In the parable of the Marriage Feast just spoken of, we read that when
the invited guests refused to come, beggars were compelled to come in
from the highways; now, though this may seem to us a strange thing, it
would not appear so to those who heard this parable, as it was
according to the customs of the East.
Even now, the Arab princes often dine in the open air before their
dwellings, and invite all that pass, even beggars, to share their
meal: these guests sit down and eat, and when they have done, return
thanks and go away.
Another custom of those times is also referred to in this parable:
kings and great men, when they made a feast, provided garments or
robes to be lent to any guests who came without a proper dress for the
occasion. As every man who needed it could have a garment if he asked
for it, there was no excuse for any person who sat down _without_ one.
The man spoken of in the parable, could have had a wedding garment if
he had sought for it; and so we read that he "was speechless," had
nothing to say in his own defence, and was cast from the presence of
the Lord.
So it is with us; God will give faith, and love, and strength to keep
His holy Word, to all who ask, and seek: therefore, if we are not
covered with the garment of faith and holiness, it will be our own
fault that we are not allowed to sit down with the righteous in the
kingdom of Heaven.
The righteousness of Christ is the real wedding garment of believers;
and this will cover and save all, whose faith is true and lively; such
as will show itself in their words and deeds.
The Pharisees and Scribes saw that these parables were spoken against
them, to show them how wrong they were; and this made them the more
angry, and the more desirous to destroy Jesus. Being afraid to do this
openly by violence, they "took counsel (or consulted together) how
they might entangle him in his talk": that is, get Him to say
something which would either offend the people, or give them a
pretence for accusing Him to the Roman governor of teaching the people
to rebel against the authority of Caesar.
They, therefore, sent forth certain of their own disciples, with the
Herodians; spies, which should feign themselves just and good men,
anxious to learn the truth by asking questions; whilst all the time,
they hoped He would say something to enable them to "deliver him unto
the power and authority of the governor." The Herodians here spoken
of, seem to have been a party amongst the Jews, who were very
favourable to the Romans; and thought they had the best right to
appoint the kings and governors of Judaea. This party took its rise in
the time of Herod the Great.
These Herodians, though Jews themselves, had been quite ready to join
with Herod, when, to please the Romans, he set apart temples for the
worship of their false gods: by such means they had got into great
favour with the Romans, as also with Herod the Great and all his
family.
The Pharisees and Herodians then came to Jesus, and having first
declared their belief, that no fear of man would prevent His telling
them plainly what was the Will of God, they said, "Tell us therefore,
What thinkest thou, Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?
Shall we give or shall we not give?"
The Romans had laid a tax upon Judaea when it became a Roman province:
the Jews hated this mark of subjection, and the Pharisees taught, that
as the Jews were God's chosen people, they ought not to pay tax or
tribute to any foreign power. The Herodians held the contrary opinion;
and some of the Jews followed them. Caesar was a common name or title
given to all the Roman Emperors, who had each their own particular
name besides. Augustus Caesar was Emperor of Rome when Jesus Christ was
born; and, at the time we are speaking of, Tiberius Caesar was the
Emperor. If, to the question now asked, Jesus should answer, "Do not
pay tribute," the Herodians would be offended, and would get the Roman
governor to punish Him. If, on the other hand, Jesus should declare
that it was lawful and right to pay tribute, the greater part of the
Jewish people would be very indignant, and perhaps stone Him at once:
at any rate, He would lose their favour, so that they would not oppose
His destruction. Thus the Pharisees felt confident that Jesus must
fall into the snare. "But Jesus perceived their wickedness; and
knowing their hypocrisy, said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites? Show me
the tribute-money," that I may see it. "And they brought unto him a
penny"--a Roman coin, equal to 7-1/2_d._ of our money, having upon it
the image or figure of the Emperor's head, with some words, called the
superscription, round it: just as our money has the Queen's image upon
it, and writing also. "And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and
superscription? 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." Thus teaching, that their duty to God as
His people, did not interfere with their duty to the Romans as
temporal rulers. The Pharisees could not take hold of such words:
"they marvelled at his answer, and held their peace, and left him, and
went their way." Let us remember that with us also, our duty to God
will not interfere with our duty to man: on the contrary, those who
most love God, will best do their duty as Parents and Children, Kings
and Subjects, Masters and Servants, Friends and Neighbours.
