Matthew 22
22
A Story about a Wedding Reception
1Again Jesus used stories as illustrations when he spoke to them. He said, 2“The kingdom of heaven is like a king who planned a wedding for his son. 3He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the wedding, but they refused to come. 4He sent other servants to tell the people who had been invited, ‘I’ve prepared dinner. My bulls and fattened calves have been butchered. Everything is ready. Come to the wedding!’
5“But they paid no attention and went away. Some went to work in their own fields, and others went to their businesses. 6The rest grabbed the king’s servants, mistreated them, and then killed them.
7“The king became angry. He sent his soldiers, killed those murderers, and burned their city.
8“Then the king said to his servants, ‘The wedding is ready, but those who were invited don’t deserve the honor. 9Go where the roads leave the city. Invite everyone you find to the wedding.’ 10The servants went into the streets and brought in all the good people and all the evil people they found. And the wedding hall was filled with guests.
11“When the king came to see the guests, he saw a person who was not dressed in the wedding clothes ⌞provided for the guests⌟. 12He said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without proper wedding clothes?’
“The man had nothing to say. 13Then the king told his servants, ‘Tie his hands and feet, and throw him outside into the darkness. People will cry and be in extreme pain there.’
14“Therefore, many are invited, but few of those are chosen to stay.”
A Question about Taxes
(Mark 12:13–17; Luke 20:20–26)
15Then the Pharisees went away and planned to trap Jesus into saying the wrong thing. 16They sent their disciples to him along with Herod’s followers. They said to him, “Teacher, we know that you tell the truth and that you teach the truth about the way of God. You don’t favor individuals because of who they are. 17So tell us what you think. Is it right to pay taxes to the emperor or not?”
18Jesus recognized their evil plan, so he asked, “Why do you test me, you hypocrites? 19Show me a coin used to pay taxes.”
They brought him a coin. 20He said to them, “Whose face and name is this?”
21They replied, “The emperor’s.”
Then he said to them, “Very well, give the emperor what belongs to the emperor, and give God what belongs to God.”
22They were surprised to hear this. Then they left him alone and went away.
The Dead Come Back to Life
(Mark 12:18–27; Luke 20:27–40)
23On that day some Sadducees, who say that people will never come back to life, came to Jesus. They asked him, 24“Teacher, Moses said, ‘If a man dies childless, his brother should marry his widow and have children for his brother.’ 25There were seven brothers among us. The first married and died. Since he had no children, he left his widow to his brother. 26The second brother also died, as well as the third, and the rest of the seven brothers. 27At last the woman died. 28Now, when the dead come back to life, whose wife will she be? All seven brothers had been married to her.”
29Jesus answered, “You’re mistaken because you don’t know the Scriptures or God’s power. 30When people come back to life, they don’t marry. Rather, they are like the angels in heaven. 31Haven’t you read what God told you about the dead coming back to life? He said, 32‘I am the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.’ He’s not the God of the dead but of the living.”
33He amazed the crowds who heard his teaching.
Love God and Your Neighbor
(Mark 12:28–34)
34When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. 35One of them, an expert in Moses’ Teachings, tested Jesus by asking, 36“Teacher, which commandment is the greatest in Moses’ Teachings?”
37Jesus answered him, “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38This is the greatest and most important commandment. 39The second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as you love yourself.’ 40All of Moses’ Teachings and the Prophets depend on these two commandments.”
How Can David’s Son Be David’s Lord?
(Mark 12:35–37a; Luke 20:41–44)
41While the Pharisees were still gathered, Jesus asked them, 42“What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is he?”
They answered him, “David’s.”
43He said to them, “Then how can David, guided by the Spirit, call him Lord? David says,
44‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Take the honored position—the one next to me [and the Father] on the heavenly throne
until I put your enemies under your control.#22:44 Or “Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet.”” ’
45If David calls him Lord, how can he be his son?”
46No one could answer him, and from that time on no one dared to ask him another question.
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GOD'S WORD® Translation ©1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God's Word to the Nations Mission Society. All rights reserved.
Matthew 22
22
The Great Banquet
(Luke 14.15-24)
1Once again Jesus used stories to teach the people:
2The kingdom of heaven is like what happened when a king gave a wedding banquet for his son. 3The king sent some servants to tell the invited guests to come to the banquet, but the guests refused. 4He sent other servants to say to the guests, “The banquet is ready! My cattle and prize calves have all been prepared. Everything is ready. Come to the banquet!”
