Matthew 22

Matthew 22:1-14

This parable is a comment on the text which concluded the foregoing chapter, and represents as to the gospel disposition, and this with particular application to the Jews and Gentiles; the former of whom were ever for excluding the latter from all the blessings of the Messiah’s kingdom, and could never endure the thoughts of the heathen being admitted to equal privileges with themselves. But to God had ordained; and though for their fathers’ sakes the first suffers of the gospel were to be made to them, yet the Gentiles were shortly to be admitted follow heirs, and of the time body. More generally the parable may also represent on us the sovereignty of God in the disposition of his gifts of grace and glory. As he is deince to none, he may do what he will with his own: may believe his blessings in time, measure, manner, as he pleases; and reward according to the good planterest his will.

1. We have no account in this parable of the agreement made with the labourers by the mother of the vineyard. The vineyard may represent the church; the mother, the Lord Jesus; the labourers, as many as the Lord our God shall call; the marketplaces, the world, that lieth in wickedness; whom, till he comes to hire us, we are idle, unemployed, or work, employed in mischief; serving divers lafts and pleasures, and doing no work God is pleased with, or that can bring any revenue of glory to him. Our work for which we are engaged is caring for the soul, and in this service our own benefit, as well as God’s glory, is considered; for indeed, if we be righteous, what do we unto him? yet God is pleased to hire us to labour for ourselves, and, as the reward of grace, to promise us the wages of spiritual and eternal blessings, signified by the Roman penny, about seven-pence halspenny in value, the usual hire of a day-labourer. The day of life is our working nation, a short moment, in which we have much to do, and therefore are called to do it with our might, before the night cometh when no man can work. And if the burden be mercy, or the best excuse, the time is short, the shadows of the evening are halting on, and the night of death will dislodge us to our eternal rest. The different hours may represent, (1.) The calling of Jews and Gentiles; the early morning call may point to the ministry of Christ; the third hour, to that of the Apostles sent to the last three of the house of Israel; the sixth and ninth hours may refer to their preaching still to those of Judea only, and to the dispersed among the Gentiles for a time; till at the eleventh hour the call was enlarged to the heathen world, to those who had never heard the glad tidings of salvation before, and then readily accepted the invitations of entering into the vineyard of Jesus. (2.) The different ages of those who are effectually called of the Lord. Some are brought home to him in childhood, as Timothy. From early youth, like good Josiah, their heart is tender, and grace begins its blessed work, engaging them to give themselves up to the service of their Redeemer. Others at different periods are called to Jesus, forered by grace, in the very prime of life, from their gay pursuits; or as they are first entering on the world, brought out of it to follow Christ. Some are stopped, after a long career in evil, and in their declining years mercifully constrained to bow to the Redeemer: and a few, even at the eleventh hour, bending to the grave under decrepit age, are made signal monuments of divine mercy and sovereignty, and proofs of his ability to save to the watermound. No bonds of custom in sin, no letters of worldly connections, no length of time, or depth of corruption, prevent the efficacy of God’s grace towards his choice. It is happy for those who begin sooner; but it is never too late. Whilst the day lafts, the call still is, Wherefore will, let him come; but we may not trite with the moment of opportunity: eternity is at stake; and therefore to-day, whilst it is called to-day, we must embrace the gracious invitation.

2. The evening came, the labourers were called, their wages paid, and each received a penny. The evening is the end of time, when the great account will be settled, and all, both Jews and Gentiles, will appear at the judgment-seat of Christ, the great forward, to receive according to the things they have done in the body. He is represented beginning with the last, and giving to each the same reward; for as the wages is not of debt, but of grace, in heaven (as some connover) all shall enjoy the same perfect measure of glory; at least, every vessel, if there be a diversity of capacities, shall be full.

3. They who had entered the vineyard first, seeing the rest thus recompense, supposed their labours entitled them to more than their agreement, and therefore were disappointed when they received no more than a penny, and began to murmur and complain, as if an injustice had been done them in making those their equals in the wages, who had so much later in the day entered upon the work. And this represents the case of the Jews, who, because they were the ancient people of God, were first called, and had enjoyed peculiar privileges beyond any other nation, would thus have monopolized the advantages of the Messiah’s kingdom, or at least have possessed its chief honours, and could not endure the thought that the Gentiles should be made their equals, and share the same grace and glory with them.

