Parable of the Marriage Feast

1Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying, 2“The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son. 3And he sent his servants to call those who had [previously] been invited to the wedding feast, but they refused to come. 4Then he sent out some other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who have been invited, “Look, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fattened calves are butchered and everything is ready; come to the wedding feast.”’ 5But they paid no attention [they disregarded the invitation, treating it with contempt] and went away, one to his farm, another to his business. 6The rest [of the invited guests] seized his servants and mistreated them [insulting and humiliating them] and killed them. 7The king was enraged [when he heard this], and sent his soldiers and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. 8Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding [feast] is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. 9So go to the main highways that lead out of the city, and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.’ 10Those servants went out into the streets and gathered together all the people they could find, both bad and good; so the wedding hall was filled with dinner guests [sitting at the banquet table].

11“But when the king came in to see the dinner guests, he saw a man there who was not dressed [appropriately] in wedding clothes, 12and he said, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without wearing the wedding clothes [that were provided for you]?’ And the man was speechless and without excuse. 13Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him into the darkness outside; in that place there will be weeping [over sorrow and pain] and grinding of teeth [over distress and anger].’ 14For many are called (invited, summoned), but few are chosen.”

Tribute to Caesar

15Then the Pharisees went and conspired together plotting how to trap Him by [distorting] what He said. 16They sent their disciples to Him, along with the [a]Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that You are sincere and that You teach the way of God truthfully, without concerning Yourself about [what] anyone [thinks or says of Your teachings]; for You are impartial and do not seek anyone’s favor [and You treat all people alike, regardless of status]. 17Tell us then, what do You think? Is it permissible [according to Jewish law and tradition] to pay a [b]poll-tax to Caesar, or not?” 18But Jesus, aware of their malice, asked, “Why are you testing Me, you hypocrites? 19Show me the coin used for the poll-tax.” And they brought Him a denarius [a day’s wage]. 20And Jesus said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” 21They said, “[[c]The Emperor Tiberius] Caesar’s.” Then He said to them, “Then pay to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s; and to God the things that are God’s.” 22When they heard this, they were caught off guard, and they left Him and went away.

Jesus Answers the Sadducees

23On that day some Sadducees, who say that there is no resurrection [of the dead], came to Him and asked Him a question, 24saying, “Teacher, Moses said, ‘IF A MAN DIES, LEAVING NO CHILDREN, HIS BROTHER AS NEXT OF KIN SHALL [d]MARRY HIS WIDOW, AND RAISE CHILDREN FOR HIS BROTHER.’ 25Now there were seven brothers among us; the first married and died, and having no children left his wife to his brother. 26The second also [died childless], and the third, down to the seventh. 27Last of all, the woman died. 28So in the resurrection, whose wife of the seven will she be? For they all had married her.”

29But Jesus replied to them, “You are all wrong because you know neither the Scriptures [which teach the resurrection] nor the power of God [for He is able to raise the dead]. 30For in the resurrection neither do men marry nor are women given in marriage, but they are like angels in heaven [who do not marry nor produce children]. 31But as to the resurrection of the dead--have you not read [in the Scripture] what God said to you: 32‘I AM THE GOD OF ABRAHAM, AND THE GOD OF ISAAC, AND THE GOD OF JACOB’? He is not the God of the dead, but of the living.” 33When the crowds heard this, they were astonished at His teaching.

34Now when the Pharisees heard that He had silenced (muzzled) the Sadducees, they gathered together. 35One of them, a lawyer [an expert in Mosaic Law], asked Jesus a question, to test Him: 36“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 37And Jesus replied to him, “‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’ 38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39The second is like it, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF [that is, unselfishly seek the best or higher good for others].’ 40The whole Law and the [writings of the] Prophets depend on these two commandments.”

41Now while the Pharisees were [still] gathered together, Jesus asked them a question: 42“What do you [Pharisees] think of the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed)? Whose Son is He?” They said to Him, “[e]The son of David.” 43Jesus asked them, “How is it then that David by the inspiration of the Spirit, calls Him ‘Lord,’ saying,

44‘THE LORD (the Father) SAID TO MY LORD (the Son, the Messiah),

“SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND,

UNTIL I PUT YOUR ENEMIES UNDER YOUR FEET”’? 45So then, if David calls Him (the Son, the Messiah) ‘Lord,’ [f]how is He David’s son?” 46No one was able to say a word to Him in answer, nor from that day on did anyone dare to question Him again.

[a] 16 A Jewish political party loyal to Herod. The Pharisees, who strongly opposed Herod and Roman rule, and the Herodians, who were strong allies of Herod and Rome, set aside their political differences in order to conspire together against Jesus.
[b] 17 Every Jew was required to pay the poll-tax. It was considered a sign of subservience to Rome.
[c] 21 Tiberius Caesar came to the throne after the death of his stepfather, Augustus, in A.D. 14 and ruled the Roman Empire until his death in A.D. 37. He was a brilliant military general, but an incompetent, irresponsible ruler. Most biblical references to “Caesar” refer to Tiberius.
[d] 24 The purpose of this was to carry on the family line and keep property within the family.
[e] 42 The Pharisees may have thought of the Messiah merely as a human descendant of David.
[f] 45 See note Mark 12:35.