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22 And having responded, Jesus again spoke in parables to them, saying, “The kingdom of the heavens became-like[a] a man who was a king, who made wedding-celebrations for his son. And he sent out his slaves to call the ones having been invited[b] to the wedding-celebrations, and they were not willing to come. Again he sent out other slaves saying, ‘Say to the ones having been invited, “Behold— I have prepared my luncheon[c], my bulls and fatted-cattle having been slaughtered, and everything is prepared. Come to the wedding-celebrations”’. But the ones, having paid-no-concern[d], departed— one to his own field, and another on his business. And the rest, having seized his slaves, mistreated them and killed them. And the king became angry[e]. And having sent his troops, he destroyed those murderers and set their city on fire. Then he says to his slaves, ‘The wedding-celebration is prepared— but the ones having been invited were not worthy! Therefore go to the outlets[f] of the roads, and invite all-that you find to the wedding-celebrations’. 10 And having gone out into the roads, those slaves gathered-together all whom they found, both evil[g] and good. And the wedding-hall was filled with ones reclining-back [to eat]. 11 And the king, having come in to see[h] the ones reclining-back [to eat], saw there a person not having dressed-in[i] the clothing of [j] a wedding. 12 And he says to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here, not having the clothing of a wedding?’ But the one was silenced. 13 Then the king said to the servants, ‘Having bound his feet and hands, throw him out, into the outer darkness’. In that place, there will be the weeping and the grinding of teeth. 14 For many are called ones, but few are chosen ones”.

The Pharisees Try To Snare Jesus: Shall We Pay Taxes To Caesar?

15 Then the Pharisees, having gone, took counsel so that they might snare Him in a statement. 16 And they send-forth their disciples to Him, with the Herodians[k], saying, “Teacher, we know that You are truthful, and You teach the way of God in truth. And You are not concerned about [pleasing] anyone, for You do not look at the face[l] of people. 17 Tell us then, what seems right to You? Is it lawful to give a poll-tax[m] to Caesar, or not?” 18 But having known their evilness[n], Jesus said, “Why are you testing Me, hypocrites? 19 Show Me the coin for the poll-tax”. And the ones brought to Him a denarius[o]. 20 And He says to them, “Whose is this image and inscription?” 21 They say to Him, “Caesar’s”. Then He says to them, “Then give-back[p] the things of Caesar to Caesar, and the things of God to God”. 22 And having heard it, they marveled. And having left Him, they went away.

The Sadducees Try To Snare Jesus On The Resurrection of a Wife With Seven Husbands

23 On that day Sadducees came to Him— ones saying that there is not a resurrection. And they questioned Him, 24 saying, “Teacher, Moses said [in Deut 25:5] ‘If someone dies not having children, his brother shall as-next-of-kin-marry[q] his wife and raise-up a seed[r] for his brother’. 25 Now there were seven brothers with us. And the first, having married, came-to-an-end[s]. And not having a seed, he left his wife to his brother. 26 Likewise also the second, and the third, up to the seventh. 27 And last of all, the woman died. 28 In the resurrection, therefore, of which of the seven will she be the wife? For they all had her!” 29 But having responded, Jesus said to them, “You are mistaken[t], not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God. 30 For in the resurrection, they neither marry nor are given-in-marriage, but are like angels[u] in heaven. 31 And concerning the resurrection of the dead, did you not read the thing having been spoken to you by God[v], saying [in Ex 3:15] 32 I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not the God of dead ones, but of living ones”. 33 And having heard it, the crowds were astounded at His teaching.

A Scribe Tests Jesus: Which Is The Great Commandment?

34 And the Pharisees, having heard that He silenced the Sadducees, were gathered-together at the same place. 35 And one of them, a Law-expert, asked Him— testing Him— 36 “Teacher, which is the great[w] commandment in the Law?” 37 And the One said to him: “‘You shall love the Lord your God with your whole heart, and with your whole soul, and with your whole mind’ [Deut 6:5]— 38 this is the great and foremost[x] commandment. 39 And the second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself’ [Lev 19:18]. 40 The whole Law and the Prophets hang[y] on these two commandments”.

Jesus Asks The Pharisees, If David Calls The Messiah His Lord, How Can He Be His Son?

41 Now the Pharisees having[z] been gathered-together, Jesus questioned them, 42 saying, “What seems right to you concerning the Christ— Whose son is He?” They say to Him, “David’s”. 43 He says to them, “How then does David by[aa] the Spirit call Him ‘Lord’, saying [in Ps 110:1], 44 The Lord said to my Lord, “Be sitting on My right side, until I put Your enemies under Your feet”’? 45 Therefore if David calls Him ‘Lord’, how[ab] is He his son?” 46 And no one was able to answer Him a word, nor did anyone dare from that day to question Him any more.

