The Parable of the Wedding Banquet
1Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: 2“The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. 3He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come.
4“Then he sent some more servants and said, ‘Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’
5“But they paid no attention and went off—one to his field, another to his business. 6The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. 7The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.
8“Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. 9So go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’ 10So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, the bad as well as the good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.
11“But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. 12He asked, ‘How did you get in here without wedding clothes, friend?’ The man was speechless.
13“Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
14“For many are invited, but few are chosen.”
Paying the Imperial Tax to Caesar
15Then the Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap him in his words. 16They sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians. “Teacher,” they said, “we know that you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren’t swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are. 17Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay the imperial tax22:17 A special tax levied on subject peoples, not on Roman citizens to Caesar or not?”
18But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, “You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? 19Show me the coin used for paying the tax.” They brought him a denarius, 20and he asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?”
21“Caesar’s,” they replied.
Then he said to them, “So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”
22When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left him and went away.
Marriage at the Resurrection
23That same day the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to him with a question. 24“Teacher,” they said, “Moses told us that if a man dies without having children, his brother must marry the widow and raise up offspring for him. 25Now there were seven brothers among us. The first one married and died, and since he had no children, he left his wife to his brother. 26The same thing happened to the second and third brother, right on down to the seventh. 27Finally, the woman died. 28Now then, at the resurrection, whose wife will she be of the seven, since all of them were married to her?”
29Jesus replied, “You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God. 30At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven. 31But about the resurrection of the dead—have you not read what God said to you, 32‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’22:32 Exodus 3:6? He is not the God of the dead but of the living.”
33When the crowds heard this, they were astonished at his teaching.
The Greatest Commandment
34Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. 35One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 36“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
37Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’22:37 Deut. 6:5 38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’22:39 Lev. 19:18 40All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
Whose Son Is the Messiah?
41While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, 42“What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is he?”
“The son of David,” they replied.
43He said to them, “How is it then that David, speaking by the Spirit, calls him ‘Lord’? For he says,
44“ ‘The Lord said to my Lord:
“Sit at my right hand
until I put your enemies
under your feet.” ’22:44 Psalm 110:1
45If then David calls him ‘Lord,’ how can he be his son?” 46No one could say a word in reply, and from that day on no one dared to ask him any more questions.
Mfano Wa Karamu Ya Arusi
(Luka 14:15-24)
122:1 Lk 14:16; Ufu 19:7-9Yesu akasema nao tena kwa mifano, akawaambia, 222:2 Mt 13:24; Yn 3:29“Ufalme wa Mbinguni unaweza kufananishwa na mfalme mmoja aliyemwandalia mwanawe karamu ya arusi. 322:3 Mt 21:34Akawatuma watumishi wake kuwaita wale waliokuwa wamealikwa karamuni, lakini wakakataa kuja.
422:4 Mt 21:36“Kisha akawatuma watumishi wengine akisema, ‘Waambieni wale walioalikwa kwamba nimeandaa chakula. Nimekwisha kuchinja mafahali wangu na vinono, karamu iko tayari. Karibuni kwa karamu ya arusi.’
5“Lakini hawakuzingatia, wakaenda zao: huyu shambani mwake na mwingine kwenye biashara zake. 6Wengine wao wakawakamata wale watumishi wake, wakawatesa na kuwaua. 722:7 Lk 19:27Yule mfalme akakasirika sana, akapeleka jeshi lake likawaangamiza wale wauaji na kuuteketeza mji wao kwa moto.
822:8 Mt 10:11-13“Kisha akawaambia watumishi wake, ‘Karamu ya arusi imeshakuwa tayari, lakini wale niliowaalika hawakustahili kuja. 922:9 Eze 21:21; Mt 13:47; 21:43Kwa hiyo nendeni katika njia panda mkamwalike karamuni yeyote mtakayemwona.’ 1022:10 Mt 13:47-48Wale watumishi wakaenda barabarani, wakawakusanya watu wote waliowaona, wema na wabaya. Ukumbi wa arusi ukajaa wageni.
