Commentary Matthew 22

Gary Eugene Howell uses the Berean Standard Bible. The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible, BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee. The Text of the Berean Standard Bible was dedicated to the public domain as of April 30, 2023.

Verses 1-7

Once again, Jesus spoke to them in parables: “The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his servants to call those he had invited to the banquet, but they refused to come.

Again, he sent other servants and said, ‘Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner. My oxen and fattened cattle have been killed, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’

But they paid no attention and went away, one to his field, another to his business. The rest seized his servants, mistreated them, and killed them.

The king was enraged, and he sent his troops to destroy those murderers and burn their city.

Commentary

The king represents God, and the wedding banquet is between Jesus and the church. The servants are the prophets, and those who were invited but refused to come represent Israel; particularly Israel’s religious leaders

Verse 7 was, at the time, a future prophecy referring to the siege of Jerusalem in AD 70. When it says the king sent his troops, understand that God has the ability to direct any military force on earth and use it to accomplish His purpose.

And the LORD sent Chaldean, Aramean, Moabite, and Ammonite raiders against Jehoiakim in order to destroy Judah, according to the word that the LORD had spoken through His servants the prophets. (2 Kings 24:2)

Therefore this is what the LORD of Hosts says: ‘Because you have not obeyed My words, behold, I will summon all the families of the north, declares the LORD, and I will send for My servant Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, whom I will bring against this land, against its residents, and against all the surrounding nations. So I will devote them to destruction and make them an object of horror and contempt, an everlasting desolation. (Jeremiah 25:8-9)

Verses 8-10

Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited were not worthy. Go therefore to the crossroads and invite to the banquet as many as you can find.’ So the servants went out into the streets and gathered everyone they could find, both evil and good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.

Commentary

Make note of the fact that God instructed them to invite as many as they could find. The servants then gathered everyone they could find. The phrases “as many as you can find” and “gathered everyone they could find” shows us that God is calling everyone. God is telling his servants to invite everyone. Anyone they find, they should invite. Every human being today is invited to the wedding banquet of Jesus and the Church (i.e. everyone is invited to be saved).

But why does verse 10 say both evil and good? We are going to see in these next verses that there are some Christians who come to the banquet, but end up getting thrown out….Let’s take a look now.

Verses 11-12

But when the king came in to see the guests, he spotted a man who was not dressed in wedding clothes. ‘Friend,’ he asked, ‘how did you get in here without wedding clothes?’ But the man was speechless.

Commentary

Salvation is by faith. Those who put their faith in Jesus are filled with the Holy Spirit (i.e. they are dressed in wedding clothes).

A person can know about Jesus and yet make the mistake of trusting in themselves, incorrectly believing they’ll earn their salvation through good works and moral living. It’s entirely possible for a layperson, a church member, a deacon, an elder, and even a pastor or priest to be deeply involved in church activities, ministries, helping the poor, feeding the hungry, and so on, yet not have put their faith in Jesus Christ. This is the individual who shows up to the wedding banquet without wedding clothes (i.e. the Holy Spirit). They are the person who claimed to be a Christian, yet never put their faith in Christ.

Being Involved and Active While Missing the Opportunity Entirely: A Personal Anecdote

My first job was mowing grass at PGA National Resort in Palm Beach Gardens Florida. The employee handbook stated that employees could have one free round of golf per day. Every day I got up at 5:00am. By 6:00am, I was on the mower, going from one green to another. When I finished mowing all the greens, I had to go back and move the holes on each green. I also maintained the mowers and worked on the sprinklers. Our job was to keep the entire golf course running. At the end of the day, I was tired and wanted only to go home and sit down. As a result, I never once took advantage of the daily free round of golf.

Later, when I was about 40 years old and reflecting on my life, it occurred to me just how big of an opportunity I had missed. The golf course had a pro shop, and in the pro shop was a full-time professional golf instructor. That golf instructor was my coworker. He and I were both employees of the golf course. It never once occurred to me while working there, that I could have befriended him and asked him to go golfing with me each day, and during that time I could have gleaned valuable advice about my swing and technique.

Now consider this: a young man, just 18 years old, playing a full round of golf every day in the company of a professional golf instructor. Who knows? Perhaps I could have become a professional golfer myself. Perhaps I could have one day joined the PGA Tour. When I look back on my life in hindsight, I consider this to be a big opportunity missed. I worked at the golf course and took part in every activity required to keep the golf course running, yet I never played golf.

Likewise, there are many Christians who attend church, volunteer at church, or are even employed by a church. They perform activities to keep the church running, yet have not put their faith in Christ.

It doesn’t matter the denomination; every church in America has someone in the congregation or parish who has not yet placed their faith in Christ, even though they outwardly appear to be devout.

