Matthew 23:1-39

What is the theme of this chapter?

The rejection of the nation; regarding the Pharisees and Jerusalem.

What is the key verse(s) of this chapter? Verses 37-39

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! See, your house is left to you desolate. For I tell you, you will not see me again, until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’”

What can I apply to my life from this chapter (things to do/avoid)?

Matthew 23:29-39

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous, saying, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ Thus you witness against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers. You serpents, you brood of vipers, how are you to escape being sentenced to hell? Therefore I send you prophets and wise men and scribes, some of whom you will kill and crucify, and some you will flog in your synagogues and persecute from town to town, so that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah the son of Barachiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar. Truly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation. “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! See, your house is left to you desolate. For I tell you, you will not see me again, until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’”

vss 30-31 - "The idea is 'like father, like son.'" (Ryrie)

the measure - "I.e., add to the iniquity of your fathers and bring down divine judgment on yourselves." (Ryrie)

and some you will flog in your synagogues and persecute from town to town - "refers to the apostle (see Matt 10:17, 23)" (Ryrie)
Abel - Genesis 4; Hebrews 11:4

Zechariah the son of Barachiah - some manuscripts omit "the son of Barachiah"

"Zechariah, mentioned as the son of Jehoiada in 2 Chronicles 24:20, probably was the grandson of the priest and Barachias was his actual father." (Walvoord)

"This murder is recorded in 2 Chron 24:20-22. Berechiah was likely the father of Zechariah, whereas the famous Jehoiada was his grandfather.  This is not the prophet Zechariah (though his father was also named Berechiah).  Since Abel's death is recorded in Genesis, and since 2 Chronicles is the last book in the Hebrew Bible, Christ was saying, in effect, 'from the first to the last murder in the Bible.'" (Ryrie)

kills … and stones (v 37) - tense indicates habitual or characteristic action

this generation - The word "generation" can have many different meanings.  Its most common meaning refers to those who are born to their parents, of natural lineage, or descendants.  For example, the natural lineage of Jesus Christ is given in Matthew 1:1-17.  He was born from this traceable line of descendants.

The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham (Matt 1:1).  

In this context the natural lineage is the meaning of the word 'generation.'  When Jesus Christ spoke to the Pharisees in Matthew 23 and Luke 11, He was speaking to a diverse group of Pharisees. They were not all from the same natural lineage.  Many of them were from different parents. This being the case, the most common definition of the word "generation" does not fit in this context.

Sometimes the word "generation" refers to a group of people who live at the same time, such as the "baby boomer" generation. This meaning cannot apply because God's judgment did not fall on the Pharisees that were in His immediate presence when he talked of "this generation." The Pharisees who were there died without experiencing this judgment.

There is another meaning to the word "generation" which helps us understand how the Lord used it in Matthew 23 and Luke 11. Here the word refers to those who belong to a certain group, who are similar in thought and belief, those who are related by way of actions or faith.

God uses the word "generation" in this way many times in Scripture. For example, He has a "generation" of men of faith, men who have been declared righteous.  All who are in this generation are related one to another because God has declared them righteous. This generation of the righteous is ongoing and added to daily, as men come to Jesus Christ through faith. This generation spans all of time and is not natural but spiritual.

There they are in great terror, for God is with the generation of the righteous (Ps 14:5).

Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob (Ps 24:6).

His offspring will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed (Ps 112:2).

Jesus Christ used this meaning of the word "generation" when He spoke with the Pharisees. During His conversation, Christ talked about all those who make up the generation of Pharisees beginning with Cain, and not just those in his immediate presence. Christ has the whole spiritual lineage in view, all the Pharisees, from the first to the last. This evil generation is described in Proverbs:

There is a generation that curses its father,
And does not bless its mother.
There is a generation that is pure in its own eyes,
Yet is not washed from its filthiness.
There is a generation—oh, how lofty are their eyes!
And their eyelids are lifted up.
There is a generation whose teeth are like swords,
And whose fangs are like knives,
To devour the poor from off the earth,
And the needy from among men (Prov 30:11-14).

