Matthew 22: Few are Chosen and the Greatest Commandment
Matthew 22: Few are Chosen and the Greatest Commandment
Collin Leong. 19 March 2025
(v1-14) Parable of the Wedding Banquet (Luke 14:15-24)
(v1-7) Jesus told them (the priests, pharisees and crowd), that the kingdom of heaven is like a king preparing a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his servants to those who had invited, but they refused to come. Then he sent other servants to tell them the oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered and everything is ready for the wedding banquet. Yet they paid no attention and went off to their fields and others to their business. Some of them mistreated the servants and killed them. The king was enraged, and he sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.
This parable of the wedding is similar to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, where Jesus and the Church were united (Revelation 19:7-9). Jesus was the son of God the Father - the King of the Universe. Similar to the parables of the tenants in previous chapter, the king's guests not only refuse to come to the wedding, but they also betrayed him by killing his servants. These refers to religious leaders who rejected Christ, and one day God will give them the justice they deserve.
(v8-10) The king told his servants that the banquet is ready but those he invited did not deserve to come. He asked them to go into the street and invite to the banquet anyone they find. The servant went out and brought back the people they found, the bad and the good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.
This people "by the street" represent all people regardless of their life status or how rich or poor they are. Some of the were "bad", that is they have many sins in the past, but they can go to the wedding once they accept Jesus as their Lord.
(v11-13) When the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man who was not wearing wedding clothes. He ask him how did he get in without wedding clothes? The man was speechless. The king told the attendants to tie him up and throw his outside into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
The wedding clothes represent righteousness—being clothed in Christ (Isaiah 61:10, Revelation 19:7-9). The man without proper attire represents those who may accept God's invitation but do not truly embrace the faith and transformation. It serves as a warning that mere acceptance is not enough; one must be genuinely willing to surrender himself to Jesus to be sanctified and to serve God.
John 15:4 - "Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me."
James 2:17 - Faith without works is dead. Good deeds don’t save us, but they’re evidence of a heart that truly follows Christ.
(v14) Jesus conclude his parable by saying: “For many are invited, but few are chosen.”
The phrase "many are called" refers to the fact that God's invitation to salvation is extended to everyone. However, "few are chosen" suggests that not all who receive the invitation respond in faith or live in obedience to God’s will.
(15-22) Tax to Caesar (Mark 12:13-17; Luke 20:19-26)
(15-17) The Pharisee laid plans to trap Jesus in His words. They sent their disciples to Him along with the Herodians. They first (falsely) praised Jesus that He is a man of integrity and He teaches they way of God in accordance with the truth, and He is not swayed by others because He pays no attention to who they are. Then they asked for His opinion, whether is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not?
It is interesting that they brought the Herodians along. Herodians are a political group who were loyal to the Herodian kings under the Roman authority. Whereas, the Pharisees opposed Roman rule. They were enemies. Banding together shows how much they wanted to discredit Jesus - "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" when there is a common threat. In this case, to find something they can accuse Him of rebellion against the Roman empire.
They were expecting Jesus to say "no" to paying the tax. That will put Him in trouble with the Romans. However, Jesus did what was later written by Paul in Romans 13:1-7, that all authority is established by God, and believers are called to submit to rulers. 1 Peter 2:13-14 also encourages submission to human authorities for the Lord’s sake.
When Jesus said pay to God what is God's, most people think this is referring to the 10% tithe, as commanded by Deuteronomy 14:22. However, in truth, this goes beyond money. Everything we are and have belongs to God. The tithe is just a reminder that we and everything we own belong to Him. In giving back to Him, it will not be 10% but 100% - to surrender our own selves to God—not just in material offerings, but in heart, soul, and obedience. While governments may demand taxes, only God is worthy of our ultimate allegiance.
(23-33) Marriage at the Resurrection (Mark 12:18-27; Luke 20:27-40)
(v23-28) On the same day, the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus and asked Him questions. They say that Moses said that if a man dies without having children, this brother must marry the widow. There were seven brothers, and they died without having children after marrying the widow. Whose wife will she be at the resurrection?
(v29-30) Jesus told them they made an error as they do not know the Scriptures or the power of God. At the resurrection, people will not marry as they will be like angels in heaven.
Jesus was saying that marriage, as it exists on Earth, does not continue in the afterlife. So the Sadducees questions were not relevant.
(v31-33) Jesus then explained the resurrection of the dead to the Sadducees, saying that in the scripture, God said He is 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.
The Sadducees only accepted the Torah (the first five books of the Bible) as authoritative and rejected the idea of resurrection because they believed it was not explicitly taught there. However, Jesus uses Exodus 3:6, a passage from the Torah, to prove that resurrection is real. By referring to God’s statement that He is (not was) the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, Jesus implies that these patriarchs are still alive for they have been resurrected from the dead; otherwise, God would not still be their God.
This argument was particularly powerful because it used their own accepted scriptures to refute their belief. It not only silenced them but also astonished the crowd listening
(34-40) The Greatest Commandment (Deuteronomy 6:1-19; Mark 12:28-34)
(34-36) The Pharisees band together after they heard Jesus had silence the Sadducees. One law expert asked him which is the greatest commandment in the Law.
(37-40) Jesus replied "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind." He said this is the first and greatest commandment. The second is "Love your neighbor as yourself." All the Law and the Prophets hand on these two commandments.
Jesus quoted from Deut 6:5 and Lev 19:18. The Pharisees are familiar with the first quote. However they emphasized strict adherence to ritual laws and legalistic interpretations of the Torah. Jesus' response simplified the law into two overarching principles—love for God and love for others—rather than focusing on the many detailed commandments they upheld. This may have challenged their approach to righteousness, which often involved outward religious observance rather than inward transformation. His answer was both undeniably correct and profoundly convicting. It left little room for further argument.
How about us? Is our priority God first, and others second? Some of us love money, fame, power more than them.
(41-46) Whose Son Is the Messiah? (Mark 12:35-37; Luke 20:41-44)
(41-45) Jesus took the advantage that the Pharisees are together, and asked them whose son is the Messiah. They replied he is the son of David. Jesus replied that David, speaking by the Spirit, calls him 'Lord', for he said "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 his son?
Jesus quoted from Psalm 110:1. The entire chapter is about the prophecy of the Messiah (See appendix for the entire chapter). I believe the Pharisees are very familiar with this passage. But they never understood why the Lord (God) calls the Messiah Lord. This is also proves that the Messiah is also one of the triune God.
(46) No one could say a word to reply, and from then on no one dared to ask him any more questions.
The Pharisees and Sadducees are the most educated groups and were experts in religious law, traditions, the Torah and interpretation of Scripture. Yet they cannot answer Jesus's questions, the one who grew up as a carpenter's son and possibly attended synagogue teachings like the common people. Yet, Jesus can answer all their questions. However their hearts are hardened and didn't even give themselves a question whether the Messiah they have been waiting for is here.
Appendix
Psalms 101
1 The Lord says to my lord: “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.”
2 The Lord will extend your mighty scepter from Zion, saying, “Rule in the midst of your enemies!”
3 Your troops will be willing on your day of battle. Arrayed in holy splendor, your young men will come to you like dew from the morning’s womb.
4 The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind: “You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.”
5 The Lord is at your right hand; he will crush kings on the day of his wrath.
6 He will judge the nations, heaping up the dead and crushing the rulers of the whole earth.
7 He will drink from a brook along the way, and so he will lift his head high.
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