王宴客的比喻

22 耶稣又用比喻对他们说: “天国就像一个王为儿子筹备婚宴。 他派奴仆去请受邀的客人,可是客人都不肯赴宴。 王再派其他奴仆去,说,‘去告诉被邀请的人,我的宴席已经备好,公牛和肥畜都宰了,一切都预备妥当,来赴婚宴吧!’ 那些人却毫不理会地走了,一个去种田,一个去做买卖, 其余的竟然抓住王的奴仆,把他们羞辱一番后杀了。 王大怒,派军队去剿灭凶手,烧毁他们的城。

“然后,他对奴仆说,‘婚宴已预备好了,只是被邀请的人不配。 所以你们到街头巷尾,把所有见到的人都请来。’ 10 奴仆到街上把遇到的人都请了来,好人坏人都有,大厅里满了客人。

11 “王出来会见在座的客人,发现有一个人没有穿礼服, 12 就问他,‘朋友,你来这里怎么不穿婚宴的礼服呢?’那人无言以对。 13 王便吩咐侍从,‘把他手脚绑起来丢到外面的黑暗里,让他在那里哀哭切齿。’”

14 耶稣又说:“被邀请的人多,选上的人少。”

以纳税问题刁难耶稣

15 那时,法利赛人出去策划怎样从耶稣的话里找把柄陷害祂。 16 他们派了自己的门徒跟希律党人一同去问耶稣:“老师,我们知道你诚实无伪,按真理传上帝的道,你不徇情面,不以貌取人。 17 那么请告诉我们,纳税给凯撒对不对呢?”

18 耶稣看出了他们的恶意,就说:“你们这些伪君子,为什么试探我呢? 19 拿一个纳税用的钱币来给我看。”他们就拿给祂一个银币。

20 耶稣问他们:“上面刻的是谁的像和名号?”

21 他们说:“凯撒的。”

耶稣说:“那么,属于凯撒的东西应该给凯撒,属于上帝的东西应该给上帝。” 22 他们听了很惊奇,只好离开祂走了。

论复活

23 同一天,不相信死人会复活的撒都该人也来问耶稣, 24 说:“老师,摩西说,‘如果一个人死了,没有儿女,只留下妻子,他的兄弟就当娶嫂嫂,替哥哥传宗接代。’ 25 从前,我们这里有弟兄七人,老大结了婚,没有孩子就死了,把妻子留给了弟弟。 26 二弟、三弟一直到七弟都相继娶了嫂嫂,都没留下孩子。 27 最后,那女人也死了。 28 那么,到复活的时候,她将是谁的妻子呢?因为他们都娶过她。”

29 耶稣说:“你们弄错了。你们不明白圣经,也不知道上帝的能力。 30 因为到复活的时候,人们将不娶也不嫁,就像天上的天使一样。

31 “关于死人复活的事,难道你们没有读过上帝对你们说过的话吗? 32 祂说,‘我是亚伯拉罕的上帝,以撒的上帝,雅各的上帝。’上帝不是死人的上帝,而是活人的上帝。” 33 众人听到祂的教导都很惊奇。

最大的诫命

34 法利赛人听见耶稣使撒都该人无言以对,就聚集在一起。 35 其中有位律法专家试探耶稣说: 36 “老师,请问律法中哪一条诫命最重要呢?”

37 耶稣回答说:“‘你要全心、全情、全意爱主——你的上帝’, 38 这是第一条也是最重要的诫命。 39 第二条也相似,就是‘要爱邻如己’。 40 律法和先知的全部教导都以这两条诫命为基础。”

基督的身份

41 耶稣趁着法利赛人聚在那里,就问他们: 42 “你们对基督有何看法?祂是谁的后裔?”他们答道:“大卫的后裔。”

43 耶稣说:“那么,为什么大卫受圣灵感动,称祂为主呢?大卫曾说,

44 “‘主对我主说,
你坐在我的右边,
等我使你的仇敌伏在你脚下。’

45 既然大卫称基督为主,基督又怎么会是大卫的后裔呢?” 46 没人能回答耶稣的问题。从此再没有人敢用问题来刁难耶稣了。

天の御国とはどのようなもの?

