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Jesus told a parable comparing the kingdom of heaven to a king who prepared a wedding feast for his son (22:1–14). Those first invited refused to come, mistreating and even killing the king’s servants, so the king punished them and invited others—both “bad and good”—to fill the banquet hall (22:8–10). Yet one man, without the proper wedding garment, was cast out, showing that we must come to God on His terms, clothed in the righteousness He provides (22:11–13; Isaiah 61:10). When Pharisees tried to trap Jesus about paying taxes to Caesar, He replied, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s” (22:21), showing that allegiance to God is supreme. The Sadducees, who denied the resurrection, posed a trick question about marriage in the afterlife. Jesus answered that in the resurrection there is no marriage, and proved from Exodus 3:6 that God is “the God of the living” (22:23–33).
A lawyer then asked which commandment was the greatest, and Jesus responded with two: love God with all your heart, soul, and mind, and love your neighbor as yourself—on these two depend all the Law and the Prophets (22:34–40; Deuteronomy 6:5; Leviticus 19:18). Finally, Jesus questioned the Pharisees about the Messiah’s identity. They said He was the son of David, but Jesus quoted Psalm 110:1 to show that David called the Messiah “Lord,” revealing that the Christ is greater than David and more than merely his descendant (22:41–46). Unable to answer, His opponents stopped questioning Him.
🌀 Reflection: Loving God fully will naturally overflow into loving people well. Which of these loves needs more attention in your life today?
💬 Mission Challenge: Show love for your neighbor today in a tangible way—serve, encourage, or pray with someone who needs it.
Just Keith Harris 
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