The Pharisees having been put to silence in the matter of the
tribute-money, another party or sect amongst the Jews, who did not
believe in the future resurrection of the dead, came to Jesus, hoping
also to entangle him in his talk. These Jews, who were called
Sadducees, asked our Lord a question, which they thought it would be
impossible for him to answer: but Jesus showed them, that only their
own ignorance and inattention to what was written in their Scriptures,
made them find any difficulty as to the resurrection of the dead: and
He told them most plainly, that all the dead should certainly rise
again; and that those who were worthy to live in Heaven, should "be
as the angels of God." Some of the Scribes, who were present, agreed
to the truth of all that Jesus spake, and said, "Master, thou hast
well said."
But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to
silence, they were gathered together. Then one of them, which was a
Lawyer, one of the Scribes, came, and having heard them reasoning
together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, "asked him a
question, tempting him"; that is, hoping that His answer might give an
opportunity of finding fault with Him.
Before we speak of the question now asked, it is necessary to
understand, that at this time the Scribes and Pharisees had taken up
an opinion, that it was quite impossible for anybody to observe all
the precepts and commandments contained in the Law of Moses; and that,
therefore, every man might choose out one or two, and that if he
observed these perfectly, he would be forgiven for not keeping the
others. This was, of course, quite contrary to the teaching of
Scripture, where we learn that all men must do their very best to keep
the whole law of God, and do His Will in all things. The Pharisees
having thus settled that they need only keep one Commandment, the
question was, which it should be: some considered that the ordinances
as to sacrifices were the most important; others thought attention to
the wearing of phylacteries was the chief thing. No doubt it was much
easier to attend to such outward observances, than to keep the temper
in order and practise self-denial; but no outward service can please
God if the heart is not right. As the Scribes and Pharisees were
constantly disputing amongst themselves, as to which of the
Commandments it was most important to keep, this Lawyer now asked
Jesus, "Master, which is the first commandment of all?" which is the
great commandment in the law? "And Jesus answered him, The first of
all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:
and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all
thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is
the first and great commandment." This answer could not be found fault
with; for it agreed exactly with what Moses had said. But Jesus did
not stop here. He knew that the Pharisees behaved with great
unkindness to their Jewish brethren, who did not hold the same
opinions as they did; and that they actually hated all their fellow
creatures of a different religion: He therefore told them, that there
was a second commandment, of almost equal importance to the first, and
_both_ must be kept. He said, "And the second is like unto it, namely
this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other
commandment greater than these. On these two commandments hang all the
Law and the prophets": meaning, that these two commandments contain
all that the Law and the prophets had taught, and that any man who
kept these, would indeed, keep the whole Law.
Just as in our Catechism we say, that from the Commandments of the Law
we learn two things: our duty towards God, and our duty towards man:
nor can they be separated; he who really does love God with heart, and
mind, and soul, and strength, will try in all things to please Him,
and will not willingly break the least of His commands.
He who so loves his fellow creatures, as to do them all the good he
can, and treat them as he would himself wish to be treated, will
certainly never injure any one in his person or his property; nor even
be unkind to him, in word or deed.
The Scribe who had asked the question, "tempting him," appears to have
been more honest than many of his brethren: he felt the truth of our
Lord's words, and at once "said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said
the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he: and
to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and
with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his
neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and
sacrifices. And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said
unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God." Jesus meant, that
this Scribe was not far from being a true believer and disciple, and,
we may hope, that he did become a sincere follower of the Lord, and an
inheritor of the kingdom of Heaven.
"And no man after that durst ask him any question." Seeing how all had
failed to entangle Jesus in his talk, the Pharisees appear to have
given up asking questions, which only gave Him an opportunity of
showing His wisdom and holiness.