It is rebellious and murderous, filled with those who are self-righteous, and puffed up with their own goodness. The description of this generation matches the description of the Pharisees by the Lord Jesus Christ.  This generation is spiritual and continues to grow even through our day.
http://tis-justme.blogspot.com/2013/09/interesting-tidbit-19.html

house - "The word 'house' could be a reference to the city of Jerusalem, or the Jewish temple in the city, or the Davidic house to which the Jews looked for a successor to David to deliver them and rule over them, or the nation as a whole. In any case, judgment must come." (Pentecost)

desolate = alone

you will not see me again - "I.e., I will no longer teach publicly. " (Ryrie)

until you say - "At the second coming of Christ, Israel will recognize and welcome their rejected Messiah (Zech 12:10)." (Ryrie)

Blessed is He - Psalm 118:26

This address was the last Jesus made in public and this was the last time He went to the temple.

Morgan makes the point that the "woes" of Matthew 23 match up one for one with the blessings (the Beatitudes) in Matthew 5.

"Moses had written long ago in Deuteronomy 30:1-3, 'And it shall come to pass, when all these things are come upon thee, and thou shalt call them to mind among all the nations, whither the Lord thy God hath driven thee, and shalt return unto the Lord thy God, and shalt obey His voice according to all that I command thee this day, thou and thy children, with all thine heart, and with all thy soul; That then the Lord thy God will turn thy captivity, and have compassion upon thee, and will return and gather thee from all the nations, wither the Lord thy God hath scattered thee.' Moses went on to predict their regathering and their possession of the land (Deuteronomy 30:4-5) In Deuteronomy 30:6, he stated 'And the Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, with all thy soul, that thou mayest live.' Other references to the same revival in the Old Testament are frequently found. The closing chapters of the prophecies of Isaiah mention again and again the coming revival of Israel, as, for instance, in Isaiah 65:18-25. Jeremiah, in like manner, prophesies Israel’s future restoration in Jeremiah 30:1-11; 31:1-14, 27-37. Zechariah speaks of it in chapter 8, and 12:10; 13:1; 14:9-21. The New Testament picks up similar truth in Romans 11:25-36 and pictures Israel triumphant on Mount Zion in Revelation 14:1-5. While it is tragic that Israel did not know the day of her visitation at the time of the first coming of Christ, the godly remnant of Israel, that awaits His second coming to sit on the throne of David, will experience the blessing of the Lord and receive a new heart and a new spirit, of which Ezekiel spoke in Ezekiel 36:23-28. The tragic note which ends Matthew 23 introduces the great prophecy of the end of the age, recorded in Matthew 24-25 and delivered privately to His disciples. This discourse details the prophecy of the coming kingdom and the time of reward and blessing for those who trust in the Lord." (Walvoord)

Matthew 23:23-28

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel! “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean. “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people's bones and all uncleanness. So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

tithe - a tenth, for the use of priests and Levites (Leviticus 27:30).

"The tithing of various herbs was based on Lev 27:30.  Though tithing of grain, fruit, wine, and oil was demanded (see also Num 18:12; Deut 14:22-23), the scribes had expanded the items required to be tithed to include even the smallest of herbs." (Ryrie)

cumin = a seed resembling the caraway

whitewashed tombs - "The outsides of tombs were often whitewashed to make them attractive and easily seen, though inside were death and decay." (Ryrie)

full of = full from

The woe in verse 25 is because the Pharisees were concerned with ceremonial cleanliness which can be observed, but not with holiness.

Matthew 23:16-22

“Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it is nothing, but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.’ You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that has made the gold sacred? And you say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it is nothing, but if anyone swears by the gift that is on the altar, he is bound by his oath.’ You blind men! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift sacred? So whoever swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. And whoever swears by the temple swears by it and by him who dwells in it. And whoever swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and by him who sits upon it.

"To swear by the altar was therefore to swear by all that was placed upon it, and to swear by the temple was to swear by Him who dwelt therein, even as to swear by heaven (a most frequent thing) is to take an oath by the throne of God and by Him who sits upon it. All such oaths were forbidden very definitely by the Lord on a former occasion (Matthew 5:33-37)." (Ironside)

"By making such distinctions the Pharisees were able to take an oath, but then absolve themselves of responsibility for fulfilling the oath. The one uninitiated in the distinctions would accept the oath of the Pharisee, not knowing that the oath had been couched in such phraseology that the Pharisee did not consider himself bound by it. Christ condemned such duplicity." (Pentecost)

Matthew 23:13-15

“But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people's faces. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel across sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves.