God judges the heart. We, however, cannot see into people’s hearts. All we can do is observe their actions and speech. On the day of judgment, each of us may be surprised to see who ends up being kicked out of the wedding banquet.

How can you know if you are such a person? Ask Jesus! One of the most essential aspects of putting our faith in Christ is relying on Him rather than on ourselves. Right now: ask Jesus Christ to help you put your faith in Him and to fill you with the Holy Spirit.

Here is a simple prayer you can pray: “Lord Jesus, help me to put my faith in You. Please fill me with the Holy Spirit.”

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. (Matthew 7:7-8)

Verse 13

Then the king told the servants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

Commentary

This, of course, refers to hell. Anyone who has not been filled with the Holy Spirit at the time of their earthly death will not enter the kingdom of Heaven.

Verse 14

For many are called, but few are chosen.”

Commentary

God sent His servants to invite everyone they could find. “Many are called.” This is the Great Commission. God wants every Christian to go into the world and share the gospel (to invite everyone) so that every person on earth has the opportunity to hear what Jesus has done for them. All are invited; everyone.

“Few are chosen.” Those who are chosen are the ones who put their faith in Christ. “to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12b)

Verses 15-16

Then the Pharisees went out and conspired to trap Jesus in His words. They sent their disciples to Him along with the Herodians. “Teacher,” they said, “we know that You are honest and that You teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You seek favor from no one, because You pay no attention to external appearance.

Commentary

Ah ha! So they admit that Jesus is honest and teaches the way of God in accordance with the truth! By making this statement while actively conspiring to trap Jesus in His words, they are confessing that they are guilty of conspiring against God! Woe to them on the day of judgment!

Verses 17-18

So tell us what You think: Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” But Jesus knew their evil intent and said, “You hypocrites, why are you testing Me?

Commentary

Do not test the LORD your God as you tested Him at Massah (Deuteronomy 6:16)

He named the place Massah and Meribah because the Israelites quarreled, and because they tested the LORD, saying, “Is the LORD among us or not?” (Exodus 17:7)

What a coincidence; here are the spiritual leaders of Israel, asking the very same question again: “Is the Lord among us or not?” Their Messiah is standing right in front of them, yet all they want is to argue with Him.

Verses 19-22

Show Me the coin used for the tax.” And they brought Him a denarius. “Whose image is this,” He asked, “and whose inscription?”

“Caesar’s,” they answered.

So Jesus told them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” And when they heard this, they were amazed. So they left Him and went away.

Commentary

This passage shows Jesus’s unmatched wisdom. The Pharisees tried to corner Him: if He said pay the tax, He’d anger the people; if He said don’t pay the tax, He’d anger Rome. But Jesus completely sidesteps the trap, leaving them speechless and amazed.

Verses 23-29

That same day the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus and questioned Him. “Teacher,” they said, “Moses declared that if a man dies without having children, his brother is to marry the widow and raise up offspring for him. Now there were seven brothers among us. The first one married and died without having children. So he left his wife to his brother. The same thing happened to the second and third brothers, down to the seventh. And last of all, the woman died. In the resurrection, then, whose wife will she be of the seven? For all of them were married to her.”

Jesus answered, “You are mistaken because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God.

The World Tolerates Religion but Rejects Jesus

“The Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection…” It’s interesting that the Pharisees and Sadducees appear to have been colleagues, perhaps even friends, even though they held vastly different spiritual beliefs. Meanwhile, Jesus arrives with teachings that are clearly different from both of them, and yet the Pharisees and the Sadducees hate Him, even to the point of wanting to kill Him. Why were the Pharisees and Sadducees able to tolerate one another’s differing beliefs, yet neither could tolerate Jesus?

Today in America, corporations, universities, and organizations often strive for diversity, equity, inclusion and tolerance for all religions except Christianity. At times, Christians are treated with disdain and intolerance. This phenomenon serves to illustrate that, among all world religions, Christianity stands apart. This author views this as evidence to the truth of God’s Word. The world hates Jesus; and this is expressed as a hatred of Christians.

If the world hates you, understand that it hated Me first. (John 15:18)

How Knowing Scripture Protects You from being Spiritually Deceived

The Sadducees come to Jesus with a hypothetical scenario in order to question Him about the resurrection, which they don’t even believe in. Their question involves seven brothers and one wife, and it culminates with them asking whose wife will she be in the resurrection. But here is what I want you, the reader, to focus on: Jesus responds, “You are mistaken because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God.”

Every error that you and I might have in our understanding of who God is can be traced back to our not knowing the Scriptures. Remember when Jesus was in the desert being tempted by Satan (Matthew chapter 4)? Every rebuttal that Jesus gave to Satan began with, “It is written.” The way we avoid deception and false doctrine is by knowing the Scriptures well. The only way we can accomplish that is by faithfully and consistently reading the Bible.

