Matthew

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Matthew 22 – Skeptic's Annotated Bible answered

A response and reply to the notes on Matthew 22 in the Skeptic's Annotated Bible (SAB).

King James Version

SAB comment

My comment


1 And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said,

2 The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son,

3 And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come.

4 Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage.

5 But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise:

6 And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them.

7 But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.

8 Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.

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

10 So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.

"... gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good"
Is anyone good?
The meaning of good or bad is here the outward character and behavior of a person. That what is visible to others. This isn't an examination of the state of a person's heart with which Is. 64:6 is concerned. So a good person here might be someone who obeys the law, while a bad person here might be someone who is drunk or on his way to commit a robbery.

11 And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:

12 And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.

(22:12-13) "Cast him into outer darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth."
In the parable of the marriage feast, the king sends his servants to gather everyone they can find, both bad and good, to come to the wedding feast. One guest didn't have on his wedding garment, so the king tied him up and "cast him into the outer darkness" where "there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth."
Does Hell exist?
What the Bible says about torture
The Bible's guide to torture
BOM: Mosiah 16:2, Alma 40:13
(22:14) "Few are chosen."
What must you do to be saved?
The author of the SAB asks if hell exists. The Jehovah's witnesses deny this for example. The Bible, and in particular Jesus, is extremely clear on this subject, see Luke 16:23.

13 Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

14 For many are called, but few are chosen.

 
The author of the SAB asks what one must do to be saved. If asked like this, our response should like Paul's (Acts 16:31). But I suppose the author of the SAB asks this question here to make the claim that if you are not chosen you will not be saved. And that just after a parable where Jesus tells us that his servants have to go out and: “as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage.” So it is clear that God's servants bid everyone, good or bad, to the marriage. That is the matter which has to concern us. We are called. But that God chooses is a matter on God's side. It is not our concern. Our concern is solely our response when we are invited to come.

15 Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk.

16 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.

17 Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?

18 But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites?

19 Shew me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny.

20 And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription?

21 They say unto him, Caesar’s. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.

22 When they had heard these words, they marvelled, and left him, and went their way.

23 The same day came to him the Sadducees, which say that there is no resurrection, and asked him,

24 Saying, Master, Moses said, If a man die, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.

25 Now there were with us seven brethren: and the first, when he had married a wife, deceased, and, having no issue, left his wife unto his brother:

26 Likewise the second also, and the third, unto the seventh.

27 And last of all the woman died also.

28 Therefore in the resurrection whose wife shall she be of the seven? for they all had her.

29 Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.

30 For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.

 

31 But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying,

32 I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.

33 And when the multitude heard this, they were astonished at his doctrine.

34 But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together.

35 Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying,

36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?

37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

38 This is the first and great commandment.

39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Jesus quotes Lev.19:18: "Love thy neighbor as thyself." This is by far the best verse in Leviticus, and one of the best in the entire bible.
How should nonbelievers be treated?
Although the author of the SAB professes to find this one of the best verses in the Bible, in practice it seems people rather prefer and follow what is called the Wicca law:

and ye harm none, do what ye will.

All that loving stuff and such is a bit too hard. “Don't bother your neighbor and have fun yourself” is much easier.
But on the subject of how unbelievers should be treated, see Jesus parable in Luke 10:29-37. And see the particular verses which the author of the SAB mentions as Deut. 13:9 and 2 Cor. 6:14-17. For example loving your neighbor doesn't mean you have to, or that it is a good idea, marry him or her, the subject of the apostle Paul.

40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

41 While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them,

42 Saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The Son of David.

43 He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying,

44 The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool?

45 If David then call him Lord, how is he his son?

(22:41-45) "If David then call him Lord, how is he his son?" Was Joseph the father of Jesus?
The author of the SAB claims to have found an inconsistency in the Bible because supposedly Jesus claims here that David is his biological father. If you have to resort to that level —and it is an all too typical example— to find arguments, it indicates that finding inconsistencies in the Bible is hard work. It is almost an insult to someone's intelligence to have to respond to this.
Of course Jesus is not calling David his biological father here, just that he is a descendant of David. Like the Jews call Abraham their father, see chapter 3:9.

46 And no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions.