TIP: Take It Personally: PARABLE OF THE WEDDING FEAST
Matthew 22:
Matthew 22:1-46 NKJV
And Jesus answered and spoke to them again by parables and said: [2] "The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son, [3] and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; and they were not willing to come. [4] Again, he sent out other servants, saying, 'Tell those who are invited, "See, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding."' [5] But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business. [6] And the rest seized his servants, treated them spitefully, and killed them. [7] But when the king heard about it, he was furious. And he sent out his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. [8] Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. [9] Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.' [10] So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests. [11] "But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. [12] So he said to him, 'Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?' And he was speechless. [13] Then the king said to the servants, 'Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' [14] "For many are called, but few are chosen." [15] Then the Pharisees went and plotted how they might entangle Him in His talk. [16] And they sent to Him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, "Teacher, we know that You are true, and teach the way of God in truth; nor do You care about anyone, for You do not regard the person of men. [17] Tell us, therefore, what do You think? Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?" [18] But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, "Why do you test Me, you hypocrites? [19] Show Me the tax money." So they brought Him a denarius. [20] And He said to them, "Whose image and inscription is this?" [21] They said to Him, "Caesar's." And He said to them, "Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." [22] When they had heard these words, they marveled, and left Him and went their way. [23] The same day the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Him and asked Him, [24] saying: "Teacher, Moses said that if a man dies, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife and raise up offspring for his brother. [25] Now there were with us seven brothers. The first died after he had married, and having no offspring, left his wife to his brother. [26] Likewise the second also, and the third, even to the seventh. [27] Last of all the woman died also. [28] Therefore, in the resurrection, whose wife of the seven will she be? For they all had her." [29] Jesus answered and said to them, "You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God. [30] For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels of God in heaven. [31] But concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God, saying, [32] 'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living." [33] And when the multitudes heard this, they were astonished at His teaching. [34] But when the Pharisees heard that He had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. [35] Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, [36] "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?" [37] Jesus said to him, "'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' [38] This is the first and great commandment. [39] And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' [40] On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets." [41] While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, [42] saying, "What do you think about the Christ? Whose Son is He?" They said to Him, "The Son of David." [43] He said to them, "How then does David in the Spirit call Him 'Lord,' saying: [44] 'The LORD said to my Lord, "Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool"'? [45] If David then calls Him 'Lord,' how is He his Son?" [46] And no one was able to answer Him a word, nor from that day on did anyone dare question Him anymore.