Westminster Annotations, Matthew 2 · Chapter 22
CHAP. XXII.
Vers. 1. JEsus answered] To the grumbling thoughts of the Pharisees, who were offended with the former parables: or, he added more parables to the former.
and spake unto them] Luke 14. 16. Rev. 19. 9.
by parables] In the former parable he had threatned destruction to the Pharisees; here, to all the people. He shews the manner also, to wit, By sword and fire; and that, after his death, the Gospel should be preached to the Gentiles, and some of them should get no good by it.
V. 2. The kingdom of heaven is like] See on chap. 20. 1.
a certain king which made a marriage for his son] The tidings of Christs incarnation, or of the Gospel, is compared to a marriage-feast full of joy, made by a king, and therefore full of glory; not for a servant or friend, but for his son, wherein he would shew all his state and riches.
V. 3. his servants to …all] His prophets, to foretell the coming of his Son Christ into the world, and invite men to receive him with joy.
and they would not come] These were carelesse persons, that never looked after the coming of Christ, although foretold by the prophets.
V. 4. other servants] The apostles.
I have prepared my dinner] This is like the second call, when men invited before are sent for just when dinner is ready.
fatlings are killed] This word is commonly used in sacrifices, and, by translation, for killing of cattel for a feast: for feasts and banquets were wont to be begun with sacrifices, Isa. 25. 6.
V. 5. one to his farm] These were worldly men, who looked after the riches of this world, not of the world to come.
V. 6. and slew them] These were cruell persecutours, who killed Stephen and James, and such others, sent to them by God, to call them to Christ.
V. 7. he sent forth his armies] The Romans, called Gods armies, because employed by him to destroy Jerusalem, Dan. 9. 26.
those murderers] The Jews, who slew the apostles, v. 6.
V. 8. The wedding] The wedding-feast.
were not worthy] Were altogether unworthy, Acts 13. 46. See also on chap. 10. 13.
V. 9. into the high-ways] To the places where most strangers and travellers are to be found. Go preach the Gospel to the Gentiles, seeing the Jews refuse it. Or, Go into the highways to seek for beggers to come in. Bid the Gentiles, whom the Jews despise, Luke 14. 21.
as many as ye shall finde, bid] God doth first call us, when we think not of it, Isa. 65. 2. Rom. 10. 21. and bids all, without exception, Mark 16. 15.
V. 10. both had and good] Mean persons, and great ones: or, profane and civill; for men of both sorts were to be found among the Gentiles. See Matth. 13. 38, 47, 48.
the wedding was furnished] The place where the wedding was kept, or the table.
V. 11. when the king came in] Some understand this of the day of Judgement; others, of the time of the Gospel here, when God, observing some hypocrites in the Church, takes them away by death, and sends them to hell.
which had not …n a wedding-garment] Conversation beseeming our Christian calling, Eph. 4. 1. Phil. 1. 27. 2 Pet. 1. 10. Rev. 19. 8. and 3. 18.
V. 12. How camest thou in hither] As it is an unseemly thing for a man to come to the marriage-feast of a kings son, onelyonly to enjoy the pleasures of that solemn meeting, without respect of decent apparel befitting such a solemnity; so is it unseemly that a man should lay hold on the promises of the Gospel, having on still his rags of wicked life.
he was speechlesse] Gr. he was muzled, as 1 Cor. 9. 9. He could say nothing for himself, no more then a muzled ox can eat of the corn. His own conscience condemned him. So will ours do with us.
V. 13. to the servants] That attended on the guests.
binde him hand and foot] Make him sure (as they do shackle condemned men) that he may neither by resistance nor slight escape the d…s…rved punishment. See Dan. 3. 20, 21.
cast] Gr. cast f…rth.
into outer darknesse] See on chap. 8. 12.
V. 14. For many are called] Chap. 20. 16. Because many that are called do not come into Gods Church; and among those that do come, some are not saved, for want of an holy conversation, it appears that few are chosen to eternall life.
V. 15. Then went the Pharisees] Mark. 12. 13. Luke 20. 20.
entangle him] Snare him in words or talk. The Greek word is drived of snares which hunters lay. Their intent was, to bring Christ into danger, by making him answer what must needs displease the emp…r…ur; and so they might deliver him to Pilate, to be slain for sedition, Luke 20. 20. or what must offend the people; and then they might kill him without fear of the multitude, chap. 26, 5.
V. 16. they sent unto him their disciples] They would not go themselves to him, having been newly foiled by him, chap. 21. but send their disciples, who should feign themselves just men, that they might avoid suspicion, and that Christ, dealing more freely with them, might more easily be entrapped, Luke 20. 20.
with the Herodians] They were men which joyned with Herod to patch up a new religion, mixed of heathenism and Judaism. In likelihood they did maintain the lawfulnesse of paying this tribute, and the Pharisees the unlawfulnesse of it: so that if he said it was unlawfull, the Herodians were ready to accuse him to the Governour: if he said it was lawfull, the Pharisees were at hand to accuse him to the people. Though they differed between themselvs, yet both agree together against Christ. See the like, chap. 16. 1. Luke 23. 12.
the way of God] The way to heaven, shewed by God.
in t…uth] Truely and sincerely.
neither carest thou for any man] Thou art not afraid of any man, so as to conceal Gods truth.
the person] Gr. face: that is, outward appearance, whether they be great men or mean.
V. 17. tribute] The word signifies, a valuing or rating of mens substance, according to the proportion whereof they paid tribute in the subdued provinces: and it is here taken for the tribute it self.