Christ had preached that He was the way into the kingdom. By rejecting Christ (v 13), the Pharisees were closing the kingdom to any who followed them.

"This passage [Matthew 23:13-33] is often called 'the seven woes,' each beginning with the same phrase.  (There are eight if v 14, omitted in many manuscripts, is included.)" (Ryrie)

"False religion and pretense are always the worst enemies of the truth and are far more dangerous than immorality or indifference. As the religious leaders of the Jews, they were held guilty before God of blocking the way for others seeking to enter into the kingdom of God." (Walvoord)

Verse 14 isn’t in most manuscripts. It was probably copied from Mark 12:40 and Luke 20:47.

proselyte - "Convert from paganism to Judaism." (Ryrie)

"The Jews recognized two sorts of proselytes: those who agreed to the so-called seven precepts of Noah, and those who submitted to circumcision and became full Jews by religion." (KJV Commentary)

"The Pharisees were described as extremely energetic on both land and sea to make proselytes of the Jewish religion. But when they were successful, Jesus Charged, "Ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves," In referring to hell, Christ used the word Geenna or Gehenna, a reference to eternal damnation, rather than to Hades, the temporary abode of the wicked in the intermediate state. The Pharisees and their proselytes both would end up in eternal damnation."(Walvoord)

Matthew 23:1-12

Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat, so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice. They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger. They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces and being called rabbi by others. But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers. And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. Neither be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Christ. The greatest among you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

Portions of this account also appear in Mark 12:38-40 and Luke 20:45-47.

This was Christ’s last public discourse.

Moses’ seat - the seat of authority, custodians of the Scriptures. Some commentaries think that Christ was saying that the Pharisees "sat themselves" in the seat of authority. Either way, the people were to listen to and obey them as far as, and only as far as, the teaching of the actual law was concerned.

"I.e., act as teachers of the law" (Ryrie)

phylacteries broad - "an amulet consisting of a strip of parchment on which was inscribed certain portions of the Pentateuch and which was rolled and placed in a small metal cylinder inside a square leather case. The cases were attached by the Jews with straps to their foreheads and to the back of their right hands, following a strictly literal interpretation of Deuteronomy 6:8-9. They were normally worn only during prayer, but the Pharisees appear to have worn them always and to have made them especially conspicuous. The borders of the garments were the fringes worn in obedience to Numbers 15:38-39." (KJV Commentary)

"Phylacteries were square leather boxes containing four strips of parchment on which were written Deut 11:13-21 and 6:4-9, and Ex 13:11-16 and 13:1-10.  During prayer one was worn on the forehead between the eyebrows and another on the left arm close to the elbow.  They were held in place by leather bands, which the Pharisees made broad to attract more attention to themselves.  The custom was based on Ex 13:9, 16; Deut 6:8; 11:18, though phylacteries had only begun to be used by the ultrapious in Christ's day.  Christ criticizes not the custom itself but the wrong spirit that corrupted it." (Ryrie)

fringes long - "A hem or fringe on a garment was placed there in accordance with Num 15:38, but the Pharisees made their unnecessarily wide." (Ryrie)

Rabbi = my teacher

"His disciples were not to seek to be called rabbi and were forbidden to use the word 'father' indiscriminately, even though Paul used 'father' correctly in 1 Corinthians 4:15, and John addressed fathers in 1 John 2:13-14. The general teaching is clear. They were not to seek man-exalting titles such as rabbi, father, or minister to gain the recognition of men. Disciples of Christ should not exalt themselves but should seek to serve others and leave the exalting to God Himself." (Walvoord)

"Do not seek prominence of position (v 6) or titles.  Be a humble servant (vv 11-12)." (Ryrie)

Matthew 22:1-46

What is the theme of this chapter?

The rejection of the nation and pronouncements of the King to the Herodians, Sadducees, and Pharisees.

What is the key verse(s) of this chapter? Verse 45

"If then David calls him Lord, how is he his son?"

What can I apply to my life from this chapter (things to do/avoid)?