22 天の御国(神が支配される国、生き方)がどのようなものかを教えようと、イエスはまた幾つかのたとえ話をなさいました。

「たとえば天の御国は、王子のために盛大な結婚披露宴を準備した王のようなものです。 大ぜいの客が招待されました。宴会の準備がすっかり整ったので、王は使いを送り、招待客を呼びに行かせました。ところが、みな出席を断ってきたのです。 それで王は、もう一度別の使いをやり、こう言わせました。『何もかも用意ができました。肉も焼き始めています。おいでを待つばかりです。』

ところが、招待客はそれを気にかけず、ある者は農場へ、ある者は自分の店へと出かけて行きました。 そればかりか、中には王の使者に恥をかかせたり、なぐったり、殺してしまう者さえいました。

これを聞いて怒った王は、すぐさま軍兵を出動させ、人殺しどもを滅ぼし、彼らの町を焼き払ってしまいました。 そして王は、『披露宴の準備はできたというのに、招いておいた者たちはそれにふさわしくなかった。 さあ、町へ行って、出会う者は片っぱしから、みな招くのだ』と命じました。

10 王の使者たちは、命令どおり、善人悪人の区別なく、だれでも招待しました。宴会場は客でいっぱいです。 11 ところが、王が客に会おうと出て来ると、用意しておいた婚礼の礼服を着ていない客が一人います。 12 『礼服もつけずに、どうしてここへ入って来たのか』と尋ねましたが、その男は何とも返事をしません。

13 それで王は、側近の者たちに命じました。『この男の手足を縛って、外の暗闇に放り出しなさい。そこで泣いてくやしがるのだ。』 14 招待される人は多くても、選ばれる人は少ないのです。」

15 そのころパリサイ人たちは、イエスをわなにかけて逮捕のきっかけになることを言わせようと、知恵をしぼっていました。 16 そして、数人の仲間をヘロデ党(ヘロデを支持する政治的な一派)の者たちといっしょにイエスのところへやり、こう質問させました。「先生。あなたがたいへん正直なお方で、だれをも恐れず、また人をえこひいきもなさらず、いつも堂々と真理を教えておられることは、よく存じ上げております。 17 それで、ぜひともお教え願いたいのですが、ローマ政府に税金を納めることは正しいことでしょうか。それともよくないことでしょうか。」

18 イエスは、彼らの策略を見抜いて言われました。「偽善者たち。わたしをわなにかけようというのですか。 19 さあ、銀貨を出して見せなさい。」

20 銀貨を受け取ったイエスは、彼らに問いました。「ここに刻まれているのは、だれの肖像ですか。その下にある名前はだれのものですか。」 21 「カイザル(ローマ皇帝)のです。」「そのとおりです。ローマ皇帝のものなら、それはローマ皇帝に返しなさい。しかし神のものは全部、神に返さなければなりません。」

22 彼らはこの答えに驚き、返すことばもなく、すごすごとイエスの前から立ち去りました。

23 ちょうど同じ日に、死後の復活などはないと主張するサドカイ人たちも来て、イエスに尋ねました。 24 「先生。モーセの律法では、ある男が結婚して子どものないまま死んだ場合、弟が兄の未亡人と結婚して、生まれた子どもに兄のあとを継がせることになっています。 25 ところで、こういう場合はどうなるのでしょう。七人兄弟の家族があって、長男は結婚しましたが、子どもがないまま死んだので、残された未亡人は次男の妻になりました。 26 ところが、次男も子どもがないまま死に、その妻は三男のものになりました。しかし、三男も四男も同じようになり、ついにこの女は、七人兄弟全部の妻になりましたが、結局、子どもはできずじまいでした。 27 そして、彼女も死にました。 28 そうすると、復活の時には、彼女はいったいだれの妻になるのでしょう。生前、七人とも彼女を妻にしたのですが。」

29 しかし、イエスは言われました。「あなたがたは聖書も神の力もわかっていません。思い違いをしています。 30 いいですか。復活の時には、結婚などというものはありません。みんなが天使のようになるのです。 31-32 ところで、死人が復活するかどうかについて、聖書を読んだことがないのですか。神が、『わたしはアブラハムの神、イサクの神、ヤコブの神である』と言われた時〔すでに死んでしまったアブラハム、イサク、ヤコブがいま神の御前で生きていなければ、神は『アブラハム、イサク、ヤコブの神であった』と言われるはずです〕、あなたがたにも直接そう語りかけておられたのだということが、わからないのですか。神は死んだ人の神ではなく、生きている人の神なのです。」

一番重要な戒め

33 群衆はこのイエスの答えに、すっかり感心しました。 34-35 しかし、パリサイ人たちはそうはいきません。サドカイ人たちが言い負かされたと知ると、彼らは彼らで新しい質問を考え出し、さっそくイエスのところにやって来ました。その中の律法の専門家が、 36 「先生。モーセの律法の中で一番重要な戒めは何でしょうか」と尋ねました。

37 イエスはお答えになりました。「『心を尽くし、たましいを尽くし、思いを尽くして、あなたの神である主を愛しなさい。』 38 これが第一で、最も重要な戒めです。 39 第二も同じように重要で、『自分を愛するように、あなたの隣人を愛しなさい』という戒めです。 40 ほかのすべての戒めと預言者たちの命令も、この二つから出ています。ですから、この二つを守れば、ほかの戒めを全部守ったことになるのです。これを守りなさい。」

