L Q1 1-7. The bidden guest. Q2 8-14. The substituted guests.
Q1 e 1-3-. Call to those bidden. First call.
f -3. Servant sent. Re fused.
e 4. Call to those bidden. Second call.
f 5-7. Servants sent. Ill treated.
The servants first sent forth were John the Baptist, the Twelve, and the Seventy, and there were sent to those who had been previously bidden. But "they would not come".
The "other servants" who were next sent were Peter, the Twelve, and "them that heard Him" (Heb. 2:3, 4) during the dispensation of the Acts, as foreshown in v. 4.
They proclaimed that "all things were ready". Nothing now was wanting. The "sufferings" had been fulfilled and the glory was ready to be revealed (Luke 24:26, 46. Acts 3:18. 1Pet. 1:5). Therefore, "Repent ye", &c. (Acts 2:38, 39; 3:19).
But instead of repenting they "took His servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them" (Matt. 22:5, 6). Some they imprisoned (Acts 4:3; 5:18; 8:3; 9:1, 13, 21); one they stoned (Acts 7:59); another they "killed with the sword" (Acts 12:2). This shows that that dispensation could not have ended with the stoning of Stephen in Acts 7, for James was slain after that; and other persecutions were continued up to the end (Acts 28:17).
"But the King was wroth, and sent His armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city" (Matt. 22:7). The Temple was burned, and the nation dispersed.
The last servants sent will go "into the highways" of the world. Here we have, again, a reference to the yet future proclamation of "the Gospel of the Kingdom".
Now, this marriage-feast is postponed; and all invitations to it are in abeyance. Its future fulfilment is yet to take place. This is referred to in Matt. 24:14, and is proved by Rev. 19:6-9, where we have the same word in v. 9 as in Matt. 22:2.
Matthew 22)
1 And Jesus (Gr. Iesous is the same as Heb. Yehoshua, or the abbreviated form Yeshua, and means Salvation of Yehovah, or Yehovah the Savior) answered and spoke to them again in parables, and said,
2 "The kingdom of the heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage (or wedding feast) for his son, (Jesus spoke in parables that were so simple a child could understand but those who won’t try, or believe they are not meant to know, cannot understand them. The king in this parable is the Holy Father and the son is His Son, Christ Jesus.)
3 And sent forth his servants to call those who had been bidden to the wedding feast: (This bidden had been done by the prophets. For custom of such a latter "sending" cp. Est. 5:8 with 6:14.)
and they wished not to come. (Who sent forth? His apostles, Peter, James, Paul, etc. were. Picture John the Baptist, the last of a long list of prophets, crying of the Husband’s return. A marriage and a wedding; this is what the kingdom of God is about. John the Baptist prepared His way then, as there is a people crying now in this last generation, preparing the way for the return of their Husband. In the following verses Christ tells of those, especially the Kenite, who slew the Kings servants and how the wedding was open to the entire world. Finally, when the King comes and inspects the bunch, he is very disappointed.)
4 Again, he sent forth other servants, (Peter and "them that heard Him" [Heb. 2:3], as recorded in the Acts) saying, 'Tell them which had been bidden, 'Behold, I have prepared my breakfast: (or luncheon. not supper) my oxen and my fatted beasts are killed, and all things are ready: come to the marriage.''
5 But they gave no heed [to it], and went away, one to his own farm, ("our own" being emphatic for contrast. Cp. 1 Chron. 29:16) another to his commerce:
6 And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, (as in Acts 4:1-5; 5:40,41; 11:19) and slew them. (Acts 7:54-60; 8:1; 12:2-5)
7 But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, (The Roman armies) and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. (This refers to the destruction Jerusalem which took place shortly after the close of the Acts Dispensation.)
Q2 g 8. The bidden guest. Not worthy.
h 9. Other guest to be substituted.
h 10. Other guests substituted.
g 11-14. The intruding guest. Detected.
8 Then said he to his servants, 'The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy. (This, as to time, leaps over the present Dispensation, and takes up the yet future preaching of 24:14, for it has to do with the same people)
9 Go you therefore upon the public roads, and as many as you shall find, bid to the marriage.' (After the present Dispensation)
10 So those servants having gone out into the public roads, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding became filled with guests.
11 And when the king came in to gaze upon the guests (view as a spectacle, or inspect), he beheld there a person which had not (Gr. ou) on a wedding garment: (You could call this garment the gospel armor, but I prefer the garment that is in Revelation; the garment of the righteous acts. This is the person who always said he never knew what the Word said but that he just had faith and believed. He never came to Christ for instructions as to what he was to accomplish nor who he was, etc. That person never knew Christ for the Word is Christ. Christ will say He doesn’t know him.)
