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22 Jesus went on speaking in parables.

Jesus: The kingdom of heaven is like a king whose son was getting married. The king organized a great feast, a huge wedding banquet. He invited everyone he knew. The day of the wedding arrived, and the king sent his servants into town to track down his guests—but when the servants approached them with the king’s message, they refused to come. So the king sent out another batch of servants.

King: Tell those people I’ve invited to come to the wedding banquet! Tell them I have prepared a great feast! Everything is ready! The oxen and fattened cattle have all been butchered, the wine is decanted, and the table is laid out just so.

And off the servants went, and they carried the king’s message to the errant guests—who still paid not a whit of attention. One guest headed into his field to work; another sat at his desk to attend to his accounts. The rest of the guests actually turned on the servants, brutalizing them and killing them. When he learned of this, the king was furious. He sent his army to kill the murderers and burn their towns. But there was, of course, still a wedding to celebrate.

King (to his remaining servants): The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited didn’t rise to the occasion. So go into the streets and invite anyone you see; invite everyone you meet.

10 And the servants did just that—they went into the streets and invited everyone they met, rich and poor, good and bad, high and low, sick and well. Everyone who was invited came, and the wedding hall practically burst with guests.

11 The king looked around the wedding party with glee, but he spotted one man who was not dressed appropriately. In fact, he was dressed rather plainly, in clothes not at all fitting for a fine nuptial feast.

King: 12 Kind sir, how did you get in here without a proper suit of wedding clothes?

The man was speechless. He had been invited in off the street, after all! 13 Getting no response, the king told his servants,

King: Tie him up, and throw him out into the outer darkness, where there is weeping and grinding of teeth.

14 For many are invited, but few are chosen.

15 At that, the Pharisees left. They determined to trap this Jesus with His own words—hang Him by His own rope, you might say. 16 They sent a batch of students to Him, along with a group that was loyal to Herod.

Students: Teacher, we know You are a man of integrity and You tell the truth about the way of God. We know You don’t cotton to public opinion. 17 And that is why we trust You and want You to settle something for us: should we, God’s chosen people, pay taxes to Caesar or not?

18 Jesus knew these men were out to trap Him.

Jesus: You hypocrites! Why do you show up here with such a transparent trick? 19 Bring Me a coin you would use to pay tax.

Someone handed Him a denarius.[a] 20 Jesus fingered the coin.

Jesus: Of whom is this a portrait, and who owns this inscription?

Students: 21 Caesar.

Jesus: Well then, render to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.

22 And those who had come hoping to trick Jesus were confounded and amazed. And they left Him and went away.

23 That same day, a band of Sadducees—a sect of Jewish aristocrats who, among other things, did not expect a resurrection or anticipate any sort of future life at all—put their own question to Jesus.

Sadducees: 24 Teacher, the law of Moses teaches that if a married man dies with no children, then his brother must marry the widow and father children in his brother’s name. 25 Now we knew a family of seven brothers. The eldest brother married and died, and since he had no children, the next brother married his widow. 26 And shortly thereafter, that second brother died and the next until there were seven marriages with the same woman. 27 Eventually the wife died. 28 So now, Teacher, whose wife will she be at the resurrection? Will she have seven husbands, since they were each married to her?

According to Deuteronomy 25:5–6, a family member is supposed to marry a relative’s widow to carry on the deceased’s family name. Each man in this story dies, having fathered no children; that poor widow keeps marrying these brothers, and they keep dying. So in heaven, who is the husband?

Jesus: 29 You know neither God’s Scriptures nor God’s power—and so your assumptions are all wrong. 30 At the resurrection, people will neither marry nor be given in marriage. They will be like the messengers of heaven.

In heaven all will be devoting themselves to praise. It will not be a simple continuation of life on earth.

31 A key to this resurrected life can be found in the words of Moses, which you do claim to read: 32 “I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.”[b] Our God is not the God of the dead. He is the God of the living.

33 And again the crowd was amazed. They were astonished at His teaching.

34 Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, a group of Pharisees met to consider new questions that might trip up Jesus. 35 A legal expert thought of one that would certainly stump Him.

Pharisees: 36 Teacher, of all the laws, which commandment is the greatest?

Jesus (quoting Scripture): 37 “Love the Eternal One your God with all your heart and all your soul and all your mind.”[c] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is nearly as important, “Love your neighbor as yourself.”[d] 40 The rest of the law, and all the teachings of the prophets, are but variations on these themes.

41 Since the Pharisees were gathered together there, Jesus took the opportunity to pose a question of His own.

Jesus: 42 What do you think about the Anointed One? Whose Son is He?

