Bible Commentaries

Speechless Before The King

- Matthew Twenty-Two -

Matthew twenty-two pictures occasions when people stood "Speechless Before The King": (1) Matthew 22:1-14 -- the man without a wedding garment, (2) Matthew 22:15-22 -- the Pharisees that asked about paying tax, (3) Matthew 22:23-33 -- the Sadducees that questioned the resurrection, (4) Matthew 22:34-40 -- the Pharisees that asked Jesus about the greatest commandment, and (5) Matthew 22:41-46 -- those Pharisees that could not answer Jesus" questions about why David called Him Lord even though He was David's son.

In Matthew 22 we have one of the saddest of Jesus" parables. This parable has to do with the Savior's mission among the Jews and their rejection of Him. The King had prepared a wedding feast for His Son. The Jews were invited to this great feast. Sadly they made light of the invitation, and went their way, one to his farm, and another to his merchandise. Some of the Jews even "took the Kings servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them." The problem was "the wedding was ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy."

The Jews were unworthy because they chose things of the world rather than heavenly things. They could have come but they "would not come!" The King sent His servants to get others to come to His feast. The Jews had rejected the feast so the Gentiles would now be invited. Today, thanks to our amazing God, everyone is invited to His glorious salvation feast.

A man in disrespect came in without a "wedding garment." There was no excuse for such conduct. The King that prepared the feast also provided the garments. The man was just unrighteousness in his actions. The result was that he stood "speechless" before the King. The King said, "Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth..." God requires humble obedience from all that would come to His feast.

The Pharisees and Sadducees asked Jesus many questions that "they might entangle him in his talk." Jesus "perceived their wickedness" and gave unbelievable answers to their questions. When they tried to trap him with a question about tax He answered, "Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar"s; and unto God the things that are God's." They marveled at His answer.

The Sadducees asked Jesus a question about the law of marriage. (Deuteronomy 25:5-10) Moses said that when a man dies leaving a wife and no children, that his brother ought to marry her and have children with her in his brothers name. This kept the Jewish families and tribes distinct. The Sadducees ask Jesus about seven brothers that had all been married to the same woman. They wanted Him to explain whose wife she would be in the resurrection. Jesus answered, "For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven."

A lawyer asked Jesus about the greatest commandment. Jesus said to him, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind." This is the great commandment because God is the source of all blessings and goodness.

This chapter closed with Jesus asking the Pharisees some very difficult questions. He asked, "What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The Son of David. He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool? If David then call him Lord, how is he his son?" Jesus was David's Lord and his Savior in a spiritual sense. Never was wisdom or truth any more clear, never more triumphant than with Jesus Christ!

The man without a wedding garment - Matthew 22:1-14 : The man without a wedding garment stood speechless before the King. The message came "all things are ready, come to the wedding." Those that were invited made light of the invitation. (Matthew 22:5-6) The Jews rejected Jesus and this rejection opened the door for the Gentiles. "Go into the highways, and as many as you find; invite to the wedding." (Matthew 22:9) The one that came in without a wedding garment shows an attitude opposite that of faith, humility, penitence and reverence that prepares one to enter the Lord's kingdom.

The question about taxes - Matthew 22:15-22 : The Pharisees that asked if it was lawful to pay tax to Caesar stood speechless before the King. They desired to entangle Jesus in His talk. (Matthew 22:15) Their question was, "Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?" (Matthew 22:17) Jesus answered "Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar"s, and to God the things that are God's." (Matthew 22:21) He taught plainly that Christians have both a duty to God and to government. The Pharisees "marveled and left Him." (Matthew 22:22)

The question about the resurrection - Matthew 22:23-33 : The Sadducees, that deny the resurrection, questioned Jesus about the "Levitate" law of marriage. (Deuteronomy 25:5-10) They wanted to know who this woman would be married to after the resurrection. Jesus said their questions came from a basic mistake. "For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels of God in heaven." (Matthew 22:30) Then Jesus astonished them and made them speechless by saying, "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." (Matthew 22:32) The Sadducees that questioned Jesus about the resurrection stood speechless before the king.

The greatest commandment and an impossible question - Matthew 22:34-46 : The Pharisees Jesus asked about the greatest commandment. He gave them that and more. "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself." (Matthew 22:37-39) The lawyer and other Pharisees were speechless before the king because they realized they were in violation of not only the first and great commandment, but the second also.

The Pharisees were speechless before the king when He asked them questions about David. Jesus asked, "What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The Son of David." (Matthew 22:42) Then He said, "If David then calls Him Lord, how is He his Son?" (Matthew 22:45) Jesus asked how the Messiah could be both David's son and David's Lord. Their lack of understanding of the Messiah, who He was and what is His work, made it impossible to answer these questions. From that time no one "dare question him anymore." (Matthew 22:46) They were speechless!

We too will stand speechless before the King in judgment if we fail to become Christians (Acts 2:38-41), or have failed to develop and maintain Christian attitudes and faithfulness in life. (Matthew 5:8; 1 Corinthians 15:58)