V. 18. Jesus perceived their wickednesse] Their malice against him, or mischievous minde, 1 Cor. 5. 8.
V. 19. Shew m… the tribute-money] He calls for it, that he might take occasion, from the sight of it, to confute them th… more effectually, v. 21.
a peny] In value seven pence half peny, chap. 20. 2.
V. 20. supers…ription] Or, inscription.
V. 21. Render] As a debt, Rom. 13. 7.
unto Cesar] Ye think your payments to maintain God… service, fr…e you from p…ying tribute to Cesar; but ye are deceived: ye must maintain both religion and civill power.
which are Cesars] His stamp upon them, shews ye are his subjects, and therefore ought to pay tribute to him: for coining was always a signe of sovereign power.
V. 22. they ma…velled] That he should perceive their close intentions, and so subtilly disappoint them▪
V. 23. The same day] Mark 12. 18. Luke 20. 27. They give Christ no rest.
the Sadduces] See on v. 16.
which say that there is no resurrection] Acts 23. 8. As believing no spirituall substance severed from a body, save God onelyonly, and therefore that soul and body must die together.
V. 24. Moses said] Deut. 25. 5.
If a man die having no children] That is, if he have never a son: for daughters raise no name to their fathers, but go into another family. And in Deut. 25. a son onelyonly is mentioned, both of him that is dead, and of him that marries his wife to raise up seed to him.
V. 25. left his wife unto his brother] According to the law.
V. 26. Likewise the second] This is added, to make the thing seem the more absurd, the more husbands the woman had. They conceived he would say, She must have them all, or could not tell which she should have, after the resurrection, v. 28.
V. 27. the woman died also] Before her death there was no question whose wife she was: therefore her death is mentioned.
V. 28. for they all had her] See on v. 26.
V. 29. not knowing the scriptures] Not acknowledging the books of the prophets, out of which the resurrection might more cleerly be proved; nor yet understanding the law of Moses, which ye acknowledge to be Gods word.
nor the power of God] Ye consider not how well God is able to raise up the dead, as he hath promised, Phil. 3. 21.
V. 30. in the resurrection] In the estate of glory, which follows the resurrection.
given in marriage] Neither do men take wives, nor parents give their daughters in marriage, 1 Cor. 7. 38.
as the angels] Not without bodies, but without marriage.
V. 31. have ye not read] See on chap. 12. 5.
unto you] Ye acknowledge it to be Scripture, and to binde you.
V. 32. I am] Exod. 3. 6.
the God of Abraham] This was spoken when they were all three dead. He doth not say, The Lord of Abraham; for he is Lord of livelesse things also, chap. 11. 25. Psal. 24. 1. but, The God of Abraham, in covenant with him. Now seeing this Covenant of God was with the bodies of these three patriarchs, as well as with their souls, as appears by their circumcision; it follows, that as their souls were then alive, so their bodies must needs be raised from the dead, and be made eternally happie.
V. 33. the multitude] The people gave more respect to Christs doctrine then the Sadduces did.
V. 24. But when] Mark 12. 28.
that he had put the Sadduces to silence] They thought it would be a great honour to them, to silence him that had silenced the Sadduces.
they were gathered together] They advised about the businesse: or, they came together about Christ, as v. 41.
V. 35. a lawyer] He is called a scribe, Mark 12. 28. See chap. 2. 4.
tempting him] Not out of malice, as v. 18. and elsewhere; but out of desire of knowledge, as the queen of Sheba proved Solomon, 1 Kings 10. 1.
V. 36. the great commandment] The greatest; because some counted those of the sacrifices chiefest, as is intimated, Mark 12. 33. some, that of circumcision, as Eleazar Galileus: some, that of the sabbath.
V. 37. Thou shalt love the Lord] Deut. 6. 5. Luke 10. 27.
with all thy heart, &c.] With all the faculties of thy soul.
with all thy minde] This is here added to Deut. 6. 5. and with all thy strength, or, might, left out here, is added, Mark 12. 30. Luke 10. 27.
V. 38. the first] In order: for God must be loved before, and more then man.
great commandment] It was none of the ten commandments in particular; but contains under it all the four commandments of the first table, and therefore is counted the greatest.
V. 39. is like unto it] Not equall to it; for duty to God is above duty to man: but like it in greatnesse, because it contains all the duties of the second table, as the other did of the first.
Thou shalt love] Levit. 19. 18.
thy neighbour] Another man, Luke 10. 27, 29, 30. 1 Joh. 3. 23. Rom. 13. 8.
as thy self] As truely as thy self. Sincerely, yet with degrees, and not without some inequality, as Joh. 17. 21. Acts 3. 22.
V. 40. kang all the law and the prophets] Are contained under them.
V. 41. While the Pharisees] Mark 12. 35. Luke 20. 41.
V. 42. of Christ?] Christ proveth manifestly, that he is Davids son, according to the flesh; but, in another respect, Davids Lord, and very God: which the Pharisees not knowing, were not able to answer his question.
whose Son is he?] Of whose stock or family? for the Hebrews call a mans posteritie, his sons.
of David] See on chap. 1. 1.
V. 43. in spirit] By inspiration of Gods Spirit.
V. 44. The Lord said unto my Lord] David professeth that God the Father said so unto Christ, Davids Lord, Psal. 110. 1.
V. 45. call him Lord, &c.] See on v. 42.
V. 46. neither durst any man, &c.] None of his foes durst ask him any thing, after this, in way of tempting him; for they saw plainly that he had now foiled them, but they could never soil him.