12 And he said to him, 'Friend, how do you come in here not having a wedding garment?' (Gr. mē, not the same word as in v.11, because this refers to the man's subjective consciousness of the omission when he entered, not to the mere forgetfulness of the fact) And he was speechless. (There was no excuse for the insult implied in the negative me, above.)
13 Then said the king to the servants, 'Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into the outer darkness, there shall be the weeping and the grinding of teeth.' (That person didn’t even know what he did wrong! He was cast into outer darkness... (this doesn’t say, or even imply hell - hell is when evil is being blotted out)...bound by the Word to be taught in the millennium. But he/they will not be able to partake of the kingdom wedding until it’s consummation at the end of the millennium. This final event in the wedding takes place at the great white throne judgment, and there shall never be another.)
14 For many are called, but few are chosen." (Cp. 20:16. Few shall partake in the soon-coming wedding of our Lord. As stated in Revelation Chapter 14, these are the one hundred forty-four thousand and the kings and queens of the nations. See Rev.22:17 for view in the eternity.)
K R 15-22. The Pharisees' Question. Civil.
S 22-33. The Sadducees Question. Religious.
R 34-40. The Pharisees' Question. Moral.
S 41-46. The Lord's Question and Answer.
R T 15. Counsel taken.
U 16,17. Their Question as to the Tribute.
V i 18,19-. His demand. The Argument.
k -19. Their compliance "
V i 20. His Question. "
k 21-. Their reply. "
U -21. Their Question answered.
T 22. Departure taken.
15 Then came the Pharisees (see 9:19), and took counsel how they might entrap Him in His talk.
16 And they sent out to Him their own disciples with the Herodians, (it is uncertain whether this refers to Herod's servants, officers, household, or to a political party. Prob. = courtiers) saying, "Teacher, we know that You are true, and teach the way of God in truth (Gr. Theos corresponds generally to Elohim, the Creator, of the O.T.), there is no care with You about any man: for You look not on the person of men.
17 Tell us therefore, What do You think? Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not?" (This was the poll-tax paid in Roman money by each person who was enrolled in the census. See 17:25. Mark 12:14)
18 But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said," Why do you tempt Me, you hypocrites?
19 Show me the tribute coin."
And they brought to Him a penny. (= a denarion. A silver coin worth about 17 cents)
20 And He said to them, "Whose is this image (therefore not a Jewish or Herodian coin, but a Roman) and inscription?"
21 They say to Him, "Caesar's."
Then said He to them, "Render therefore to Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and to God the things that are God's."
22 When they had heard these words, they marveled, and left Him, and went their way.
S l 23. Sadducees' error. Denial of Resurrection.
m 24-28. Resurrection. Questioned.
l 29. Sadducees' error. Ignorance of Scriptures.
m 30-33. Resurrection proved.
23 On the same day came to Him the Sadducees, (see 9:19) which say that there is not a resurrection, (denying subjectively not the fact, but asserting their disbelief of the fact) and asked Him,
24 Saying, "Teacher, Moses said, (A hypothetical case here, quoted from Deut. 25:5) 'If a man should die, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife, and raise up issue to his brother.' (Gr. sperma)
25 Now there were with us seven brethren: and the first, when he had married a wife, deceased, and, having no issue, left his wife to his brother:
26 Likewise the second also, and the third, to the seventh.
27 And at last the woman also died.
28 Therefore in the resurrection whose wife shall she be of the seven? for they all had her."
29 But Jesus answered and said to them, "You do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God. (Note the negative, implying their unwillingness to know, not stating the mere fact. All are sure to err who do not know the Scriptures)
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 concerning the resurrection of dead bodies, did you never read that which was spoken to you by God, saying, (Quoted from Ex. 3:6)
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 people, but of living people." (The only conclusion being that they must rise and live again in resurrection in order that He may be their God. This is what the Lord set out to prove in [v.21] "concerning the resurrection".)
33 And when the multitude heard this, they were astonished at His teaching.
R n 34-36. The Great Commandment. Question.
o 37,38. Answer. The First: Love of God. Severally.
o 39. Answer. The Second: Love of Neighbor. "
n 40. The Great Commandment. Jointly.