Matthew 22:41-46

Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question, saying, “What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is he?” They said to him, “The son of David.” He said to them, “How is it then that David, in the Spirit, calls him Lord, saying, “‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet”’? If then David calls him Lord, how is he his son?” And no one was able to answer him a word, nor from that day did anyone dare to ask him any more questions.

In the Spirit - inspired by the Holy Spirit and, therefore, true and accurate.

The Lord was referring to Psalm 110 (vs.43-44), which the Jews recognized as Messianic.

Lord (v.44, 1st use) = Jehovah

Lord (v.44, 2nd use) = Master

The Lord said to my Lord - "Christ was trying to make the Pharisees see that the Son of David was also the Lord of David (Ps 110:1); i.e., the Messiah was both David's human descendant and divine Lord." (Ryrie) 

"The LORD says to my Lord: Sit at My right hand until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet (Psalm 110:1). This psalm was universally recognized as messianic. The One invited to sit at the Lord’s right hand was the Messiah. The “LORD” who invited Him to sit at His right hand was the God of Abraham. The Messiah was referred to as “my Lord.” With this interpretation the Pharisees would have been in agreement. Christ addressed this question to them: If the Messiah was the “son,” or descendant, of David, “How is it then that David, speaking by the Spirit, called him ‘Lord’?” It was not natural for one to call his own son “my Lord.” The fact that Messiah was David’s Son testified to Messiah’s true humanity, but the fact that David called Him “my Lord” testified to His true and undiminished deity, for Lord was a title for Deity. Christ interrogated the Pharisees again, Asking, “If then David calls Him ‘Lord,’ how can He be his son?” (v.45). The Psalm taught the true humanity and the true deity of Messiah. It was just such a claim as the psalmist foretold of Messiah that Jesus made for Himself. If the Pharisees answered that David called Him his Lord because He is God, then they could not object to Christ, David’s Son according to the flesh, claiming to be the Son of God. If they agreed that Messiah was to be truly human and truly God, they must ceases their objections to Christ’s claim concerning His person. The Pharisees realized the dilemma that faced them and refused to answer." (Pentecost)

Matthew 22:34-40

But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

This account also appears in Mark 12:28-34.

lawyer - an expert in Old Testament law

great commandment - "This does not mean, 'Name one of the commandments which is greater than the rest.' The particular word translated 'which' is qualitative; and therefore the meaning of the lawyer was, 'What is the principle which makes any commandment great?' In that day men were teaching the relative importance of the commandments. There was a school of interpretation which taught that the third commandment in the Decalogue was the supreme commandment, and that all the rest were minor ones; and so this particular question grew out of the differences of opinion concerning which commandments were greatest, and they asked Christ to decide what was the real principle by which they might test the greatness of a commandment." (Morgan)

In verses 37 and 39, Jesus referred to Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18.

"Christ quotes Deut. 6:5, part of the Shema, used by all Jews in their daily prayers.  Christ was the first to combine these two texts (Deut. 6:5 and Lev. 19:18) into a summary of the law." (Ryrie)

with all your heart - In Hebrew thought, the total being (Deuteronomy 6:4-9; 11:13-21; Numbers 15:37-41).

the Law and the Prophets - (Matthew 7:12; Romans 13:10)

"The Pharisees had codified the law into 248 commandments and 365 prohibitions. These 613 precepts were imposed by the Pharisees on their followers as their obligation. When a Jew tried to fulfill the requirements of the law so codified, it sometimes appeared to that person as though one law came into conflict with another law. It was necessary then to determine which of the two took precedence so that if a law had to be violated because of the conflict, one would violate the lesser and not the more important law. There was constant argument among the Pharisees concerning which commandment took precedence over the other. The Pharisees had not been able to solve the problem or further reduce their codification of the law to assist their disciples in this observance. The Pharisees were testing Christ to see whether He had greater insight into the law than they had. Christ summarized the demands of the Mosaic law under two precepts. The first was an all-inclusive precept that governed their responsibility toward God, 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind' (Matthew 22:37). The second precept was all-inclusive of their responsibility to man, 'Love your neighbor as yourself' (v.30)." (Pentecost)

Matthew 22:23-33

The same day Sadducees came to him, who say that there is no resurrection, and they asked him a question, saying, “Teacher, Moses said, ‘If a man dies having no children, his brother must marry the widow and raise up offspring for his brother.’ Now there were seven brothers among us. The first married and died, and having no offspring left his wife to his brother. So too the second and third, down to the seventh. After them all, the woman died. In the resurrection, therefore, of the seven, whose wife will she be? For they all had her.” But Jesus answered them, “You are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. And as for the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was said to you by God: ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not God of the dead, but of the living.” And when the crowd heard it, they were astonished at his teaching.