41 それから、イエスは、回りを取り囲んでいるパリサイ人たちに質問されました。 42 「キリストをどう思いますか。彼はいったいだれの子ですか。」「ダビデ王の子です。」

43 「それでは、なぜダビデは聖霊に動かされて語った時、このように、キリストを『主』と呼んだのでしょうか。

44 『神が私の主に言われた。
「わたしがあなたの敵を
あなたの足の下に置くまで、
わたしの右に座っていなさい。」』詩篇11・1

45 ダビデがキリストを『主』と呼んでいるのなら、キリストが、ただのダビデの子であるわけはありません。」

46 これには、返すことばもありませんでした。その日以来、だれも、あえてイエスに質問しようとする者はいませんでした。

22 And, in reply, Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach again spoke in meshalim (parables) to them, saying,

The Malchut HaShomayim is like a man, a Melech (King), who prepared a feast for the chasunoh (wedding) of Bno.

And the Melech sent out his servants to summon the Bnei HaChuppah (wedding invitees—Mt 9:15) to the chasunoh, and they did not want to come.

Again, the Melech sent out other servants, saying, Tell the Bnei HaChuppah, the wedding invitees, Hinei! My Seudah I have prepared, my oxen and fattened calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready: Come to the chasunoh!

But the Bnei HaChuppah, the chasunoh invitees, having treated it all as a mere trifle, departed, one to his farmer’s field, one to his business.

Meanwhile, the others seized the Mesharetim HaMelech (Ministers of the King) and abused them and killed them.

So the Melech was angry and, having sent his armies, the King destroyed those ratzchaniyot (murderers), and their city he burned.

Then the King says to his ministers, The chasunoh is ready, but the invited ones were not worthy.

Therefore, go to the intersections of the streets, and, whoever you find, invite as muzmanim (guests) to the chasunoh.

10 And having gone out to the highways, those ministers congregated everyone they found, rah and tov, and the chasunoh was filled with muzmanim (guests).

11 And the Melech, having entered to see the ones sitting bimesibba (reclining at tish), spotted there a man lacking the attire proper for the chasunoh [see Yn 3:3,5].

12 And the Melech says to him, Chaver, how did you get in here, not having the attire proper for the chasunoh? But the man had nothing to say.

13 Then the King said to the servants, Bind him feet and hands and expel him into the outer choshech, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.

14 For the invited ones are many, but the nivcharim (chosen ones) are few.

15 Then, having departed, the Perushim took counsel together so that they might entrap Yehoshua in his own words.

16 And they are sending to Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach their talmidim with the Herodians, saying, Rabbi, we know that you are an ehrliche Yid (a good Jew) and of the Derech Hashem you give Divrei Torah in Emes, and you show no deference to flesh, for you are impartial toward Bnei Adam.

17 Therefore, tell us what to you seems right: is it mutar (permissible) to pay poll tax to Caesar or not?

18 But he, having known their rah (evil), said to them, Why do you test me, tzevuim?

19 Show me the coin of the poll tax. And they brought to Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach a denarius.

20 And Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach says to them, Whose image is this and whose title?

21 They say to him, Caesar’s. Then Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach says to them, Give, therefore, unto Caesar the things of Caesar, and the things of Hashem, give unto Hashem.

22 And having heard this, they were amazed and, having left Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, they went away.

23 On that day some Tzedukim (Sadducees) approached Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, saying, There is no Techiyas HaMesim! And they interrogated Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach,

24 Saying, Rabbi, Moshe Rabbenu said that if someone dies, not having banim, his brother shall marry his isha (wife) to raise up zera (seed) for his brother.

25 Now there were among us shiva achim (seven brothers), and the first, having married, died. And not having zera (offspring), left his isha to his brother.

26 Likewise, also the second brother, and the third, up to the seventh.

27 And last of all, the isha died.

28 In the Techiyas HaMesim, therefore, she will be the wife of which of the seven? For all had her.

29 And Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach said in reply to them, You are in error, not having known the Kitvei Hakodesh or the gevurat Hashem (power of G-d).

30 For in the Techiyas HaMesim they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like the malachim in Shomayim.

31 But concerning the Techiyas HaMesim, have you not read the thing spoken to you by Hashem, saying,

32 ANOCHI ELOHEI AVRAHAM ELOHEI YITZCHAK VEELOHEI YAAKOV (I am the G-d of Avraham, the G-d of Yitzchak, and the G-d of Yaakov, [SHEMOT 3:6])? Hashem is not the G-d of the Mesim (dead ones) but the G-d of the Chayyim (living).

