Lesson Three (Chapter 22)
Be Prepared
"Love
has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of
judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world.”
1John 4:17
“For this is
the love of G-d, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not
burdensome.”
1John 5:3
Introduction
- Last week we looked at a what is called the “Triumphal Entry” which marks the beginning of the last week of Yeshua’ earthly ministry. We saw that the King came. We also saw that He is coming.
- The “Vineyard” parables provide a backdrop to the teaching and examination that was going on in days before Passover. The parables are corporate and personal warnings that time is short.
- We saw the corporate warning in the parable of the “Wicked Vinedressers” – the leadership of Israel was going to be changed.
- We saw the personal warning in the parable of the “Vineyard and the 2 Sons” – the thing that matters is not what you SAY you will do – it is what you DO. Repentance is required.
- The parables continue this week as we look at the “Wedding” parable.
The Wedding Parable
- 22:1-14: There is a pairing with the parable of the “Wicked Vinedressers” – but the point is not the same.
- The King = G-d.
- The King’s Son = Yeshua.
- The Feast = the Banquet in the World to Come.
- The Servants/Messengers = the prophets.
- Those not willing to come = religious authorities.
- Those invited from the highways etc. = sinners.
- The one not wearing wedding garments = those who did not repent.
- Those dressed in wedding garments = those who repented.
- Singular point = It is not about an invitation – it is about repentance.
- “Many called… few chosen” focusing upon this phrase as if a “doctrinal statement” causes us to miss the point of the parable. We should instead ask ourselves, “How can I be numbered among the ‘called’ AND ‘chosen’?” Repent, and live in repentance.
Taxes and Resurrection
- 22:15-22: Test of the Tax: The image on the coin was of Tiberius, and claimed divinity. Yeshua’ answer was clever and called the hearers to repentance again. What is “imprinted” with the image of G-d (men)? Give to Him yourselves.
- 22:23-32: Tested by the Sadducees, Yeshua declares clearly that He promotes the Pharisees’ belief in the Resurrection of the Dead. The Pharisees are impressed with His answer.
The Greatest Command
- 22:33-40: This test is a “softball” question. The “lawyer” even gives the answer in his question – he uses the singular: “greatest commandment.” Deut 6:1: “Now this is the mitzvah [commandment]… You shall love Ad-nai your G-d…”
- The Sh’ma: Deut 6:4-9: Said twice daily (rising and laying down).
- Yeshua’ does not stop, nor did the sages who had taught for centuries before that this was the center of Torah – He said the 2nd was like it: Lev 19:18: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
- On these 2 commandments hang ALL the Torah and the Prophets (i.e. all Scripture).
- As “hanger commandments” they are not replacements, and they are more than summations – they SUPPORT the rest. Without love… obedience is empty and worthless.
The “Commandments”
- Not “10.” The so-called “Ten Commandments” are never called that in Scripture. They are aseret ha d’varim [the ten words]. They served as a covenant document written by the finger of G-d, and as a “index” to all the commands of G-d – including the “greatest commandment.” According to Deut 5:6, the first “word” is, “I am Ad-nai your G-d…” We may deduce 5 “vertical” and 5 “horizontal” categories that match the 2 categories of Matt 22.
- Placing the commandments of G-d into categories etc. in so-called “summation” statements neither negates them, nor replaces them – as long as the categories are G-d-given, and Scriptural. Note: there never are categories such as “civil”, “moral”, or “ceremonial” given in Scripture. Those are man-made, with the intent to negate some categories.
- From Bavli Makkot 24: “Six hundred and thirteen precepts were communicated to Moses, three hundred and sixty-five negative precepts, corresponding to the number of solar days, and two hundred and forty-eight positive precepts, corresponding to the number of the members of man's body… David came and reduced them to eleven principles (Ps 15)… Isaiah came and reduced them to six principles (Is 33:15)… Micah came and reduced them to three principles (Micah 6:8)… Again came Isaiah and reduced them to two principles (Is 56:1)… Amos came and reduced them to one principle (Amos 5:4)… But it is Habakkuk who came and based them all on one principle, as it is said, ‘But the righteous shall live by his faith.’ (Hab 2:4)”
- Ps 15: Eleven relational categories.
- Is 33:14-17: Six body parts and verbs: walk, run, gestures with hands, stops ears, shuts eyes. These are not “thoughts.”
- Micah 6:8: Three verbs of duty.
- Is 56:1: Two verbs: shamar [keep] mishpat [G-d-given judgments] and asah [do] tz’dikah [righteous deeds].
- Amos 5:4: One command. If one has found G-d, all the rest flow from this.
- Hab 2:4: One principle: the tzaddik [righteous man], shall live by his emunah, b’emunatu [faithfulness, steadfastness] – compare to Ps 119:56 – all the commandments are emunah (same word as Hab 2:4)
- Matt 22:37-40: Yeshua is not replacing the commandments of G-d, He is pointing to the correct flow: If you love G-d, you will obey Him. If you love G-d, you will love others.
- John 14:15: Obedience flows from love.
- John 13:35: Love for one another.
- John 15:10: Yeshua proved His love by obedience Himself.
- 1John 5:3; Deut 30:11-16: Love of G-d leads to obedience to His commandments.
Being Prepared – Appropriately Attired
- Job 29:14: Clothed with righteous deeds.
- Revelation 19:7-9: We see the correlation between the parable of the Wedding and the Greatest Commandment = our obedience to G-d’s commands cloth us in appropriate “wedding attire.”
- This does not mean that salvation is by those righteous deeds – the deeds are a result of salvation. Deut 8:4; Eph 2:8-10
- Is 61:10: It does mean that salvation has the observable clothing of righteous deeds.
Son of David, Son of G-d
- 22:41-46: The riddle, and the statement.
- Ps 110:1-4: “HaShem said to Adoni [my L-rd]…”
- Messiah was to be “Son of David.” If Ps 110 spoke of Messiah, then David was addressing his descendant as Adoni [my L-rd]. If Ps 110 speaks of Messiah, then so does Ps 2.
- Matt 26:63: This riddle, becomes the chief charge against Yeshua. Caiaphas understood the correlation of Ps 110 and Ps 2. If Yeshua was claiming that Ps 110 was about Messiah, and that He was Messiah, then He was claiming to have the title “Son of G-d.”
Summary
- Let us determine not to “show up” clothed in our own righteousness – but in the clothing that He has provided that we should wear. To wear those righteous clothes does not mean we adhere to a correct doctrinal statement, or “think correctly” – it means to ACT as we believe. Our deeds should reflect the Master’s deeds, and His commandments.
- Are you prepared?