[If you have never read the Bible before, I encourage you to start with the New Testament, because it contains all the core principles of the Christian faith. Most people who attempt, for the first time, to read the entire Bible, begin with the Old Testament and quit somewhere in or around the Book of Numbers, which is largely made up of census data and architectural measurements.]

It has become apparent in recent years that many Christians, perhaps most, do not read the Bible. Instead, they form their beliefs based on what others have told them, or through a self-invented spirituality shaped by personal experience, inner feelings, and preferences.

I have encountered Christians, both in person and online, whose stated beliefs are so far removed from Biblical truth that I am left genuinely bewildered at how anyone claiming to be a Christian could have arrived at such conclusions.

27% of Americans do not read books at all, and another 20% read only reluctantly. Given that the Bible has over 1,000 pages, it represents a serious undertaking, particularly for those unaccustomed to reading books. We can all agree that reading the entire Bible is a significant commitment; not to mention studying it in depth and reading it multiple times over the course of a lifetime.

For comparison, here are a few famous novels that each contain over 1,000 pages:

• Les Misérables by Victor Hugo (~1,400 pages)
• War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy (~1,200 pages)
• The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas (~1,200 pages)
• The Lord of the Rings (as a single volume) by J.R.R. Tolkien (~1,100 pages)
• Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell (~1,000 pages)

So how do you read a 1,000 pages when you’d rather do almost anything else? Start by asking Jesus to give you a love for his Word. Then begin with the New Testament. That is where the bulk of Christian theology is concentrated, and reading it first gives you the hindsight needed to better understand the Old Testament when you get there.

Second, begin by reading for just five minutes a day. Five minutes is a good place to start building your reading endurance. If you love the Lord, you will make the time.

I also encourage you to listen to the Bible; not as an alternative to reading, but in addition to it. By listening to a recording of someone else reading the Scriptures, you can go through large portions of the Bible in a relatively short period of time.

Verses 30-33

In the resurrection, people will neither marry nor be given in marriage. Instead, they will be like the angels in heaven. But concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what God said to you: ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not the God of the dead, but of the living.” When the crowds heard this, they were astonished at His teaching.

Commentary

Even though our bodies stop functioning and are laid in the grave, those who are saved are not dead. Eternal life means being alive forever.

Verses 34-40

And when the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they themselves gathered together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested Him with a question: “Teacher, which commandment is the greatest in the Law?”

Jesus declared, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Commentary

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and love your neighbor as yourself”, this summarizes the entire law. Take careful notice that we are to love God with ALL our heart, soul and mind. But what exactly does that mean?

HEART – I would define this as being the same kind of love which we experience for our spouse, and/or our children. It is an affection. A longing desire to spend time with God.

SOUL – I interpret this as finding your identity in Christ. It means that your self-worth, the sense of who you are and your purpose are found in Christ. This is as opposed to those who find their self-worth in their own achievements, carrier advancements, material possessions, fame, or the recognition of other people.

MIND – I interpret this as your desire to study and learn about God’s and His will for your life. When Jesus says “all your mind”, he is referring to someone who desires to actively pursue God through study and the gaining of knowledge and wisdom.

Verses 41-46

While the Pharisees were assembled, Jesus questioned them: “What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is He?”

“David’s,” they answered.

Jesus said to them, “How then does David in the Spirit call Him ‘Lord’? For he says:

‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand until I put Your enemies under Your feet.”’

So if David calls Him ‘Lord,’ how can He be David’s son?”

No one was able to answer a word, and from that day on no one dared to question Him any further.

Commentary

“What do you think about the Christ?” Remember that “Christ” is not Jesus’s last name; rather, it is a title meaning “Messiah.”

“Whose son is He?” And they answered correctly: “David’s”. Jesus is a descendant of King David.

Jesus said to them, “How then does David in the Spirit call Him ‘Lord’?”

Jesus then quotes the Psalms:

The LORD said to my Lord: “Sit at My right hand until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.” (Psalm 110:1)

The identity of Christ is an extremely important question. “His worshipers must worship Him in truth” (John 4:24, paraphrased). Who exactly is Jesus?

The Pharisees answered correctly when they said that the Christ is descended from David. Thus, the Messiah (Jesus) is fully man. He is made of flesh and bone. He has a beating heart. He breathes air in and out of his lungs, no different than you and I.

A person would not normally call a son “Lord.” And yet David does call the Christ Lord. What this reveals is that Jesus is both fully man (a descendant of David) and fully divine. Jesus Christ is God.