4. The matter of the vineyard silences the murmurers, addressing himself to one of them, saying, Friend, I do thee no wrong, &c. There could be no injustice done him, if he had the full sum agreed for; and therefore he ought to be content. He had a right to dispose of his own money as he pleased, and if he chose to give unto the last a penny, as well as to the first, it were wicked and envious to expire against the gracious giver. And all this is true, not only with regard to the Jews and Gentiles, but generally with regard to all mankind in general. (1.) God, who is justice itself, neither can nor will do wrong to any. (2.) His gifts of providence and grace are his own; and as none hears a title to either, though they on whom he is pleased to believe them have reason to be thankful, they from whom he withholds them have no just cause to complain. (3.) If we can claim any thing from God as our own, it is only in virtue of his gracious promise, not on account of our defect. (4.) We

This chapter is a continuation of Christ’s discourse in the temple, and or these days before he died: his discourse then are largely recorded, as being of special weight and consequence. In this chapter we have, 1. Instructions given, by the parable of the marriage-paper, concerning the rejection of the Jesus and the calling of the Gentiles, ver. 1—10. and, by the doom of the graft that had not the wedding-garment, the danger of hypocrisy in the profession of Christianity, ver. 14—14. 2. Disputes with the Pharisees, Saddes, and forbes, who opposed Christ. (1.) Concerning paying tribute to Cæsar, ver. 15—22. (2.) Concerning the resurrection of the dead and the future, See, ver. 23—33. (3.) Concerning the great commandments of the law, ver. 34—40. (4.) Concerning the relation of the Messiah to David, ver. 41—40.

1. AND Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said, 2. ‘The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king,’ which made a marriage for his Son, 3. And ‘sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come. 4. Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: ‘my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: ‘come unto the marriage. 5. But they made light of it, and went their ways, ‘one to his farm, another to his merchandise: 6. And the remnant took his servants, and ’entrated them spitefully, and there them. 7. But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and ‘he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burnt up their city. 8. Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy. 9. Go ye therefore ‘into the high-ways, and ‘as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. 10. So those servants were out into the high-ways, and ‘gathered together all, as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests. 11. 8. And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding-garment: 12. And he saith unto him, Friend, how camelt thou in hither, not having a wedding-garment? and he was speechless. 13. Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and ‘call him into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 14. ‘For many are called, but few are chosen.

This parable is in import much the same as the foregoing, showing the rejection of the Jewish people for their obstinate infidelity, and the calling of the Gentiles consequent thereupon.

The gospel dispensation is compared to a magnificent entertainment made by a king on the marriage of his Son, which represents the rich provision made for poor sinners, and the gracious invitation sent to them by the great bridegroom of his church, Christ Jesus, the Son of the eternal King. We have,

1. The rich provision made on this occasion. The oxen and fatlings are killed, with all that vast abundance which became the royal table; signifying those spiritual blessings which a poor and perishing sinner needs, such as the pardon of sin, acceptance with God as righteous, a sense of his love, the comforts and graces of the Holy Ghost, spiritual supports to carry him through the journey of time, and the glorious hope of the enjoyment of God in eternity. And these afford the richest feast for a sinful soul.

2. The repeated calls sent to those who had been invited, urging their attendance. Thus in particular the Lord sent out the seventy disciples to call the Jewish people; and, when they refused to hearken, he again, after his resurrection, sent forth his apostles and evangelists, with greater vehemence to urge their coming, having now perfected the redemption of his people by the one oblation of himself, and fully obtained for them all spiritual blessings in heavenly things. He invited them therefore once more to join themselves to the Lord, and take him as their covenant head and glorious bridegroom. And thus in general, by his ministers to the end of time, doth the Lord send forth his gracious invitations to miserable sinners, returning them to come and secure their own happiness, he reconciled to God, and partake of the gospel feast, where all things are ready which they can wish or need; where Jesus is ready to receive them, the Father to pardon and bless them, the Spirit to comfort and strengthen them. Well therefore may we wish ourselves to beseech men, as they value all that is dear to them, Come unto the marriage.

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3. The folly and wickedness of those who were invited appear in striking colours; at first in a careless and infolent refusal of the favour done them; and afterwards, when exorbitant with, and again intracted to comply, by a contemptuous treatment of the message, and a more cruel treatment of the madnesses: some slighted and despised the offer, preferring their worldly avocations, and pretending more necessary engagements; whilst others, provoked with the impatience of the servants, not only infolited and reviled them, but even in a rage imbued their hands in their blood. Thus it happened to the first preachers of the gospel: the Jewish people slighted their admonitions, and, instead of harkening to the word of salvation, were the latter perficcients and murderers of those who preached it. Nor were they singular herein. The same invitation hath ever since, to this very day, met with very much of the like treatment. Many continue to make light of Christ; negligent about the concerns of their immortal souls, their pleasures, their gains, their worldly engagement, occupy all their hearts, and they have neither leisure nor inclination to mind the concerns of religion. They are engrossed with the cures of life, and cannot about so many other things, that, they pretend, they cannot attend to the one thing needful. Thus thousands turn their backs on Christ; their farm and their merchandise occupy them wholly, and the calls of the gospel find no entrance into their deaf ears. Whilst others, exasperated at being disturbed in their forbid purifiers by the zealous ministers of God, hate and revile them, and would, but for human restraints, renew the former perfections. They who preach the gospel must expect to suffer for it.

