Matthew Chapter 22

The Parable of the Great Feast:
(Read Matthew 22: 1-14)
In this parable Jesus teaches that true believers are those who respond to the gospel.  In this parable the king refers to God the Father. He sent servants to invite people for the wedding feast of his Son.  Marriage refers to salvation.  The marriage supper may take place during the Millennial age. Today invitation is extended to all people.  Those who refuse this invitation will be judged.  The wedding feast is ready, and the servants are inviting everyone to it.  When the king came to meet the guests, he noticed a man without proper wedding dress. King asked him, “How did you get in here without wedding garments”? He was speechless. King ordered his servants to throw him into the outer darkness, where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. Jesus said, "Many are called but few are chosen".  This parable reminds us of God’s great salvation and how people should respond to gospel.  God invites everyone to get saved. He does not want anyone to perish.  Many are attracted to the church for variety of reasons. For some it is a place to socialize with others but for others it may be a place to get rid of their guilt.  But their hearts have never been transformed.  They associate with the church for selfish reasons.  The man without wedding garment is a picture of such professing Christians. Many are called but few are chosen. Many people hear the gospel, but few believe it. Jesus warns here the danger of professing faith without true conversion.
 
Discussion about Resurrection:   
(Read Matthew 22:15-33)
Jewish leaders attempted to trap Jesus in his word by asking him to comment on two controversial issues. The first was a political issue.  Jesus was forced to choose between Roman authority and Israel.  They asked Jesus “Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”  If Jesus says yes, he could be held as a traitor.  If He says no, He could be blamed by the Roman authority.  Both options could produce deadly consequences. Jesus knowing their evil motives said, “You hypocrites show me a coin”. When they handed Jesus the coin, he asked “whose inscription is stamped on it? They said, Caesar’s. Then Jesus said, “Render to Caesar what belongs to him and to God the things that are God’s”. They marveled at his reply and went away. The Sadducees attempted to discredit the teaching about resurrection by asking Jesus, whose wife will be the woman who was married to seven brothers in the resurrection?  Jesus rebuked them by saying “You are wrong, because you know neither the Scripture nor the power of God.  For in the resurrection, they neither marry nor are given in marriage but are like angels” (Matthew 22:29-30).  Thus, the Sadducees were silenced, and people were amazed at wisdom of Jesus.  In Jesus are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Colossians 2:3).  The Sadducees did not believe in resurrection. In heaven there is no marriage but in perfect glorified body we will worship and fellowship with God (Revelation 19:5).  We will recognize one another in heaven by physical identity.  The disciples recognized Jesus’ glorified body by his nail print. Lazarus was recognized by the rich man (Luke 16:19-31).  Our names are written in the Book of life, and this indicates that we have identity in heaven. Yes, our God is the “God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob” Exodus 3:6). Pray that God would navigate you to understand these truths.
 
The Most Important Commandment: 
(Read Matthew 22:34-46)
When Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees.  A lawyer, an expert in the Law came to Jesus and asked, “Teacher which is the most important commandment in the Law of Moses”.  Jesus replied “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and the greatest commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets”.  We love God because he first loved us (1 John 4:19).  Love motivates us to obey God's commandment.  “With all your heart” indicates the total being of a person in Hebrew mind.  It is part of the “Shema” the Jewish confession of faith (Deuteronomy 6:4-9).   Only those who appreciate God’s grace and mercy can love others sacrificially.  Then Jesus asked the Pharisees “What they think of Christ? Whose son is he”?  They said, “The son of David”.  Jesus then called their attention to Psalm 110 and said” How is it then that David in the Spirit calls him Lord” (Psalms 110:1).  No one could answer Jesus. From that day onward none dared to ask any more question.  Hallelujah, what a Savior!  No one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:3). If the religious leaders knew Christ, they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory (1 Corinthians 2:8). Many know about Christ but do not know him in person. Do you know Jesus as your Lord and savior?