Matthew 22:1-22

There are two situations in this passage.

First, Jesus tells a parable about a wedding banquet. He is clearly teaching about God and what He is saying is equally clear. He is saying that God has this great occasion of joy and provision that He is offering but those to whom the offer is being made are more interested in their own affairs than in God’s wonderful offer. Finally He judges those who refused His offer and goes to find others who will accept it. This parable has application for us but He is speaking it directly to the Jewish religious elite.

This teaching does not bring recognition and repentance. Rather, it causes those to whom it is addressed to look for ways to trap Jesus with tricky questions. The first wave of attack is a political one. “Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar?” This is rich. If He says, “Yes,” then He can be charged with being a sell out to the Roman occupiers. If He says, “No,” then He can be charged with treason against the emperor. The political mind thinks this way.

Jesus’ now famous answer doesn’t side step the question. It exposes the question for the sham it is. The issue isn’t Caesar or God. The issue is to place God first in everything and, as much as possible, live in peace with all these other things. Once God is first then all of these other things will fall into their proper place. If God isn’t in His proper place in your life then it doesn’t matter where everything else lines up because it’s wrong no matter the order in which they are placed.