Dig In:
Chapter Overview:
v1-14 - Jesus, being confronted still by the establishment tells the parable of the wedding feast:
The king sends the invitation out, but his guests are all too busy or don't even care enough to come.
After exacting some swift judgment on those who ignored the invitation, the king brings in anyone he can find to attend.
Yet even though the king's invitation is free and universal, he is not about to lessen his perfect standards, so when a man shows up having not cared enough to prepare, he's thrown out.
v15-46 - The establishment continues their futile plan to trap Jesus in a 'gotcha' statement.
First the Pharisees try and box Jesus into breaking Caesar's law or God's law, but Jesus doesn't fall for it.
Next, the rival Sadducees try to trick Jesus by asking Him about a doctrine they deny: the resurrection of the dead.
Not only does this fail, but by studying Jesus' response, we get just an inkling of what life after death will be like, and it appears massively different than what we're used to.
We also get massive assurance that as followers of Christ we will live eternally, as Jesus asserts that God is the God of the living, not the dead.
Next up are the teachers of the law, who end up getting schooled by Jesus' masterful response to their question of what the greatest commandment is.
Finally, Jesus turns the tables and asks the Pharisees about Psalm 110.
Ultimately, Jesus stumps the establishment, so they give up on mere questions and escalate their plan to kill Him.
Dig Deeper:
The fact that nobody showed up for the prince's wedding feast shows how much we have in common with the people who heard Jesus speak these words two thousand years ago:
(5) “But they paid no attention and went off—
one to his field,
another to his business.
(6) The rest
seized his servants,
mistreated them
and killed them.
(7) The king was enraged.
What is it that's distracting you from the King's invitation? Be reminded that God is not inviting you to a 'feast' that will occur some time in the distant future, but rather to citizenship in His Kingdom, which begins right now. Don't risk His wrath.
OLD TESTAMENT REFERENCE:
Zephaniah 1:7
Be silent before the Sovereign Lord, for the day of the Lord is near. The Lord has prepared a sacrifice; he has consecrated those he has invited.
Discuss:
Use the comment box below to discuss one or more of these questions:
EYE FOR DETAIL— In the parable Jesus told about the wedding banquet, the king commanded his servants to tie up a certain man who was there, and to throw him out of the wedding hall. What was it about this man that caused the king to do this? (See verses 11–13.)
Thomas, Mack. The Complete Bible Discussion Guide: New Testament
Follow the AAA Prayer Pattern:
ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: The great I AM: the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. He is not the God of the dead but of the living (v32).
ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Love the Lord your God with all of your heart and with all of your soul and with all of your mind, and love your neighbor as yourself (v37-39).
ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:
תגובות