4. The offended monarch, in righteous wrath, to vindicate his honour and avenge his servants wrongs, sent forth his arms, destroyed these murderers, and burnt up their cities. The Roman armies, at God’s command, thus destroyed the Jewish nation and burnt up Jerusalem, as the punishment due to them for rejecting and murdering their Messiah and his murders. And the like vengeance awaits all that obey not the gospel, and perfectate the practises of it: wrath will shortly come upon them to the unturned.

5. The calling of the Gentiles was a consequence of the rejection of the Jews. God’s feast shall not be prepared in vain. When they who were first hidden therefore by their zealots were judged unworthy a place in his kingdom, he sent forth his servants into the heathen world, with a general invitation, to preach the gospel to every creature. Which commission they readily executed, inviting all of every rank and station, and sincere of every degree, to come to Jesus Christ, with assurances of a ready welcome from him. And thus the Christian church was filled with an innumerable multitude of converts; some really and truly turned to God, others but false-hearted and hypocritical professors. Nate, (1.) Christ will have a church and people in the world, however many reject the gospel. (2.) The invitation is general. God indeed knoweth those that are his: we do not; therefore must preach the gospel to every creature. (3.) Under the dispensation of grace by Jesus Christ, all petty distinctions between one sinner and another are in a manner abolished; as the least sinner must mentally perish without it, the greatest have a full and free redemption offered in him. No man precludes through the greatness of his Son, but through his unbelief and neglect of the gospel. (4.) The visible church is a most multitude, and will continue to fill the great day of separation: we may expect to find in it bad, as well as good.

6. The discovery, conviction, and condemnation of hypocrites in the church is represented by the king’s wife to his guests; where observing one without a wedding-garment, (which probably might be provided for the guests) on their occasions, and therefore the neglect was criminal, especially if he preferred his rage before the bright garments which he ready for him; he marched him with a startling enquiry how he dared include himself there without the wedding-garment; and, (precludes) at the question, his silence confessed his guilt. Shocking therefore as a malefactor, the king commands him to be dragged from the room illuminated for the bridal feast, and thrust into the darkness without, to be found, with unavailing expressions of better anguish, his presumption, sin, and folly. Where we may observe, (1.) The particular notice the Lord takes of those who preach to believe in him: he trình the heart. Hypocrisy may deceive men, but not God. The day will come when the faith-hazard shall be detached, either by filling provisions in this world, or at the appearing of the King upon his throne. May we now to judge ourselves, that we may not then be judged of the Lord! (2.) The wedding-garment here seems to be the righteousness of our Redeemer, provided for us to put on. And it is not sin, and will be our ruin, that through ignorance we know not the want of it, or through pride reject it, and dare to appear before God in the filthy rage of our own righteousness, which cannot come out there. (3.) They must not be speechless in the day of God, who in profession have joined in the outward ordinances, whilst their faith hath never put on Christ, nor their hearts been confessed to his image. (4.) Hypocrites in the church will receive the fourth summation in eternal moments, doomed to suffer agonies unutterable and in-

conceivable, and filled with the most excruciating rage, horror, and despair.

7. The parable concludes with the repetition of the disreaction Christ had made before, that many are called, but free of sin. An alarming notice, to examine ourselves whether we be in the faith; how we come in to the Lord’s table; when permanen we are clothed with; and how we can bear the matter’s piercing eye.

8. Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might teenage him in his talk. 16. And they sent out unto him their disciples, with the Herodians, saying, ‘Matter, we know that thou art true, and teach of the way of God in truth, neither can’d thou for any man; for thou regardeth not the person of men.’ 17. Tell us therefore, What thinketh thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Cefar, or not? 18. But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites? 19. Shew me the tribute-money. And they brought unto him ye penny. 20. And he faith unto them, Whofe is this image and superforgion? 21. They say unto him, Cefar’s. Then faith be unto them, ‘Render therefore unto Cefar, the things which are Cefar’s: and unto God, the things that are God’s.’ 22. When they had heard these words, they marvelled, and left him, and went their way.