Pharisees: But, of course, He is the Son of David.

Jesus: 43 Then how is it that David—whose words were surely shaped by the Spirit—calls Him “Lord”? For in his psalms David writes,

44     The Master said to my master
        “Sit here at My right hand,
        in the place of honor and power,
    And I will gather Your enemies together,
        lead them in on hands and knees,
        and You will rest Your feet on their backs.”[e]

45 How can David call his own Son “Lord”?

46 No one had an answer to Jesus’ question. And from that day forward, no one asked Him anything.

Footnotes

  1. 22:19 A Roman coin, equivalent to a day’s wage
  2. 22:32 Exodus 3:6
  3. 22:37 Deuteronomy 6:5
  4. 22:39 Leviticus 19:18
  5. 22:44 Psalm 110:1

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

The Parable of the Wedding Feast(A)

22 Jesus again used parables in talking to the people. “The Kingdom of heaven is like this. Once there was a king who prepared a wedding feast for his son. He sent his servants to tell the invited guests to come to the feast, but they did not want to come. So he sent other servants with this message for the guests: ‘My feast is ready now; my steers and prize calves have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast!’ But the invited guests paid no attention and went about their business: one went to his farm, another to his store, while others grabbed the servants, beat them, and killed them. The king was very angry; so he sent his soldiers, who killed those murderers and burned down their city. Then he called his servants and said to them, ‘My wedding feast is ready, but the people I invited did not deserve it. Now go to the main streets and invite to the feast as many people as you find.’ 10 So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, good and bad alike; and the wedding hall was filled with people.

11 “The king went in to look at the guests and saw a man who was not wearing wedding clothes. 12 ‘Friend, how did you get in here without wedding clothes?’ the king asked him. But the man said nothing. 13 (B)Then the king told the servants, ‘Tie him up hand and foot, and throw him outside in the dark. There he will cry and gnash his teeth.’”

14 (C)And Jesus concluded, “Many are invited, but few are chosen.”

The Question about Paying Taxes(D)

15 The Pharisees went off and made a plan to trap Jesus with questions. 16 Then they sent to him some of their disciples and some members of Herod's party. “Teacher,” they said, “we know that you tell the truth. You teach the truth about God's will for people, without worrying about what others think, because you pay no attention to anyone's status. 17 Tell us, then, what do you think? Is it against our Law to pay taxes to the Roman Emperor, or not?”

18 Jesus, however, was aware of their evil plan, and so he said, “You hypocrites! Why are you trying to trap me? 19 Show me the coin for paying the tax!”

They brought him the coin, 20 and he asked them, “Whose face and name are these?”

21 “The Emperor's,” they answered.

So Jesus said to them, “Well, then, pay to the Emperor what belongs to the Emperor, and pay to God what belongs to God.”

22 When they heard this, they were amazed; and they left him and went away.

The Question about Rising from Death(E)

23 (F)That same day some Sadducees came to Jesus and claimed that people will not rise from death. 24 (G)“Teacher,” they said, “Moses said that if a man who has no children dies, his brother must marry the widow so that they can have children who will be considered the dead man's children. 25 Now, there were seven brothers who used to live here. The oldest got married and died without having children, so he left his widow to his brother. 26 The same thing happened to the second brother, to the third, and finally to all seven. 27 Last of all, the woman died. 28 Now, on the day when the dead rise to life, whose wife will she be? All of them had married her.”

29 Jesus answered them, “How wrong you are! It is because you don't know the Scriptures or God's power. 30 (H)For when the dead rise to life, they will be like the angels in heaven and will not marry. 31 Now, as for the dead rising to life: haven't you ever read what God has told you? He said, 32 (I)‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ He is the God of the living, not of the dead.”

33 When the crowds heard this, they were amazed at his teaching.

The Great Commandment(J)

34 When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they came together, 35 and one of them, a teacher of the Law, tried to trap him with a question. 36 “Teacher,” he asked, “which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

37 (K)Jesus answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the greatest and the most important commandment. 39 (L)The second most important commandment is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as you love yourself.’ 40 (M)The whole Law of Moses and the teachings of the prophets depend on these two commandments.”

The Question about the Messiah(N)

41 When some Pharisees gathered together, Jesus asked them, 42 “What do you think about the Messiah? Whose descendant is he?”

“He is David's descendant,” they answered.

43 “Why, then,” Jesus asked, “did the Spirit inspire David to call him ‘Lord’? David said,

44 (O)‘The Lord said to my Lord:
    Sit here at my right side
    until I put your enemies under your feet.’

