The chapter begins with the parable of the wedding dinner. Jesus describes the kingdom of heaven to the likes of a king who arranged a marriage for his son. He sent out his servants to call those whom he had invited to the wedding, and they would not come. Again, he sent out other servants to tell them again but this time include all of the great things that would be at the wedding (a feast with fatted cattle and oxen) yet they still wouldn’t come. Instead, they made light of the situation going to their farm or business instead. The rest seized his servants, treated them badly and then killed them. When he king heard about it he was furious. He sent out his army and had them destroy the murderes and burn their city. The king then told his other servants that the wedding is ready but the guests were not worthy so instead go to the highways and as many as you can find, invite them to the wedding. So all they could find, good and bad, were invited and the wedding hall was filled.

            The king then noticed that one of the guests didnt have on a wedding garment. He told his servants to take that man and bind him hand and foot and take him away. He then says that many are called, but few are chosen.

            The original invited guests who refused to come represent the jews, Gods people. After they refused to come, the king (God) then sent out his servants to go get others both good and bad (gentiles). When the guests arrived they had to wear their wedding attire. This was customary in those days, if someone had a wedding it could last up to a week and garments would be required of the guests to be dressed for the occasion. At some weddings the garments would be there available, others you would need your own. Regardless, if you went to a wedding in normal clothes you were asked to leave. In the parable there was one guests who showed up in his regular attire to the banquet. The banquet in this parable represents Jesus, the attire represent the righteousness we receive in Christ Jesus when we get born again. There is only one way to the father, through Jesus. The guest at the party came through the wrong door, wasn’t clothed in proper attire (didnt receive Jesus) and for that he was spit out. This represents that we don’t work our way into heaven, our service has nothing to do with it, it is all about Jesus and our relationship with Him. You can’t sneak your way into heaven and go around Jesus, you will be cast out. The parable ends with ‘many are called but few are chosen.’ Meaning many in fact all are invited, but only few accept the invitation.

            The pharisees didn’t like this parable, so they chose to try to plot against Him. They sent to Him their disciples with the Herodian’s and tried to trick Him in His talk. They began to talk smoothly to Him saying things like, ‘we know that you are true and teach the way of God’ but Jesus knows our hearts and minds and our intents. They then persuaded to ask Him then if they were to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? Jesus knew what they were saying, He asked them why they were testing Him and called them hypocrites. He then took a denarius and asked the crowd whose face was on it. They responded that Caesar’s face was upon the denarius. Jesus then told them to render to Caesar what was Caesars and to God the things that are God’s. They were amazed by Him and His response, they turned around and walked away.

            The same day, the Sadducees then came testing Jesus. They didnt believe in resurrection so they came to Him basically asking that if a man died and his wife remarried with the mans brother, who would she be wed too when she dies and they are in heaven? They were trying to trick Jesus and get Him to somehow announce what they believed that there wasn’t resurrection, but Jesus knew better and knew scripture. He simply replied, “You are mistaken, not knowing the scriptures nor the power of God. FOr in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels of God in heaven. But concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God, 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 the God of the living.” When they heard His response, they were astonished.

            When the Pharisees heard that He had silenced the Sadducees they chose to test Him further. One of them, a lawyer, asked Jesus which is the greatest commandment in the law? Jesus answered that you should love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment and the second is to love your neighbor as yourself.

            Jesus then asked the pharisees a question that they could not answer. He asked them about the Christ, whose Son is He? They responded with David. Jesus then said that that couldn’t be, because in scripture David says ‘The Lord said to my Lord, sit at My right hand,’ how could call Him Lord if He is His Son? No one was able to answer Him and no one else questioned Him after that.