34 But when the Pharisees had heard that He had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together.
35 Then one of them, which was a teacher of the law, asked Him a question, tempting Him, and saying,
36 "Teacher, what kind of commandment is great in the law?" (The Scribes divided them all up: 248 affirmative ones [the number of the member of the bodies]]: 365 negative [the days in a year]: 248 = 365 = the number of the letters in the Decalogue. Some were great and some were small [or heavy and light]. The question was as to great and small [as in v.35]; not the greatest and least. They didn't realize the Living Word was standing before them. Listen and learn)
37 Jesus said to him, (quoted from Deut. 6:3; 10:12; 30:6) "You shall love Yehovah your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.
38 This is the first and great commandment. (This commandment is spiritual, and covers the first 5 commandments which pertain to God.)
39 And the second is like unto it, (quoted Lev. 9:18) You shall love your neighbor as yourself. (This commandment is civil, and covers all the commandments that pertain to our relationships with other people.)
40 In these two commandments hang the whole law and the prophets." (If you love God, you try to keep all of His commandments. We do all fall short from time to time. Thank goodness for repentance and forgiveness. Love your Father. That is the greatest commandment of all.)
S W p 41,42-. His Question: "Whose Son is Messiah?"
q -42. Their Answer: "The Son of David."
X 43,44. David's Words.
W p 45. His Question: "How is He his Son?"
q 46. Their Answer not given.
41 While the Pharisees (see 9:19) were gathered together, Jesus asked them,
42 Saying, "What think you of Christ? whose Son is He?"
They say to Him, "The Son of David."
"King of the Jews" (wise men from the east. Matt. 2:2).
"Mightier than I" (John Baptist. Matt. 3:11).
"Son of God" (demons. Matt. 8:29).
"A blasphemer (certain Scribes. Matt. 9:3).
"Son of David" (two blind men. Matt. 9:27) (a woman of Canaan. Matt. 15:22).
"The carpenter's son" (His fellow countrymen. Matt. 13:55).
"John the Baptist" (Herod and others. Matt. 14:2; 16:14).
"The Son of God" (they that were in the ship. Matt. 14:33).
"Elijah" (some. Matt. 16:14).
"Jeremiah" (others. Matt. 16:14).
"One of the prophets" (some men. Matt. 16:14).
"The Christ, the Son of the living God" (Peter. Matt. 16:16).
"The Christ, the Son of God" (Martha. John 11:27).
"My beloved Son" (God the Father. Matt. 17:5).
"Good Master" (a certain ruler. Matt. 19:16).
"The prophet of Nazareth" (the multitude. Matt. 21:11).
"The carpenter, son of Mary" (many hearing Him. Mark 6:3).
"Thy salvation ... a light ... the glory" (Simeon. Luke 2:30, 32).
"Joseph's son" (all in the synagogue. Luke 4:22).
"A great prophet" (all witnessing the raising of the widow's son. Luke 7:16).
"A righteous man" (the Roman centurion. Luke 23:47).
"A prophet mighty in deed and word" (the two going to Emmaus. Luke 24:19).
"The Lamb of God" (John the Baptist. John 1:29).
"The Messias" (Andrew. John 1:41).
"The Son of God ... the King of Israel" (Nathanael. John 1:49).
"A teacher come from God" (Nicodemus. John 3:2).
"A prophet" (a woman of Samaria. John 4:19).
"Jesus the son of Joseph" (the Jews. John 6:42).
"A Samaritan" and having a demon (the Jews. John 8:48).
"A prophet" (the blind man. John 9:17).
"The King of Israel" (much people. John 12:13).
43 He said to them, "How then does David by spirit call Him Lord, saying, (Quoted from Ps. 110:1)
44 'The Lord said to My Lord, 'You sit on My right hand, until I shall have set Your enemies as a footstool for Your feet?' ' (The 1st of 7 reference to Ps. 110:1 in the N.T. Next one is Mark 12:36. Luke 20:42. Acts 2:34. 1 Cor. 15:25. Heb. 1:13; 10:13. All refer to Messiah's session on the Father's Throne until His enemies shall be placed "as a footstool for His feet", except 1 Cor. 15:25, where they are at length put in subjection to the Son [Adonai] "under His feet". In all the 6, the enemies are placed as a footstool by Yahaveh, but in 1 Cor. 15:25 the are placed "under" by Adonai Himself. This was subject to Israel's repentance)
45 If David then call Him Lord (Gr. Kuios, Heb. Yahaveh), how is He his Son?
46 And no one was able to answer Him a word, neither does any one from that day forth ask Him any more questions.