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 22:2 Or, is like. Same grammar as in 13:24.
  2. Matthew 22:3 Or, called.
  3. Matthew 22:4 Or, meal, the main morning meal. With this meal the celebrations began, which often lasted a week.
  4. Matthew 22:5 Or, having disregarded him, neglected it.
  5. Matthew 22:7 Or, wrathful.
  6. Matthew 22:9 That is, the points where the city streets meet the country roads.
  7. Matthew 22:10 That is, ones like the tax collectors and prostitutes, and ones like Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea.
  8. Matthew 22:11 That is, to visit, greet.
  9. Matthew 22:11 Or, not having been dressed-in.
  10. Matthew 22:11 That is, characteristic of, belonging to. This scene pictures the separation at the end of the age. The clothing represents faith-righteousness. All are invited in, but those not properly dressed are separated out at the end.
  11. Matthew 22:16 That is, those politically linked to Herod’s family.
  12. Matthew 22:16 That is, You show no partiality toward anyone in Your teaching.
  13. Matthew 22:17 That is, taxes based on a census and paid to the Emperor. Is it lawful to pay taxes to a foreign king?
  14. Matthew 22:18 Or, maliciousness.
  15. Matthew 22:19 This is a Roman silver coin.
  16. Matthew 22:21 Or, render, pay.
  17. Matthew 22:24 This marriage-as-next-of-kin is called ‘levirite’ marriage (from a Latin word meaning ‘brother-in-law’).
  18. Matthew 22:24 That is, offspring; and thus, a posterity.
  19. Matthew 22:25 That is, died.
  20. Matthew 22:29 Or, deceived, going astray; or, deceiving-yourselves.
  21. Matthew 22:30 That is, not subject to death (and so not needing to marry and procreate), and members of God’s family, not separate families. See Lk 20:36.
  22. Matthew 22:31 God spoke to you about the resurrection when He said ‘I am the God of Abraham’.
  23. Matthew 22:36 Or by implication, the greatest.
  24. Matthew 22:38 Or, first.
  25. Matthew 22:40 That is, like a door on its hinges.
  26. Matthew 22:41 That is, since the Pharisees had gathered-together (in v 34).
  27. Matthew 22:43 Or, in. That is, under the inspiration of the Spirit.
  28. Matthew 22:45 If Messiah is David’s own Lord, how can He be his distant physical descendant? Jesus is God’s Son (David’s Lord) and Mary’s son (David’s descendant).

The Parable of the Wedding Banquet(A)

22 Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like(B) a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his servants(C) to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come.

“Then he sent some more servants(D) and said, ‘Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’

“But they paid no attention and went off—one to his field, another to his business. The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers(E) and burned their city.

“Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. So go to the street corners(F) and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’ 10 So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, the bad as well as the good,(G) and the wedding hall was filled with guests.

11 “But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. 12 He asked, ‘How did you get in here without wedding clothes, friend(H)?’ The man was speechless.

13 “Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’(I)

14 “For many are invited, but few are chosen.”(J)

Paying the Imperial Tax to Caesar(K)

15 Then the Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap him in his words. 16 They sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians.(L) “Teacher,” they said, “we know that you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren’t swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are. 17 Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay the imperial tax[a](M) to Caesar or not?”

18 But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, “You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? 19 Show me the coin used for paying the tax.” They brought him a denarius, 20 and he asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?”

21 “Caesar’s,” they replied.

Then he said to them, “So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s,(N) and to God what is God’s.”

22 When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left him and went away.(O)

Marriage at the Resurrection(P)

23 That same day the Sadducees,(Q) who say there is no resurrection,(R) came to him with a question. 24 “Teacher,” they said, “Moses told us that if a man dies without having children, his brother must marry the widow and raise up offspring for him.(S) 25 Now there were seven brothers among us. The first one married and died, and since he had no children, he left his wife to his brother. 26 The same thing happened to the second and third brother, right on down to the seventh. 27 Finally, the woman died. 28 Now then, at the resurrection, whose wife will she be of the seven, since all of them were married to her?”

29 Jesus replied, “You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures(T) or the power of God. 30 At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage;(U) they will be like the angels in heaven. 31 But about the resurrection of the dead—have you not read what God said to you, 32 ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’[b]?(V) He is not the God of the dead but of the living.”

33 When the crowds heard this, they were astonished at his teaching.(W)

The Greatest Commandment(X)

34 Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees,(Y) the Pharisees got together. 35 One of them, an expert in the law,(Z) tested him with this question: 36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’[c](AA) 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[d](AB) 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”(AC)

Whose Son Is the Messiah?(AD)

41 While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, 42 “What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is he?”

“The son of David,”(AE) they replied.

43 He said to them, “How is it then that David, speaking by the Spirit, calls him ‘Lord’? For he says,

44 “‘The Lord said to my Lord:
    “Sit at my right hand
until I put your enemies
    under your feet.”’[e](AF)

45 If then David calls him ‘Lord,’ how can he be his son?” 46 No one could say a word in reply, and from that day on no one dared to ask him any more questions.(AG)

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 22:17 A special tax levied on subject peoples, not on Roman citizens
  2. Matthew 22:32 Exodus 3:6
  3. Matthew 22:37 Deut. 6:5
  4. Matthew 22:39 Lev. 19:18
  5. Matthew 22:44 Psalm 110:1