The Lord Jesus often spoke in parables to the people. A parable is a short story that teaches a truth or a moral lesson. When our Lord came into this world, His own people, the Jews, did not receive Him. In this chapter, they are the bidden guests who would not come. But God’s plans to honor His Son will not be frustrated by man’s rejection of His offer. Again the invitation goes out to those on the highways, gathering in both bad and good guests to the wedding. These are mainly Gentiles who have now been responding to the gospel invitation for over 2000 years. How gracious of the Lord to call those who were so unworthy! For all eternity He will be praised for His loving-kindness.
Can you imagine men trying to entangle the Lord Jesus in His talk? It was impossible! First they flatter Him and then they ask a tricky question. The Lord’s answer, “Render therefore unto Cæsar the things which are Cæsar’s, and unto God the things that are God’s,” is so well-known that it is often quoted today! The Lord is mighty in strength and wisdom (Job 36:5). He can answer any question we may have, no matter how difficult! Some people add to the Bible and some take away from it. When they said that there was no resurrection, the Sadducees were taking away from the Bible, for which there is a stern warning in Revelation 22:19. The fact that all will rise again shows the great power of God.
David, besides being a king, was also a prophet (Acts 2:29-30) and could foresee that his son would be greater than he, calling Him “Lord.” The genealogy given in Matthew shows the Lord Jesus coming through the family of David, yet in Psalm 110 David refers to his descendent as “Lord.” How can this be? He was greater than King David, for He is “King of kings, and Lord of lords” (Revelation 19:16).
1. Usually, when we are invited to a wedding, we are happy to go. But in this story, the bidden guests would __________ come. Matthew 22:___
2. Since those who were bidden were not worthy, where did the servants have to go to furnish the wedding with guests? __________ Matthew 22:___
3. False witnesses in Luke 23:2 claimed that the Lord Jesus was forbidding people to give tribute to Cæsar, but the truth is that He said to __________ to Cæsar what belongs to Cæsar and to God what belongs to Him. Matthew 22:___
4. The Apostle Paul said that if there was no resurrection, believers would be of all men most miserable (1 Corinthians 15:19). What did the Sadducees say? __________ Matthew 22:___
5. What we think of Christ will determine our eternal destiny. Christ was to come through the lineage of David as a man. David, in spirit, called Him __________, giving honor to Him as God. Matthew 22:___