9. 15-22. Confides in their designs of zealots, the Pharisees, associated with the Herodians, endeavoured to entangle him in his talk, and by some captions subject of dispute to draw from him some expression whereon to found an accusation against him. So little can the purest innocence, or the most laudable integrity, screen us from the malveolence of wicked men.

The Herodians are thought to be a sect of the Jews who were the partisans of Herod, and were zealous for the Roman government and the payment of the tribute, whilst the Pharisees and the rest of the nation abhorred the yoke, and hardly could brook this ignominious badge of servitude. They were therefore proper instruments on the present occasion.

1. The question they put so our Lord was whether it was lawful to pay tribute to Cefar, or not. And they concluded that would necessarily involve him in a dilemma. Should he deny the lawfulness of paying tribute, if not any the Herodians would accuse him to the government as a rebel and incendiary: should he affirm it, the Pharisees thought he would immediately exasperate the people, and give them the wished-for opportunity to destroy him. Nate, it hath been the old practice of Seem’s emittances to lay horses for God’s servants, and, by catching an unguarded expression, by wilful mistake or designed misrepresentation to blacken and abate them. But there is one who hearseth and judged.

2. To cover this insidious design, they use the deepest expressions of respect. As if, conscientiously disposed to follow the path of duty, and highly venerating Christ’s wisdom and piety, they desired his directions for their conduct, persuaded that, being a teacher come from God, no known nor fear of man would sway his determinations. Nate, (1.) The fairest professions often abide the foulest designs. (2.) Their character of Christ should be the pattern for all his ministers. Faithful and true to God themselves, so fear our flattery must tempt them to conceal any thing of the whole counsel of God from others; but, regardless of men’s persons, with zeal and simplicity they must discharge their commission, and speak the truth as it is in Jesus.

3. Christ battles their craft and disappoints their designs. He knew the secret wickedness they instituted, and by his question, which shewed his knowledge of their hearts, reproved their hypocrisy: Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites? Shew me the tribute-money. Out of their own mouths he would silence them, and answer them with their own confessions: for, producing to him a penny, a silver Roman coin, he demanded whofe image and superforgion it bore: and, they replying Cefar’s, he answered, Render therefore unto Cefar the things that are Cefar’s. As the calming money was the royal prerogative, the circulation of such coin inspired subjection to the person whofe image it bore: there could be no doubt therefore but that, if Cefar’s money was regarded as the current coin of the land, there could be no unlawfulness in rendering him the tribute which bore his image, in return for the protection and administration of the civil government, which they received from him. And this interfered not with their religious duties: they must render life unto God the things which are God’s. Thus neither could the civil government have come to be offended, nor the Pharisees be able to accuse him without condemning themselves. Nate, (1.) When we have to deal with crafty advertorials, we need be wise as serpents, whilst we are harassed in them. (2.) The mull of hypocrites, however naturally pointed, cannot import upon him who trình the heart. Their hope of concealment is delusion; and whilst they tempt him they destroy themselves. (3.) Captious questions should have

have a cautious answer, that, if possible, they who came to ensure us may be confounded themselves. (4.) It is reasonable we should pay tribute to the government from which we receive protection. Christ’s servants must on principle be loyal subjects. But, though Cedar has our tribute, God must have our hearts. (5.) We must submit to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: but, if human injunctions contradict divine commands, God must be obeyed, and we must be excused to suffer.

4. Though confounded with his reply, they could not but admire his wisdom; and, deduced in their purport, they retired with shame as bullied face, unable to find the least ground for occultation against him. May the Lord ever endorse his mindless with the like wisdom, and enable them to disappear the malice of those who lie in west for an occasion against them!

5. ¶ 1 The same day came to him the Sadducees, which say that there is no resurrection, and asked him, 24. Saying, Master, 2 Moses said, If a man dies, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother. 25. 3 Now there were with us seven brethren, and the first, when he had married a wife, deceased, and, having no idlen, left his wife unto his brother. 26. Likewise the second also, and the third, unto the seventh. 27. And last of all the woman died also. 28. Therefore, in the resurrection, who is the first of the seven? for they all had her. 29. Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, 1 not knowing the scriptures, 2 nor the power of God. 30. For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage; 3 but are as the angels of God in heaven. 31. But, as touching the resurrection of the dead, have yet not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying, 32. 1 I 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. 33. And when the multitude heard this, they were astonished at his doctrine.