This account is also found in Mark 12:18-27 and Luke 20:27-38.

The Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection — their question reflected this belief by attempting to mock it. They only accepted the Torah (Genesis to Deuteronomy).

"The Sadducees were Nationalists and did not believe in angels or any invisible powers, nor in the resurrection. Their main dispute with the Pharisees was as to whether the oral tradition was binding. The Pharisees held it of equal value with the written law; the Sadducees said that everything not written might be rejected or was at least open to question. They considered the doctrine of the resurrection a mere matter of pious opinion. They said the doctrine was without authority in the written law, especially since, in their opinion, the prophets were not of equal value with the Pentateuch. Christ showed that those who professed reverence for the law and showed their respect for it by quoting it on this occasion were really ignorant of what the law taught. Jesus quoted what God had said to Moses: 'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob' (Matthew 22:32). The force of Christ’s argument turned on the present tense of the verb 'I am.' God should have said, 'I was,' if Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had died, and were now dead, and there was no resurrection. But since God said, 'I am' the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, He was testifying to their existence and the ultimate resurrection of their bodies. There could be no doubt but that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had died physically when God spoke these words to Moses. But God's words indicated that they were alive and that there would be a bodily resurrection. Christ not only affirmed the fact of resurrection but indicated something of the nature of life in resurrection when He said, 'People will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven' (Matthew 22:30). This statement was designed to refute the false concept of the Sadducees concerning the nature of life in resurrection that led them to repudiate the doctrine." (Pentecost)

Moses said - (Deut 25:5) — If brothers dwell together, and one of them dies and has no son, the widow of the dead man shall not be married to a stranger outside the family; her husband’s brother shall go in to her, take her as his wife, and perform the duty of a husband’s brother to her.

If a man dies having no children - "The object of such a marriage law was to perpetuate the line of the dead brother and to keep his property within the family." (Ryrie)

like angels - a glorified body incapable of reproduction or destruction

"Christ's argument is this: In the resurrection men will not marry and women will not be given in marriage.  There is no married state in that life.  Thus the whole case cited is irrelevant and immaterial.  Resurrected saints will be as angels who do not produce offspring." (Ryrie)

The quote in verse 32 is from Exodus 3:6.

Matthew 22:15-22

Then the Pharisees went and plotted how to entangle him in his words. And they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are true and teach the way of God truthfully, and you do not care about anyone's opinion, for you are not swayed by appearances. Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why put me to the test, you hypocrites? Show me the coin for the tax.” And they brought him a denarius. And Jesus said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” They said, “Caesar's.” Then he said to them, “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.” When they heard it, they marveled. And they left him and went away.

disciples - followers of the Pharisees. The Pharisees probably figured Jesus knew them and would be on His guard, so they sent others to flatter and trap Him.

Herodians - Those who supported the rule of the Herods, and, therefore, Rome. They were normally opposed by the Pharisees because of their disregard of religion.

"A Jewish party who favored the Herodian dynasty, the party of 'peace at any price' and appeasement of Rome." (Ryrie)

Their question (v.17) was a trap. If Jesus said "yes," they could accuse Him of being a traitor to Israel. If He said “no,” they could denounce Him to the Roman authorities.

"By simply asking for a penny, He left them under the yoke which they were obliged to confess they had themselves adopted; and by inviting them to render to Him as God, the things that were God's, He offered to release them from that yoke, as also from the greater yoke of their sins." (Williams)

lawful - Is it against Jewish law?