45 If, then, David called him ‘Lord,’ how can the Messiah be David's descendant?”

46 No one was able to give Jesus any answer, and from that day on no one dared to ask him any more questions.

喜宴的比喻(A)

22 耶穌又用比喻對他們說: 「天國好比一個王為他兒子擺設娶親的宴席。 他打發僕人去,請那些被邀的人來赴宴,他們卻不肯來。 王又打發別的僕人,說:『你們去告訴那被邀的人,我的宴席已經預備好了,牛和肥畜已經宰了,各樣都齊備,請你們來赴宴。』 那些人不理就走了,一個到自己田裏去,一個做買賣去。 其餘的抓住僕人,凌辱他們,把他們殺了。 王就大怒,發兵除滅那些兇手,燒燬他們的城。 於是王對僕人說:『喜宴已經齊備,只是所邀的人不配。 所以你們要往岔路口上去,凡遇見的,都邀來赴宴。』 10 那些僕人就出去,到大路上,凡遇見的,不論善惡都招聚了來,宴席上就坐滿了客人。 11 王進來見賓客,看到那裏有一個沒有穿禮服的, 12 就對他說:『朋友,你到這裏來怎麼不穿禮服呢?』那人無言可答。 13 於是王對侍從說:『捆起他的手腳,把他扔在外邊的黑暗裏;在那裏他要哀哭切齒了。』 14 因為被召的人多,選上的人少。」

納稅給凱撒的問題(B)

15 於是,法利賽人出去商議,怎樣找話柄來陷害耶穌, 16 就打發他們的門徒同希律黨人去見耶穌,說:「老師,我們知道你是誠實的,並且誠誠實實傳 神的道,無論誰你都一視同仁,因為你不看人的面子。 17 請告訴我們,你的意見如何?納稅給凱撒合不合法?」 18 耶穌看出他們的惡意,就說:「假冒為善的人哪,為甚麼試探我? 19 拿一個納稅的錢給我看!」他們就拿一個銀幣來給他。 20 耶穌問他們:「這像和這名號是誰的?」 21 他們說:「是凱撒的。」於是耶穌說:「這樣,凱撒的歸凱撒; 神的歸 神。」 22 他們聽了十分驚訝,就離開他走了。

復活的問題(C)

23 那天,撒都該人來見耶穌。他們說沒有復活這回事,於是問耶穌: 24 「老師,摩西說:『某人若死了,沒有孩子,他弟弟該娶他的妻子,為哥哥生子立後。』 25 從前,在我們這裏有兄弟七人,第一個娶了妻,死了,沒有孩子,撇下妻子給弟弟。 26 第二、第三,直到第七個,都是如此。 27 後來,那婦人也死了。 28 那麼,在復活的時候,她是七個人中哪一個的妻子呢?因為他們都娶過她。」 29 耶穌回答他們說:「你們錯了,因為不明白聖經,也不知道 神的大能。 30 在復活的時候,人也不娶也不嫁,而是像天上的天使一樣。 31 論到死人復活, 神向你們所說的話,你們沒有念過嗎? 32 他說:『我是亞伯拉罕的 神,以撒的 神,雅各的 神。』 神不是死人的 神,而是活人的 神。」 33 眾人聽見這話,對他的教導非常驚訝。

最大的誡命(D)

34 法利賽人聽見耶穌堵住了撒都該人的口,他們就聚集在一起。 35 其中有一個人是律法師[a],要試探耶穌,就問他: 36 「老師,律法上的誡命哪一條是最大的呢?」 37 耶穌對他說:「你要盡心、盡性、盡意愛主—你的 神。 38 這是最大的,且是第一條誡命。 39 第二條也如此,就是要愛鄰[b]如己。 40 這兩條誡命是一切律法和先知書的總綱。」

基督與大衛的關係(E)

41 法利賽人聚集的時候,耶穌問他們: 42 「論到基督,你們的意見如何?他是誰的後裔呢?」他們說:「是大衛的。」 43 耶穌說:「這樣,大衛被聖靈感動,怎麼還稱他為主,說:

44 『主對我主說:
你坐在我的右邊,
等我把你的仇敵放在你腳下?』

45 大衛既稱他為主,他怎麼又是大衛的後裔呢?」 46 沒有一個人能回答一句話,從那日以後沒有人敢再問他甚麼。

Footnotes

  1. 22.35 有古卷沒有「是律法師」。
  2. 22.39 「鄰」也可譯作「人」。