Matthew 22

The Parable of the Wedding Banquet

1 Once more Jesus spoke to them in parables: 2 "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son. 3 He sent out his slaves to summon those invited to the banquet, but they didn't want to come.

4 Again, he sent out other slaves, and said, 'Tell those who are invited: Look, I've prepared my dinner; my oxen and fattened cattle have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.'
5 "But they paid no attention and went away, one to his own farm, another to his business. 6 And the others seized his slaves, treated them outrageously and killed them.

7 The king was enraged, so he sent out his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned down their city.
8 "Then he told his slaves, 'The banquet is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. 9 Therefore go to where the roads exit the city and invite everyone you find to the banquet.' 10 So those slaves went out on the roads and gathered everyone they found, both evil and good. The wedding banquet was filled with guests. 11 But when the king came in to view the guests, he saw a man there who was not dressed for a wedding.

12 So he said to him, 'Friend, how did you get in here without wedding clothes?' The man was speechless.

13 "Then the king told the attendants, 'Tie him up hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'

14 "For many are invited, but few are chosen."

God and Caesar

15 Then the Pharisees went and plotted how to trap Him by what He said. 16 They sent their disciples to Him, with the Herodians. "Teacher," they said, "we know that You are truthful and teach truthfully the way of God. You defer to no one, for You don't show partiality.

17 Tell us, therefore, what You think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not?"
18 But perceiving their malice, Jesus said, "Why are you testing Me, hypocrites? 19 Show Me the coin used for the tax." So they brought Him a denarius.

20 "Whose image and inscription is this?" He asked them.

21 "Caesar's," they said to Him.
Then He said to them, "Therefore give back to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's."

22 When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left Him and went away.

The Sadducees and the Resurrection

23 The same day some Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came up to Him and questioned Him: 24 "Teacher, Moses said, if a man dies, having no children, his brother is to marry his wife and raise up offspring for his brother. 25 Now there were seven brothers among us. The first got married and died. Having no offspring, he left his wife to his brother. 26 The same happened to the second also, and the third, and so to all seven. 27 Then last of all the woman died.

28 In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife will she be of the seven? For they all had married her."
29 Jesus answered them, "You are deceived, because you don't know the Scriptures or the power of God. 30 For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage but are like angels in heaven. 31 Now concerning the resurrection of the dead, haven't you read what was spoken to you by God:

32 I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob? He is not the God of the dead, but of the living."

33 And when the crowds heard this, they were astonished at His teaching.

The Primary Commandments

34 When the Pharisees heard that He had silenced the Sadducees, they came together in the same place. 35 And one of them, an expert in the law, asked a question to test Him:

36 "Teacher, which command in the law is the greatest?"
37 He said to him, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. 38 This is the greatest and most important command. 39 The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.

40 All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commands."

The Question about the Messiah

41 While the Pharisees were together, Jesus questioned them,

42 "What do you think about the Messiah? Whose Son is He?"
"David's," they told Him.

43 He asked them, "How is it then that David, inspired by the Spirit, calls Him 'Lord':

44 The Lord declared to my Lord,
'Sit at My right hand
until I put Your enemies under Your feet'?
45 "If David calls Him 'Lord,' how then can the Messiah be his Son?"

46 No one was able to answer Him at all, and from that day no one dared to question Him anymore.

Matthew 22

1 And Jesus answered and spake again in parables unto them, saying,2 The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a certain king, who made a marriage feast for his son,3 and sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the marriage feast: and they would not come.4 Again he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them that are bidden, Behold, I have made ready my dinner; my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come to the marriage feast.5 But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his merchandise;6 and the rest laid hold on his servants, and treated them shamefully, and killed them.7 But the king was wroth; and he sent his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned their city.8 Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they that were bidden were not worthy.9 Go ye therefore unto the partings of the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage feast.10 And those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was filled with guests.11 But when the king came in to behold the guests, he saw there a man who had not on a wedding-garment:12 and he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding-garment? And he was speechless.13 Then the king said to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and cast him out into the outer darkness; there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.14 For many are called, but few chosen.

15 Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might ensnare him in his talk.16 And they send to him their disciples, with the Herodians, saying, Teacher, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, and carest not for any one: for thou regardest not the person of men.17 Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?18 But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why make ye trial of me, ye hypocrites?19 Show me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a denarius.20 And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription?21 They say unto him, Caesar’s. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.22 And when they heard it, they marvelled, and left him, and went away.

23 On that day there came to him Sadducees, they that say that there is no resurrection: and they asked him,24 saying, Teacher, Moses said, If a man die, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.25 Now there were with us seven brethren: and the first married and deceased, and having no seed left his wife unto his brother;26 in like manner the second also, and the third, unto the seventh.27 And after them all, the woman died.28 In the resurrection therefore whose wife shall she be of the seven? for they all had her.29 But Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.30 For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as angels in heaven.31 But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying,32 I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.33 And when the multitudes heard it, they were astonished at his teaching.

34 But the Pharisees, when they heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, gathered themselves together.35 And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question, trying him:36 Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?37 And he said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.38 This is the great and first commandment.39 And a second like unto it is this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.40 On these two commandments the whole law hangeth, and the prophets.

41 Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question,42 saying, What think ye of the Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The son of David.43 He saith unto them, How then doth David in the Spirit call him Lord, saying,

44 The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, Till I put thine enemies underneath thy feet?

45 If David then calleth him Lord, how is he his son?46 And no one was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions.