THE PARABLE OF MARRIAGE

Matthäus 22:1 Mt 22:1

CHAPTER XXII. 



   The parable of the marriage of a king's son, 1-14.
  The Pharisees and Herodians question him concerning the
   lawfulness of paying tribute to Caesar, 15-22.
  The Sadducees question him concerning the resurrection, 23-33.
  A lawyer questions him concerning the greatest commandment in
   the law, 34-40.
  He asks them their opinion of the Christ, and confounds them,
   41-46.

 NOTES ON CHAP. XXII.

Verse 2.  The kingdom of heaven]  In Bereshith Rabba, sect. 62. fol. 60, there is a parable very similar to this, and another still more so in Sohar. Levit. fol. 40.  But these rabbinical parables are vastly ennobled by passing through the hands of our Lord.  It appears from Luke, Lu 14:15; &c., that it was at an entertainment that this parable was originally spoken.  It was a constant practice of our Lord to take the subjects of his discourses from the persons present, or from the circumstances of times, persons, and places.  See Mt 16:6; Joh 4:7-10; Joh 6:26,27; 7:37.  A preacher that can do so can never be at a loss for text or sermon.

  A marriage for his son]  A marriage feast, so the word gamouv properly means.  Or a feast of inauguration, when his son was put in possession of the government, and thus he and his new subjects became married together.  See 1Ki 1:5-9,19,25, &c., where such a feast is mentioned.

From this parable it appears plain, 1. That the KING means the great God.  2. His SON, the Lord Jesus.  3. The MARRIAGE, his incarnation, or espousing human nature, by taking it into union with himself.  4. The MARRIAGE FEAST, the economy of the Gospel, during which men are invited to partake of the blessings purchased by, and consequent on, the incarnation and death of our blessed Lord.  5. By those who HAD BEEN bidden, or invited, Mt 22:3, are meant the Jews in general, who had this union of Christ with human nature, and his sacrifice for sin, pointed out by various rites, ceremonies, and sacrifices under the law; and who, by all the prophets, had been constantly invited to believe in and receive the promised Messiah.  6. By the SERVANTS, we are to understand the first preachers of the Gospel, proclaiming salvation to the Jews.  JOHN the Baptist and the seventy disciples (Lu 10:1,) may be here particularly intended.  7. By the OTHER SERVANTS, Mt 22:4, the apostles seem to be meant, who, though they were to preach the Gospel to the whole world, yet were to begin at JERUSALEM (Lu 24:47) with the first offers of mercy. 8. By their making light of it, &c., Mt 22:5, is pointed out their neglect of this salvation, and their preferring secular enjoyments, &c., to the kingdom of Christ.  9. By injuriously using some, and slaying others, of his servants, Mt 22:6, is pointed out the persecution raised against the apostles by the Jews, in which some of them were martyred.  10. By sending forth his troops, Mt 22:7, is meant the commission given to the Romans against Judea; and, burning up their city, the total destruction of Jerusalem by Titus, the son of Vespasian, which happened about forty-one years after.

On this parable it is necessary to remark, 1.That man was made at first in union with God.  2. That sin entered in, and separated between God and man.  3. That as there can be no holiness but in union with God, and no heaven without holiness, therefore he provided a way to reconcile and reunite man to himself.  4. This was effected by Christ's uniting himself to human nature, and giving his Spirit to those who believe.  5. That as the marriage union is the closest, the most intimate, solemn, and excellent, of all the connections formed among mortals, and that they who are thus united in the Lord are one flesh; so that mystical union which is formed between God and the soul through Jesus Christ, by the Eternal Spirit, is the closest, most intimate, solemn, and excellent, that can be conceived; for he who is thus joined unto the Lord is one spirit.  6. This contract is made freely: no man can be forced to it, for it is a union of will to will, heart to heart; and it is by willing and consenting that we come unto God through his Son.  7. That if this marriage do not take place here, an eternal separation from God, and from the glory of his power, shall be the fearful consequence.  8. That there are three states in which men run the risk of living without God and losing their souls.  1st. That of a soft, idle, voluptuous life, wherein a man thinks of nothing but quietly to enjoy life, conveniences, riches, private pleasures, and public diversions.  They made light of it.  2dly. That of a man wholly taken up with agricultural or commercial employments, in which the love of riches, and application to the means of acquiring them, generally stifle all thoughts of salvation.  One went to his own field, and another to his traffic.  3dly. That of a man who is openly unjust, violent, and outrageously wicked, who is a sinner by profession, and not only neglects his salvation, but injuriously treats all those who bring him the Gospel of reconciliation.  Seizing his servants, they treated them injuriously, &c.

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BLESSING
Referring both to God and to man.  When God blesses, he bestows that efficacy which renders his blessing effectual.  His blessings are either temporal or spiritual, bodily or mental; but in every thing they really convey the good which they import, Nu 6:23-27.  The blessings of men to other men, unless they be inspired prophecies, as in Ge 32:32; De 33:1; 1:1-29, are only good wishes, personal or official, and as it were a peculiar kind of prayer to the Author of all good for the welfare of the subject of them.  Blessing, on the part of man towards God, is an act of thanks-giving for his mercies, Ps 103:1; or rather, for that special mercy which at the time occasions the act of blessing: as for food, for which thanks are rendered to God, or for any other good, Ps 116:13; 1Co 10:16.

LOVE

LOVE
GOD IS LOVE; AND HE THAT DWELLETH IN LOVE DWELLETH IN GOD, AND GOD IN HIM, 1Jo 4:16.  Love is a chief attribute of Jehovah, the length and breadth and height and depth of which are beyond comprehension, for they are infinite, Eph 3:18,19.  Between the three Persons of the Godhead, love is unutterable full, perfect, and blissful; towards holy angels and Christians, God's love is an infinite fatherly complacency and affection; towards sinners, it is immeasurable compassion.  It is shown in all his works and ways, and dictated his holy law, but is most signally displayed in the gospel, Joh 3:16.  "Herein is love."

Holy love in man would make the whole heart and soul supremely delight in and obey God, and cordially and practically love all beings according to their character-the good with fellowship of soul, and the evil with a Christ-like benevolence.  Such a love would meet and fulfil all the ends of the law, Mt 22:37-40; Ro 13:8-10.  Without it, none can enter heaven; and as the affections of every unrenewed heart are all mixed with sin, being given to forbidden objects, or selfishly and unduly given to objects not forbidden, we must be "born again" in order to see God, Joh 3:3; 1Jo 4:7,19; 5:4.

Proverbs 1:8

My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother

PSALMS 7:17

I will praise the LORD according to his righteousness: and will sing praise to the name of the LORD most high.(PSALMS 7:17)

PSALMS 6:2

Have mercy upon me, O LORD; for I am weak: O LORD, heal me; for my bones are vexed.(PSALMS 6:2)

PSALMS 1:1

Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful (Psalms 1:1). If you believe say "Amen"