Love & Taxes (Matthew 22)

Let’s look at lessons on God’s invitation, paying taxes, marriage in heaven and love in Matthew 22.

God’s Invitation

What is our response to God’s invitation? What does God expect us to wear? Let’s look at the Parable of the Wedding Banquet in Matthew 22:1-14. Did many refuse to accept the invitation?

Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come. (Matthew 22:1-3 NIV)

Is this an allegory of salvation, the world’s most important invitation? The king invites us politely. The decision is ours. What did others choose? Did some even insult and kill the messengers?

So he sent other servants to tell them, ‘The feast has been prepared. The bulls and fattened cattle have been killed, and everything is ready. Come to the banquet!’ But the guests he had invited ignored them and went their own way, one to his farm, another to his business. Others seized his messengers and insulted them and killed them. (Matthew 22:4-6 NLT)

How did the king respond?

When the king heard that, he was angry, and sent his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. (Matthew 22:7 WEB)

Were those who refused the invitation declared unworthy? Is this a picture of the invitation now opened to Gentiles too?

Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding party is prepared, but those who were invited weren’t worthy. Therefore, go to the roads on the edge of town and invite everyone you find to the wedding party.’ (Matthew 22:8-9 CEB)

Is the invitation to both bad and good people?

They went out on the streets and brought in everyone they could find, good and bad alike. And the banquet room was filled with guests. (Matthew 22:10 CEV)

What happened to one of the guests?

But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ (Matthew 22:11-13 ESV)

Why is appropriate clothing important?

For many are invited, but few are chosen. (Matthew 22:14 HCSB)

We clothe ourselves with Christ (Romans 13:14). When we are baptized we put on Christ (Galatians 3:27). Salvation is only possible in Jesus Christ and those who ultimately refuse Him refuse salvation.

What is our response to God’s invitation? Will we choose the right clothing? Let us accept God’s invitation and those He sends with the message. Shall we wear the right clothing, putting on Jesus every day? You decide!

Paying Taxes

Ought Christians to be good citizens? Is paying taxes a participation in evil acts by human governments? What’s the difference between love and idolatry of a country? Let’s look at the moral dilemma of paying taxes in Matthew 22:15-22. Was Jesus deceived by obsequious flattery?

Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk. And they sent out unto him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any man: for thou regardest not the person of men. Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not? (Matthew 22:15-17 KJV)

It was a trap. What did Jesus say about what they were doing?

But Jesus perceived their malice, and said, “Why are you testing Me, you hypocrites?” (Matthew 22:18 NASB)

Should we Christians always be nice even to those who abuse us? Jesus answered their trap bluntly. Pastor beware! When your new church flatters you, while vilifying the previous pastor, they may soon betray you. If they speak kindly of the previous pastor, they may also treat you with kindness.

Schmoozing can seem encouraging, but beware of the ambush. Jesus was not fooled by their insincere flattery. How wisely did He reply?

Show me the coin used for paying the tax.” They brought him a denarius, and he asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?” (Matthew 22:19-20 NIV)

A false dilemma or false dichotomy suggests that only one of two sides is right. But both may be right or wrong, and there may be other options. In an immoral world we pay tribute to corrupt governments AND to God.

Poor Jews often lost their lands to unjust, excessive Roman taxes. They also did not want to serve a false god, Caesar. Roman coins often called Caesar divine or a son of divinity, blasphemous claims which offended Jews. Whose image was on the coins, and what did Jesus say to that?