Matthew 22:9 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.’

NIV: So go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.'

NASB: So go to the main roads, and invite whomever you find there to the wedding feast.’

CSB: Go then to where the roads exit the city and invite everyone you find to the banquet.'

NLT: Now go out to the street corners and invite everyone you see.’

KJV: Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage.

NKJV: Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.’

In Jesus' parable (Matthew 22:1–8), the king still wants guests at the wedding feast to honor his son. His first chosen guests have refused to come. Some lacked interest and others acted out in rebellion against him. The king has called those guests, who represent Israel's religious leaders, "unworthy" to attend the feast.

Now the king tells his servants to take his invitation to common people they will find on the "main roads." Some translations choose "street corners" and others "highways" for the Greek phrase diexodous tōn hodōn. The idea includes places where people are most likely to be gathered, as well as the roads that lead out of a town into the countryside. This is a point of distinction between this parable and the one Jesus relates in the gospel of Luke (Luke 14:15–24). There, the frustrated master commands invitations be given to those in all places in the city, especially those where the destitute would gather. Here, Jesus has given a dire warning about the destruction of that entire city (Matthew 22:7).

All who will come are invited, though the following verses will reveal there is yet one requirement for attendance (Matthew 22:11–12).

Matthew 22:1–14 contains Jesus' parable of the wedding feast. Jesus compares the kingdom of heaven to a king who threw a banquet for his son. The king's chosen guests refuse to come, to the point of violence against his messengers. So, the king fills the wedding hall with common people he finds out and about; some bad, some good. One guest is thrown out into the darkness, though, for trying to attend the feast without wearing a wedding garment. Jesus summarizes the message with the famous phrase, "Many are called, but few are chosen." This parable touches on Israel's rejection of the Messiah and salvation by grace. This touches on very similar themes to those of the parable of the great banquet (Luke 14:12–24), but with critical differences.

Continuing a dialogue with hostile religious leaders, Jesus tells a parable comparing the kingdom of heaven to a wedding feast which ends up being attended by those not initially invited. He answers trick questions about taxes, marriage, resurrection, and the Law of Moses. These responses are the source of common English idioms such as "render to Caesar…" and "many are called but few are chosen." Finally, Jesus asks how the Messiah can be both the son of David and the Lord of David. None can answer Him, so they stop challenging Him in public.

This chapter extends an exchange between Jesus and several groups of religious leaders in the temple. The previous chapter concluded with two parables about the failures of the religious leaders. This chapter begins with a third parable, about chosen guests who refuse to attend a wedding feast. Jesus then fields questions from several religious groups, who fail in their attempts to trip Him up. His wise and profound answers silence all of them. At this point, Jesus launches into a full-throated condemnation of the Pharisees in chapter 23.

The Gospel of Matthew clearly shows the influence of its writer's background, and his effort to reach a specific audience. Matthew was one of Jesus' twelve disciples, a Jewish man, and a former tax collector. This profession would have required literacy, and Matthew may have transcribed some of Jesus' words as they were spoken. This book is filled with references to the Old Testament, demonstrating to Israel that Jesus is the Promised One. Matthew also includes many references to coins, likely due to his former profession. Matthew records extensive accounts of Jesus' teaching, more than the other three Gospels.