Matthew 22

King James Version

Full text for Matthew Chapter 22

1¶ And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said,

2‹The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son,›

3‹And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come.›

4‹Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and [my] fatlings [are] killed, and all things [are] ready: come unto the marriage.›

5‹But they made light of [it], and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise:›

6‹And the remnant took his servants, and entreated [them] spitefully, and slew [them].›

7‹But when the king heard [thereof], he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.›

8‹Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.›

9‹Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage.›

10‹So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.›

11‹And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which 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 said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast [him] into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.›

14‹For many are called, but few [are] chosen.›

15¶ Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might entangle him in [his] talk.

16And they sent out unto him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any [man]: for thou regardest not the person of men.

17Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?

18But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, ‹Why tempt ye me, [ye] hypocrites?›

19‹Shew me the tribute money.› And they brought unto him a penny.

20And he saith unto them, ‹Whose [is] this image and superscription?›

21They say unto him, Caesar's. Then saith he unto them, ‹Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's.›

22When they had heard [these words], they marvelled, and left him, and went their way.

23¶ The same day came to him the Sadducees, which say that there is no resurrection, and asked him,

24Saying, Master, Moses said, If a man die, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.

25Now there were with us seven brethren: and the first, when he had married a wife, deceased, and, having no issue, left his wife unto his brother:

26Likewise the second also, and the third, unto the seventh.

27And last of all the woman died also.

28Therefore in the resurrection whose wife shall she be of the seven? for they all had her.

29Jesus 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 the angels of God 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.›

33And when the multitude heard [this], they were astonished at his doctrine.

34¶ But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together.

35Then one of them, [which was] a lawyer, asked [him a question], tempting him, and saying,

36Master, which [is] the great commandment in the law?

37Jesus 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 first and great commandment.›

39‹And the second [is] like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.›

40‹On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.›

41¶ While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them,

42Saying, ‹What think ye of Christ? whose son is he?› They say unto him, [The Son] of David.

43He saith unto them, ‹How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying,›

44‹The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool?›

45‹If David then call him Lord, how is he his son?›

46And no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any [man] from that day forth ask him any more [questions].

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Jesus begins Matthew 22 with the parable of the marriage feast, illustrating the kingdom of heaven's invitation, its rejection by some, and the necessity of spiritual readiness. He then skillfully navigates attempts by the Pharisees, Herodians, and Sadducees to entrap him with questions about tribute to Caesar and the resurrection. Jesus concludes by identifying the greatest commandments and challenging the Pharisees on the Messiah's identity, silencing his adversaries.

Medium Summary

Chapter 22 of Matthew opens with Jesus's parable of the marriage feast, where a king invites guests to his son's wedding, but they refuse or harm his servants, leading to their destruction. The king then invites all from the highways, but a guest without a wedding garment is cast out, emphasizing that "many are called, but few are chosen." Following this, the Pharisees and Herodians attempt to ensnare Jesus with a question about paying tribute to Caesar, to which he famously replies, "Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's." The Sadducees, denying the resurrection, then challenge Jesus with a hypothetical about marriage in the afterlife, but he corrects their error, affirming the resurrection by citing God as the God of the living. Lastly, a lawyer asks Jesus about the greatest commandment, prompting him to declare the love of God and love of neighbor as paramount, upon which all the law and prophets depend. Jesus concludes by questioning the Pharisees about the Messiah's identity, revealing a paradox in David calling his son "Lord."

Long Summary

Matthew chapter 22 presents a series of parables and confrontations as Jesus continues his ministry in Jerusalem. He begins with the parable of the marriage feast, likening the kingdom of heaven to a king who prepares a wedding for his son. The initial invited guests refuse to come, some even mistreating and killing the king's servants, leading to their destruction and the burning of their city. The king then sends his servants to the highways to invite all they find, both good and bad, thus filling the wedding hall. However, one guest is found without a wedding garment and is cast into outer darkness, concluding with the statement, "For many are called, but few are chosen." Following this, the Pharisees and Herodians conspire to ensnare Jesus with a question about the lawfulness of paying tribute to Caesar. Jesus, perceiving their malice, asks for a coin and instructs them to "Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's," astonishing his interrogators. The Sadducees, who deny the resurrection, then approach Jesus with a hypothetical scenario involving a woman married to seven brothers, asking whose wife she would be in the resurrection. Jesus rebukes their ignorance of scripture and the power of God, explaining that in the resurrection, there is no marriage, and people are like angels. He further proves the resurrection by citing God's declaration to Moses as "the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob," asserting that God is the God of the living. Next, a lawyer among the Pharisees tests Jesus by asking for the greatest commandment in the law. Jesus responds by identifying the first and great commandment as loving God with all one's heart, soul, and mind, and the second as loving one's neighbor as oneself, stating that all the law and prophets depend on these two. Finally, Jesus turns the tables on the Pharisees, asking them about the Christ's identity and how David could call his own son "Lord" in the Psalms, leaving them unable to answer and unwilling to question him further.

Core Concepts

  • Parable of the Marriage FeastThis parable illustrates the offer of the Kingdom of Heaven, the rejection by those initially invited (representing Israel), the subsequent invitation to all (Gentiles), and the requirement of spiritual readiness (the wedding garment) for entry.
  • Tribute to CaesarJesus's response, "Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's," establishes a principle of dual obligation: civil duty to earthly authorities and spiritual devotion to God.
  • Resurrection and MarriageJesus clarifies that in the resurrection, human relationships like marriage will not exist as they do on earth, and resurrected beings will be like angels, emphasizing a transformed state of existence.
  • God of the LivingBy quoting God's identification as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, Jesus demonstrates that God is not the God of the dead, but of the living, thereby proving the reality of the resurrection.
  • Greatest CommandmentsJesus distills the entire Mosaic Law and the Prophets into two supreme principles: absolute love for God and selfless love for one's neighbor, upon which all other commandments depend.
  • Christ's Divine SonshipJesus challenges the Pharisees' understanding of the Messiah by demonstrating how David, in the Spirit, referred to his descendant as "Lord," hinting at the Messiah's pre-eminence and divine nature beyond mere human lineage.
  • Hypocrisy and TemptationThroughout the chapter, religious leaders repeatedly attempt to tempt and entrap Jesus with questions, revealing their hypocrisy and their intent to find fault in his teachings.