The parable of the wedding feast1Then Jesus taught them another parable:2"The Kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding feast for his son.3He sent his servants to those already invited, telling them it was time to come to the feast; but they all refused to come.4"So the king sent more servants with these instructions: 'Tell the invited guests that I have prepared the feast. The cattle have been slaughtered and the meat is cooked and ready. So come to the wedding feast immediately.'5"But the guests ignored the pleas of the king and went about their daily business as usual, one to his farm, another to his office.6Some took hold of the king's servants, abused them and then killed them.7This so angered the king that he sent his soldiers to kill the murderers and destroy their city by fire.8"Then he instructed other servants, 'The wedding feast is ready, but those I invited did not deserve the honour of sitting at my table.9So go now into the streets and invite anyone you find to come to the feast.'10The servants obeyed and gathered all those they found, whether good or bad characters; and so the place where the wedding feast was held was filled with guests.11"When the king himself entered, he noticed among the guests one man who was not wearing wedding clothes.12He asked him, 'Friend how were you admitted without the right wedding clothes?' But the man had nothing to say in response.13"So the king told his assistants, 'Bind his hands and feet and throw him out into the spiritual darkness where people will weep for their foolishness and suffer eternal affliction.'"14Then Jesus said: "I invite many to My heavenly wedding feast, but only a few are chosen!"Paying taxes to Caesar15On hearing this the Pharisees left and planned how they could trap Jesus by His own words, giving them opportunity to accuse Him.16They sent some of their disciples along with some members of Herod's political party, and said: "Teacher, we know that it is clear You are a Man of integrity who teaches God's ways according to the truth of His Word. You will not be influenced by the opinions of men, caring nothing for their rational ideas.17So tell us what to think about this. Should we pay taxes to Caesar, or not?"18Jesus perceived the malice behind their question and replied: "You are hypocrites, all of you. Why do you want to trap Me like this?19-20Bring Me a coin used to pay taxes." When they gave Him the coin, He asked them, "Whose portrait is this? And to whom does this inscription refer?"21"Caesar," they answered. Then Jesus told them: "Give to Caesar what you owe Caesar, but give to God what you owe God."22They were speechless when they heard this and could only go away silent.Marriage at the resurrection23Later on that same day, the Sadducees tried to trick Jesus with another question. Now the Sadducees do not believe there is any resurrection after death.24So they said: "Teacher, Moses decreed that the brother of a man who dies childless must marry his widow so she can bear children.25Now imagine there were seven brothers. The first married, died childless and left the widow for his brother.26But he also died childless, as did a third brother, and so on until all seven had married her in turn.27Then the woman also died.28So in the resurrection, since all seven were married to her, whose wife will she be?"29Jesus answered: "You know neither the scriptures nor God's power, so you have no understanding.30There will be no marriage at the resurrection, for everyone in heaven will be like the angels.31-32"Now concerning whether the dead are raised or not, have you not read the words of God Himself: 'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? So He is not God of the dead but of the living!"33When the crowds heard what He said they were amazed at how Jesus silenced His critics by teaching the truth.The most important commandment34-36Seeing how Jesus had dealt with the Sadducees, one of the Pharisees who was an expert in the religious law, asked Him another test question: "Teacher, which is the most important commandment God has given in the law?"37Jesus answered: "'You are to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul life, every aspect of your personality, and with all your mind.'38This is the greatest and most important of God's commands.39The second is similar: 'You are to love your neighbour in the same way that you already care about yourself and your own welfare.'40Everything that is taught in God's law and by the prophets is based on these two commandments to love."Christ, Messiah, Lord41Then Jesus put a question to the group of Pharisees who were present.42"What do you believe about the Christ, the Messiah? Whose Son is He?" They replied: "He is the Son of David."43-44So Jesus asked them: "If that is the case, how could David, speaking under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, call Him 'Lord'? For David says, 'The Lord said to My Lord, 'Sit down at My right hand while I bring all Your enemies into subjection until they are all under Your feet.''45"If David calls the Messiah 'Lord', how could He be his son?"46Again there was silence; no one had any answer to His question. In fact from that day no one else dared to put any more trick questions to Jesus.
Scripture quoted by permission. The passage above is taken from THE TRUTH VERSION. Copyright © 2009 by Colin Urquhart. All rights reserved worldwide. (The Truth New Testament)