Matt 22:1Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying,
Matt 22:2"The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son.
Matt 22:3"And he sent his servants to call those who had [previously] been invited to the wedding feast, but they refused to come.
Matt 22:4"Then he sent out some other servants, saying, 'Tell those who have been invited, "Look, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fattened calves are butchered and everything is ready; come to the wedding feast."'
Matt 22:5"But they paid no attention [they disregarded the invitation, treating it with contempt] and went away, one to his farm, another to his business.
Matt 22:6"The rest [of the invited guests] seized his servants and mistreated them [insulting and humiliating them] and killed them.
Matt 22:7"The king was enraged [when he heard this], and sent his soldiers and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.
Matt 22:8"Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding [feast] is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy.
Matt 22:9'So go to the main highways that lead out of the city, and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.'
Matt 22:10"Those servants went out into the streets and gathered together all the people they could find, both bad and good; so the wedding hall was filled with dinner guests [sitting at the banquet table].
Matt 22:11¶ "But when the king came in to see the dinner guests, he saw a man there who was not dressed [appropriately] in wedding clothes,
Matt 22:12and he said, 'Friend, how did you come in here without wearing the wedding clothes [that were provided for you]?' And the man was speechless and without excuse.
Matt 22:13"Then the king said to the attendants, 'Tie him hand and foot, and throw him into the darkness outside; in that place there will be weeping [over sorrow and pain] and grinding of teeth [over distress and anger].'
Matt 22:14"For many are called (invited, summoned), but few are chosen."
Matt 22:15¶ Then the Pharisees went and conspired together plotting how to trap Him by [distorting] what He said. [Mark 12:13-17; Luke 20:20-26]
Matt 22:16They sent their disciples to Him, along with the Herodians, saying, "Teacher, we know that You are sincere and that You teach the way of God truthfully, without concerning Yourself about [what] anyone [thinks or says of Your teachings]; for You are impartial and do not seek anyone's favor [and You treat all people alike, regardless of status].
Matt 22:17"Tell us then, what do You think? Is it permissible [according to Jewish law and tradition] to pay a poll-tax to Caesar, or not?"
Matt 22:18But Jesus, aware of their malice, asked, "Why are you testing Me, you hypocrites?
Matt 22:19"Show me the coin used for the poll-tax." And they brought Him a denarius [a day's wage].
Matt 22:20And Jesus said to them, "Whose likeness and inscription is this?"
Matt 22:21They said, "[The Emperor Tiberius] 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."
Matt 22:22When they heard this, they were caught off guard, and they left Him and went away.
Matt 22:23¶ On that day some Sadducees, who say that there is no resurrection [of the dead], came to Him and asked Him a question, [Mark 12:18-27; Luke 20:27-40]
Matt 22:24saying, "Teacher, Moses said, 'IF A MAN DIES, LEAVING NO CHILDREN, HIS BROTHER AS NEXT OF KIN SHALL MARRY HIS WIDOW, AND RAISE CHILDREN FOR HIS BROTHER.' [Deut 25:5]
Matt 22:25"Now there were seven brothers among us; the first married and died, and having no children left his wife to his brother.
Matt 22:26"The second also [died childless], and the third, down to the seventh.
Matt 22:27"Last of all, the woman died.
Matt 22:28"So in the resurrection, whose wife of the seven will she be? For they all had married her."
Matt 22:29¶ But Jesus replied to them, "You are all wrong because you know neither the Scriptures [which teach the resurrection] nor the power of God [for He is able to raise the dead].
Matt 22:30"For in the resurrection neither do men marry nor are women given in marriage, but they are like angels in heaven [who do not marry nor produce children].
Matt 22:31"But as to the resurrection of the dead--have you not read [in the Scripture] what God said to you:
Matt 22:32'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." [Ex 3:6]
Matt 22:33When the crowds heard this, they were astonished at His teaching.
Matt 22:34¶ Now when the Pharisees heard that He had silenced (muzzled) the Sadducees, they gathered together. [Mark 12:28-31; Luke 10:25-28]
Matt 22:35One of them, a lawyer [an expert in Mosaic Law], asked Jesus a question, to test Him:
Matt 22:36"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" [Mark 12:28]
Matt 22:37And Jesus replied to him, " 'YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.' [Deut 6:5]
Matt 22:38"This is the first and greatest commandment.
Matt 22:39"The second is like it, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF [that is, unselfishly seek the best or higher good for others].' [Lev 19:18; Matt 19:19]
Matt 22:40"The whole Law and the [writings of the] Prophets depend on these two commandments."
Matt 22:41¶ Now while the Pharisees were [still] gathered together, Jesus asked them a question: [Mark 12:35-37; Luke 20:41-44]
Matt 22:42"What do you [Pharisees] think of the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed)? Whose Son is He?" They said to Him, "The son of David."
Matt 22:43Jesus asked them, "How is it then that David by the inspiration of the Spirit, calls Him 'Lord,' saying,
Matt 22:44'THE LORD (the Father) SAID TO MY LORD (the Son, the Messiah), "SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND, UNTIL I PUT YOUR ENEMIES UNDER YOUR FEET"'? [Ps 110:1]
Matt 22:45"So then, if David calls Him (the Son, the Messiah) 'Lord,' how is He David's son?"
Matt 22:46No one was able to say a word to Him in answer, nor from that day on did anyone dare to question Him again.