The Way - Day 254 (Matthew 22)

Pastor Tom's Journal on Today's Reading:
Matthew 22:1-14
This parable paints a scene where a king arranges for his son to be married, so he sends out his servants to invite the guests to the wedding (22:2-3); however, they refuse to come. Again, the king sends out his servants to the same people and invites them to the wedding but the servants are met with the same reaction (22:4-6). Furthermore, some of the invited guests take the king's servants and kill them and the king becomes furious so he sends out an army to destroy their city (22:7). The first part of this parable is an illustration of the so-called religious leaders of the day who had rejected the message brought to them by people such as John the Baptist. The king is symbolic of God the Father and the son is Jesus Christ. Those invited to the wedding feast pictures salvation, which was especially first extended to the Jews (God's people). Jesus continues the parable by saying that the king then tells his servants to go into the highways and invite as many people as they can to the wedding, whether good or bad (22:8-10). Jesus goes on to say that the wedding hall is full with the guests his servants had found. This is a beautiful representation of God's salvation being offered to all people regardless of their past. It appears that since the servants had invited people off of the streets that the king provided them with the proper attire for the wedding. The reason I say this is because there is one guy whom the king sees not wearing the proper attire and so he inquires as to how he got in (22:11-12). The kings inquiry is met with a speechless reaction as the king calls his servants to take this man away and cast him into outer darkness (22:13). My initial reaction is to think that the king is pretty harsh, but further examination reveals that this man just refused to be clothed in the garments the king had provided. Again, this is a perfect illustration of how we are clothed with the righteousness of Jesus Christ when we admit our inability to clothe ourselves in righteousness (Isaiah 61:10). Paul wrote about this same illustration in Philippians 3:9 when he says "not having my own righteousness which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith." Jesus ultimately wants people to know that salvation is not found in self-righteous works, but rather in grace through faith, which is His gift to us.

Matthew 22:15-46
I know this is a large portion of scripture to be covering in one reading, but I want to leave behind many of the details in order to discover an overall lesson Jesus is trying to teach. Many groups including the Pharisees, Herodians, scribes, Sadducees, and the chief priests were conspiring ways to entangle Jesus (22:15-33). They were all very angry at how Jesus had captured the hearts of the people and now they were trying to think up the most bizarre questions to entrap Jesus through something He would say. In the midst of all these crazy questions, Jesus responded in the wisest way that even they were astonished at how He answered (22:22,33,46). Did they not realize they were messing with God? But, there is one question asked by a lawyer (scribe who interpreted the law) which is worthy of our attention. He asks Jesus "which is the great commandment in the law?" Instead of responding with "thou shalt have no other gods before me" or another one of the commandments, Jesus gives a summary of all the commandments. Jesus says "you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind." Jesus establishes this as the first great commandment. Profound! If we love God, we will keep all the commandments! He goes on to say "the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Love God and love others. At the end of His answer Jesus says something that is easy to miss - "on these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets." He was telling these people that the whole Old Testament is based upon these two commandments. Every book of the law and every book of the Prophets were all trying to teach one thing - to love God and to love others. I realize we tend to look at the Bible and walk away feeling like there are a lot of things to obey; however, when it comes down to it, there are only those two things to remember. All of our attitudes, actions, and reactions should be based on our love for God and our love for others. Since I love God, I won't put other gods before Him, worship idols, or take God's name in vain. Since I love others, I will honor my mom and dad. Since I love others, I will not murder, commit adultery, steal, lie, or covet. Jesus was trying to expose the real reasons God gave the commandments. Some people look at the do's and dont's of the Bible as burdensome, but in reality which one of us wants to be disrespected as a parent or have our spouse commit adultery? No one in their right mind would want these things to come on them! Realize that God gave us the commandments to experience life the way it was meant to be.

Dear God, keep loving You and loving others at the top of my list!