Matthew Chapter 22

New Testament Gospel 46 Verses

What is Matthew 22 about?

The Gospel for a Jewish audience — Jesus as Messiah-King, fulfillment of OT prophecy, and teacher of the Sermon on the Mount. The complete chapter text below provides the immediate literary context for study.

Text — American Standard Version (1901)

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. For original Hebrew/Greek interlinear text, open in BibleWord.ai.
1And Jesus answered and spake again in parables unto them, saying,
2The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a certain king, who made a marriage feast for his son,
3and sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the marriage feast: and they would not come.
4Again he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them that are bidden, Behold, I have made ready my dinner; my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come to the marriage feast.
5But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his merchandise;
6and the rest laid hold on his servants, and treated them shamefully, and killed them.
7But the king was wroth; and he sent his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned their city.
8Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they that were bidden were not worthy.
9Go ye therefore unto the partings of the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage feast.
10And those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was filled with guests.
11But when the king came in to behold the guests, he saw there a man who had not on a wedding-garment:
12and he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding-garment? And he was speechless.
13Then the king said to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and cast him out into the outer darkness; there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.
14For many are called, but few chosen.
15Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might ensnare him in [his] talk.
16And they send to him their disciples, with the Herodians, saying, Teacher, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, and carest not for any one: for thou regardest not the person of men.
17Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?
18But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why make ye trial of me, ye hypocrites?
19Show me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a denarius.
20And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription?
21They say unto him, Caesar`s. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things that are Caesar`s; and unto God the things that are God`s.
22And when they heard it, they marvelled, and left him, and went away.
23On that day there came to him Sadducees, they that say that there is no resurrection: and they asked him,
24saying, Teacher, Moses said, If a man die, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.
25Now there were with us seven brethren: and the first married and deceased, and having no seed left his wife unto his brother;
26in like manner the second also, and the third, unto the seventh.
27And after them all, the woman died.
28In the resurrection therefore whose wife shall she be of the seven? for they all had her.
29But Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.
30For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as angels in heaven.
31But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying,
32I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not [the God] of the dead, but of the living.
33And when the multitudes heard it, they were astonished at his teaching.
34But the Pharisees, when they heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, gathered themselves together.
35And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question, trying him:
36Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?
37And he said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38This is the great and first commandment.
39And a second like [unto it] is this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
40On these two commandments the whole law hangeth, and the prophets.
41Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question,
42saying, What think ye of the Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, [The son] of David.
43He saith unto them, How then doth David in the Spirit call him Lord, saying,
44The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, Till I put thine enemies underneath thy feet?
45If David then calleth him Lord, how is he his son?
46And no one was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions.

What do historical commentaries say about this chapter?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · on verse 1
“And Jesus answered and spake unto them again, etc.] Not to the multitude only, but to the chief priests, elders, Scribes, and Pharisees: for though Mark seems to intimate, that upon the delivery of the last parable of the vineyard, they left him, and went their way; yet since he does not relate the following parable, they might not leave him until they had heard that, which is spoken with much the same design as the former, and might increase their resentment the more: or if the chief priests and elders did go away, the Pharisees remained behind, as is clear from (<402215>Matthew 22:15) to whom he spake by…”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · on verse 1
“PARABLE OF THE MARRIAGE OF THE KING'S SON. (Mat 22:1-14) The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son--"In this parable," as TRENCH admirably remarks, "we see how the Lord is revealing Himself in ever clearer light as the central Person of the kingdom, giving here a far plainer hint than in the last parable of the nobility of His descent. There He was indeed the Son, the only and beloved one (Mar 12:6), of the Householder; but here His race is royal, and He appears as Himself at once the King and the King's Son (Psa 72:1). The last was a parable of the Old Testament…”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · on verse 1
“And Jesus answered and spake unto them again in parables - See the notes at Matthew 13:3. That is, he answered or made reply to the Pharisees, who had been enraged at him for what he had already spoken to them, Matthew 21:45-46. He made a still further statement, to show how the gospel would be received and treated by them. The real answer here, as is frequently the case in the New Testament, refers to what was passing in the mind, or to the conduct of those who were addressed, not to what they said. return to 'Top of Page'”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · on verse 1
“Jesus answering, spake - That is, spake with reference to what had just past. Matthew 22:2”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · on verse 1
“22:1-14 In this parable, Israel, having repeatedly rejected God’s word in the past, rejects the Messiah and is judged as a result. In Israel’s place, God raised up the church (16:17-19; 21:43), of which righteousness is also expected (Rom 11:11-24).”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · on verse 1
“Mat 9:15-17, Mat 12:43-45, Mat 13:3-11, 20:1-16, 21:28-46; Mar 4:33, Mar 4:34; Luk 8:10; Luk 14:16 Matthew 22:2”
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