5But the guests did not pay any attention. Some of them left for their farms, and some went to their places of business. 6Others grabbed the servants, then beat them up and killed them.
7This made the king so furious that he sent an army to kill those murderers and burn down their city. 8Then he said to the servants, “It is time for the wedding banquet, and the invited guests don't deserve to come. 9Go out to the street corners and tell everyone you meet to come to the banquet.” 10They went out on the streets and brought in everyone they could find, good and bad alike. And the banquet room was filled with guests.
11When the king went in to meet the guests, he found that one of them wasn't wearing the right kind of clothes for the wedding. 12The king asked, “Friend, why didn't you wear proper clothes for the wedding?” But the guest had no excuse. 13#Mt 8.12; 25.30; Lk 13.28. So the king gave orders for this person to be tied hand and foot and to be thrown outside into the dark. That's where people will cry and grit their teeth in pain. 14#2 Esd 8.3. Many are invited, but only a few are chosen.
Paying Taxes
(Mark 12.13-17; Luke 20.20-26)
15The Pharisees got together and planned how they could trick Jesus into saying something wrong. 16They sent some of their followers and some of Herod's followers#22.16 Herod's followers: People who were political followers of the family of Herod the Great (see 2.1) and his son Herod Antipas (see 14.1), and who wanted Herod to be king in Jerusalem. to say to him, “Teacher, we know that you are honest. You teach the truth about what God wants people to do. And you treat everyone with the same respect, no matter who they are. 17Tell us what you think! Should we pay taxes to the Emperor or not?”
18Jesus knew their evil thoughts and said, “Why are you trying to test me? You show-offs! 19Let me see one of the coins used for paying taxes.” They brought him a silver coin, 20and he asked, “Whose picture and name are on it?”
21“The Emperor's,” they answered.
Then Jesus told them, “Give the Emperor what belongs to him and give God what belongs to God.” 22His answer surprised them so much that they walked away.
Life in the Future World
(Mark 12.18-27; Luke 20.27-40)
23 #
Ac 23.8. The Sadducees did not believe people would rise to life after death. So that same day some of the Sadducees came to Jesus and said:
24 #
Dt 25.5. Teacher, Moses wrote that if a married man dies and has no children, his brother should marry the widow. Their first son would then be thought of as the son of the dead brother.
25Once there were seven brothers who lived here. The first one married, but died without having any children. So his wife was left to his brother. 26The same thing happened to the second and third brothers and finally to all seven of them. 27At last the woman died. 28When God raises people from death, whose wife will this woman be? She had been married to all seven brothers.
29Jesus answered:
You are completely wrong! You don't know what the Scriptures teach. And you don't know anything about the power of God. 30#Ws 5.5. When God raises people to life, they won't marry. They will be like the angels in heaven. 31And as for people being raised to life, God was speaking to you when he said, 32#Ex 3.6. “I am the God worshiped by Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”#22.32 I am the God worshiped by Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: Jesus argues that if God is worshiped by these three, they must still be alive, because he is the God of the living. He isn't the God of the dead, but of the living.
33The crowds were surprised to hear what Jesus was teaching.
The Most Important Commandment
(Mark 12.28-34; Luke 10.25-28)
34After Jesus had made the Sadducees look foolish, the Pharisees heard about it and got together. 35#Lk 10.25-28. One of them was an expert in the Jewish Law. So he tried to test Jesus by asking, 36“Teacher, what is the most important commandment in the Law?”
37 #
Dt 6.5. Jesus answered:
Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind. 38This is the first and most important commandment. 39#Lv 19.18. The second most important commandment is like this one. And it is, “Love others as much as you love yourself.” 40All the Law of Moses and the Books of the Prophets#22.40 the Law of Moses and the Books of the Prophets: The Jewish Scriptures, that is, the Old Testament. are based on these two commandments.
About David's Son
(Mark 12.35-37; Luke 20.41-44)
41While the Pharisees were still there, Jesus asked them, 42“What do you think about the Messiah? Whose family will he come from?”
They answered, “He will be a son of King David.”#22.42 son of King David: See the note at 9.27.
43Jesus replied, “How then could the Spirit lead David to call the Messiah his Lord? David said,
44 #
Ps 110.1. ‘The Lord said to my Lord:
Sit at my right side#22.44 right side: The place of power and honor.
until I make your enemies
into a footstool for you.’
45If David called the Messiah his Lord, how can the Messiah be a son of King David?” 46No one was able to give Jesus an answer, and from that day on, no one dared ask him any more questions.
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