ’; therefore, they are not wearing the required attire for this occasion and will be ‘tied up and also cast into the outer darkness.

Let’s not forget that we, gentile believers, Christians, have been grafted into the Olive Tree, (the Jewish lineage and heritage), and are held accountable, the same as the Jews in the parable. (End Commentary Break).

Poll-tax to Caesar

Verse 15. Then the Pharisees went and plotted together how they might trap Him in what He said. Verse 16. And they sent 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 do not care what anyone thinks; for You are not partial to anyone. Verse 17. Tell us then, what do You think? Is it permissible to pay a poll-tax, (which is a tax levied on every person in the census), to Caesar, or not?” Verse 18. But Jesus perceived their malice, and said, “Why are you testing Me, you hypocrites? Verse 19. Show Me the coin used for the poll-tax.” And they brought Him a denarius. Verse 20. And He said to them, “Whose image and inscription is this?” Verse 21. They said to Him, “Caesar’s.” Then He said to them, “Then pay to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s; and to God the things that are God’s.” Verse 22. And hearing this, they were amazed; and they left Him and went away.

(Commentary Break): This should be viewed at face value. However, it has strong implications about the interaction and the separation of earthly and heavenly matters. Scriptures tell us that we are not to entangle ourselves in the matters of this world, for we are only in this world and not part of it.

When it comes to matters of politics, for example, the scriptures define and direct how we are to approach those matters. Those things are not our fight, so to speak. Our fight is of a spiritual nature and not one of flesh and blood. We are to follow the laws of the land, so as not to become entangled with them. We will have enough trouble with this world as we walk in the ways of Jesus, so we do not need to add to them or to be distracted by them. (End Commentary Break).

Jesus Answers the Sadducees

Verse 23. On that day some Sadducees (who say there is no resurrection) came to Jesus and questioned Him, verse 24, saying, “Teacher, Moses said, ‘If a man dies having no children, his brother as next of kin shall marry his wife, and raise up children for his brother.’ Verse 25. Now there were seven brothers among us; and the first married and died, and having no children, he left his wife to his brother. Verse 26. It was the same also with the second brother, and the third, down to the seventh. Verse 27. Last of all, the woman died. Verse 28. In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife of the seven will she be? For they all had her in marriage.”

Verse 29. But Jesus answered and said to them, “You are mistaken, since you do not understand the Scriptures nor the power of God. Verse 30. For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. Verse 31. But regarding the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God: Verse 32. ‘I AM THE GOD OF ABRAHAM, THE GOD OF ISAAC, AND THE GOD OF JACOB’? He is not the God of the dead, but of the living.” Verse 33. When the crowds heard this, they were astonished at His teaching.

Verse 34. But when the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. Verse 35. And one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him: Verse 36. “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” Verse 37. And He said to him, “‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’ Verse 38. This is the great and foremost commandment. Verse 39. The second is like it, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ Verse 40. Upon these two commandments hang the whole Law and the Prophets.”

Verse 41. Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question: Verse 42. “What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is He?” They said to Him, “The son of David.” Verse 43. He said to them, “Then how does David in the Spirit call Him ‘Lord,’ saying,

Verse 44. ‘THE LORD SAID TO MY LORD,

“SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND,

UNTIL I PUT YOUR ENEMIES UNDER YOUR FEET”’? Verse 45. Therefore, if David calls Him ‘Lord,’ how is He his son?” Verse 46. No one was able to offer Him a word in answer, nor did anyone dare from that day on to ask Him any more questions.

(Commentary Break): These are interesting and useful dialogues. But I will leave them to you, the reader. (End Commentary Break).

Jesus’ encounters with the Pharisees and the Sadducees is heating up and will be coming to a climax in the next chapter. We should learn from these encounters that there is no room for compromise or syncretism, or ecumenicalism. We are not a war with other religions even though they be at war with us. We are to avoid those religions while offering them the Hope we have in Christ.

Be aware that, in addition to the emerging One World Government, there is an emerging One World Religion and Church, and it must be avoided at all costs. It is known as the Abrahamic Family House, located in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Introducing themselves as a “Human Fraternity”, Pope Francis, head of the Catholic Church, and His Eminence Ahmed Al-Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, issue and sign the Document on “Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together”, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The Zayed Award for Human Fraternity is jointly bestowed on His Holiness Pope Francis and His Eminence Ahmed Al-Tayeb.

We are approaching chapter 24 which brings us to the great question of our day, “When will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Jesus’ coming and the End of The Age?”

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

NEXT: (coming soon): THE BOOK OF MATTHEW – Chapter 23, Hypocrisy Explained, The Eight Woes.

PREVIOUS:  THE BOOK OF MATTHEW – Chapter 21, Jesus’ Triumphal Entry, Jesus Cleanses the Temple, The Barren Fig Tree, Authority Challenged, Parable of the Landowner.

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