"The tax they were referring to was the poll tax, a small tax levied on women aged twelve to sixty-five and men aged fourteen to sixty-five. it was a relatively small tax, as the Romans also exacted a ten-percent tax on grain and a twenty-percent tax on wine and fruit, as well as other taxes for road and bridge improvements. The Pharisees had chosen the least of the taxes, but to pay it was to recognize Roman oppression, which was most unpopular with the Jews." (Walvoord)

"The poll-tax was imposed by Rome on every Jew.  The burning question in the minds of many Jews of that day was simple this: If God gave the land of Israel to the Hebrews, and if God meant them to live there, and if He received their sacrifices and offerings in acknowledgement of His relationship to them, how could they pay tribute to any other power, king, god, or person?  If Christ said they should pay, they could then charge Him with disloyalty to Judaism; if He said no, they could denounce Him to the Romans." (Ryrie)

you hypocrites - He saw through their flattery immediately.

denarius - a Roman coin worth about 16 cents (according to Walvoord)

"Thus Christ recognized two divinely constituted spheres of authority. In the one sphere God is supreme. In the other Caesar has delegated authority. Christ’s statement anticipated Paul’s teaching that all civil authorities are constituted by God. As such they are God’s minsters to maintain law and order and to provide an atmosphere in which righteous men may live in peace. Consequently they are to be supported by the payment of taxes (Romans 13:1-7). Christ recognized the authority given to Caesar as God’s servant, and therefore He confirmed that Caesar must be supported by the payment of taxes. This teaching did not conflict with God’s right to rule, and the payment of taxes to Caesar did not nullify the fact that ultimately God will appoint His Son as Ruler in Caesar’s place. Thus Christ recognized Caesar’s right, but He did not deny that Israel’s hope to be ruled by their Messiah will eventually be realized." (Pentecost)

Matthew 22:1-14

And again Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son, and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come. Again he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.”’ But they paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them. The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy. Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.’ And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests. “But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ For many are called, but few are chosen.”

Again he sent other servants - "There (v.4) we find the record of the second call to Israel. The preaching of the kingdom is resumed for a brief period and with this preaching is the promise of forgiveness of sins and the times of refreshing and restitution. The invitation, which went forth after the Lord had taken His place at the right hand of the Majesty on high, is clearly stated by Peter in the third chapter of Acts. “Repent, therefore, and be converted, for the blotting out of your sins, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and He may send Jesus Christ, who was foreordained for you, whom heaven indeed must receive till the times of restoration of all things, of which God has spoken by the mouth of His holy prophets since time began” (Acts 3:19-21). No Gentile heard this message, nor was it meant for a Gentile; it was exclusively addressed to Jerusalem." (Gaebelein)

burned their city - a prophecy of the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans in AD 70.

wedding garment - In the east, garments were provided by the host. To refuse to wear it is an insult. This guest considered his own garment good enough. (Zephaniah 1:7-8; Isaiah 61:10).

"The word not in verse eleven is a different word from the not [without] in verse twelve, and it is impossible to translate the different meaning by any equivalent in our language. In the Greek language the first not was always used when referring to a matter of fact, while the second was always used in reference to a matter of thought. This is certainly the intention of the passage — there came in a man not having a wedding garment; that is the fact. But when the king looked at him and said “How camest thou in hither not having,” that is, deliberately not having, with determination not having, it is the not of thought — you did not mean to have a wedding garment, you have dared to come without a wedding garment." (Morgan)

the outer darkness - "away from the lights of the wedding festivities." (Ryrie)

weeping and gnashing of teeth - "indicates extreme torment" (Ryrie)

Here is my understanding of this passage.

The first invitation to the wedding was made to Israel in the Old Testament and during the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. God sent the prophets who were ignored and mistreated and killed.

The second invitation to the wedding is that made by the apostles after the resurrection, at Pentecost and for a short time after. (See Gaebelein’s quote above.) When this was refused — the messengers during this time were also mistreated and killed (Stephen) — the Jews were attacked by the Romans and many died. Jerusalem was destroyed.

The third invitation was not to the church and doesn’t relate to this age. This is obvious because the Lord begins this parable with “The kingdom of heaven is like …”

The kingdom of heaven is the Millennial Kingdom. The bad and good, I’m guessing, are the Gentiles and the Jews. All will be blessed during the kingdom when Christ is on the throne ruling with an iron hand. The guest without the garment is the individual who is in the kingdom but who hasn’t trusted Christ, whether Jew or Gentile.

That these people will exist is evident from Revelation 20:7-10.

Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea. They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
Note the similarity in consequences for these unbelievers in the kingdom and the wedding guest in the parable in Matthew 22.