33 And having heard this, the multitudes were amazed at Moshiach’s torah (teaching).

34 But the Perushim, having heard that he silenced the Tzedukim, assembled together,

35 And one of them, a Baal Torah (learned Torah scholar, a Ben Torah), tried to trip up Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach with a she’elah (question):

36 Rabbi, which mitzvah is gedolah (great) in the Torah?

37 And Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach gave this teshuva (answer) to the Baal Torah, VAHAVTAH ES ADONOI ELOHECHA BCHOL LEVAVCHA UVCHOL NAFSHECHA UVCHOL MODECHA (And thou shalt love the L-rd thy G-d with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy might [DEVARIM 6:5]).

38 This is the gedolah and rishonah mitzvah.

39 And the second mitzvah is like it: VAHAVTAH LREIACHA KAMOCHA (And thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, [VAYIKRA 19:18]).

40 On these two mitzvot hang the entire Torah and the Neviim.

41 And, the Perushim, having been assembled, Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach confronted with this she’elah,

42 Saying, What do you think concerning the Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach? Whose Ben is he? The Perushim gave this teshuva (answer) to him: Ben Dovid.

43 Moshiach says to them, How then can Dovid, in the Ruach Hakodesh, call Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Adon?... saying

44 NEUM HASHEM LAADONI, SHEV LIMINI AD ASHIT OYVECHA HADOM LERAGLECHA (Utterance of Hashem to my L-rd, Sit at My right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet TEHILLIM 110:1).

45 Therefore, if Dovid calls him Adon [i.e., Adoneinu], how is Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach [merely] Ben Dovid? [cf. MALACHI 3:1; ZECHARYAH 4:14]

46 And no one was able to give an answer to him, nor did anyone dare to pose another she’elah (question) to Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach from that day on.

The Parable of the Wedding Banquet(A)

22 Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like(B) a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his servants(C) to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come.

“Then he sent some more servants(D) and said, ‘Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’

“But they paid no attention and went off—one to his field, another to his business. The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers(E) and burned their city.

“Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. So go to the street corners(F) and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’ 10 So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, the bad as well as the good,(G) and the wedding hall was filled with guests.

11 “But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. 12 He asked, ‘How did you get in here without wedding clothes, friend(H)?’ The man was speechless.

13 “Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’(I)

14 “For many are invited, but few are chosen.”(J)

Paying the Imperial Tax to Caesar(K)

15 Then the Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap him in his words. 16 They sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians.(L) “Teacher,” they said, “we know that you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren’t swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are. 17 Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay the imperial tax[a](M) to Caesar or not?”

18 But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, “You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? 19 Show me the coin used for paying the tax.” They brought him a denarius, 20 and he asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?”

21 “Caesar’s,” they replied.

Then he said to them, “So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s,(N) and to God what is God’s.”

22 When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left him and went away.(O)

Marriage at the Resurrection(P)

23 That same day the Sadducees,(Q) who say there is no resurrection,(R) came to him with a question. 24 “Teacher,” they said, “Moses told us that if a man dies without having children, his brother must marry the widow and raise up offspring for him.(S) 25 Now there were seven brothers among us. The first one married and died, and since he had no children, he left his wife to his brother. 26 The same thing happened to the second and third brother, right on down to the seventh. 27 Finally, the woman died. 28 Now then, at the resurrection, whose wife will she be of the seven, since all of them were married to her?”

29 Jesus replied, “You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures(T) or the power of God. 30 At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage;(U) they will be like the angels in heaven. 31 But about the resurrection of the dead—have you not read what God said to you, 32 ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’[b]?(V) He is not the God of the dead but of the living.”

33 When the crowds heard this, they were astonished at his teaching.(W)

The Greatest Commandment(X)

34 Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees,(Y) the Pharisees got together. 35 One of them, an expert in the law,(Z) tested him with this question: 36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’[c](AA) 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[d](AB) 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”(AC)

Whose Son Is the Messiah?(AD)

41 While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, 42 “What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is he?”

“The son of David,”(AE) they replied.

43 He said to them, “How is it then that David, speaking by the Spirit, calls him ‘Lord’? For he says,

44 “‘The Lord said to my Lord:
    “Sit at my right hand
until I put your enemies
    under your feet.”’[e](AF)

45 If then David calls him ‘Lord,’ how can he be his son?” 46 No one could say a word in reply, and from that day on no one dared to ask him any more questions.(AG)

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 22:17 A special tax levied on subject peoples, not on Roman citizens
  2. Matthew 22:32 Exodus 3:6
  3. Matthew 22:37 Deut. 6:5
  4. Matthew 22:39 Lev. 19:18
  5. Matthew 22:44 Psalm 110:1