1122:11 2Kor 5:3; Efe 4:24; Kol 3:10, 12; Ufu 3:4; 16:15; 19:8“Lakini mfalme alipoingia ndani ili kuwaona wageni, akamwona mle mtu mmoja ambaye hakuwa amevaa vazi la arusi. 1222:12 Mt 20:12; 26:50Mfalme akamuuliza, ‘Rafiki, uliingiaje humu bila vazi la arusi?’ Yule mtu hakuwa na la kusema.
1322:13 Mt 8:12“Ndipo mfalme akawaambia watumishi wake, ‘Mfungeni mikono na miguu mkamtupe nje, kwenye giza. Huko kutakuwa na kilio na kusaga meno.’
1422:14 Ufu 17:14; Mt 20:16“Kwa maana walioitwa ni wengi, lakini walioteuliwa ni wachache.”
Kulipa Kodi Kwa Kaisari
(Marko 12:13-17; Luka 20:20-26)
1522:15 Mk 12:13; Lk 20:20Ndipo Mafarisayo wakatoka nje wakaandaa mpango wa kumtega Yesu katika maneno yake. 1622:16 Mk 3:6Wakatuma wanafunzi wao kwake pamoja na Maherode. Nao wakasema, “Mwalimu, tunajua kwamba wewe ni mtu mwadilifu na unafundisha njia ya Mungu katika kweli bila kuyumbishwa na mtu wala kuonyesha upendeleo. 1722:17 Mt 17:25Tuambie basi, wewe unaonaje? Je, ni halali kulipa kodi kwa Kaisari, au la?”
18Lakini Yesu, akijua makusudi yao mabaya, akawaambia, “Enyi wanafiki, kwa nini mnajaribu kunitega? 19Nionyesheni hiyo sarafu inayotumika kwa kulipia kodi.” Wakamletea dinari. 20Naye akawauliza, “Sura hii ni ya nani? Na maandishi haya ni ya nani?”
2122:21 Rum 13:7Wakamjibu, “Ni vya Kaisari.”
Basi Yesu akawaambia, “Mpeni Kaisari kilicho cha Kaisari, naye Mungu mpeni kilicho cha Mungu.”
2222:22 Mk 12:12Waliposikia hili, wakashangaa. Hivyo wakamwacha, wakaenda zao.
Ndoa Na Ufufuo
(Marko 12:18-27; Luka 20:27-40)
2322:23 Mdo 4:1; 23:8; 1Kor 15:12Siku hiyo hiyo Masadukayo, wale wasemao kwamba hakuna ufufuo wa wafu, wakamjia Yesu na kumuuliza swali, wakisema, 2422:24 Kum 25:5-6“Mwalimu, Mose alisema, ‘Kama mtu akifa bila kuwa na watoto, ndugu yake inampasa amwoe huyo mjane ili ampatie watoto huyo nduguye aliyekufa.’ 25Basi palikuwa na ndugu saba miongoni mwetu. Yule wa kwanza akaoa mke, naye akafa, na kwa kuwa hakuwa na watoto, akamwachia nduguye yule mjane. 26Ikatokea vivyo hivyo kwa yule ndugu wa pili, na wa tatu, hadi wote saba. 27Hatimaye, yule mwanamke naye akafa. 28Sasa basi, siku ya ufufuo, yeye atakuwa mke wa nani miongoni mwa wale ndugu saba, kwa kuwa wote walikuwa wamemwoa huyo mwanamke?”
2922:29 Yn 20:9Yesu akawajibu, “Mwapotoka kwa sababu hamjui Maandiko wala uweza wa Mungu. 3022:30 Mt 24:38Wakati wa ufufuo, watu hawataoa wala kuolewa, bali watakuwa kama malaika wa mbinguni. 31Lakini kuhusu ufufuo wa wafu, hamjasoma kile Mungu alichowaambia, kwamba, 3222:32 Kut 3:6; Mdo 7:32‘Mimi ni Mungu wa Abrahamu, Mungu wa Isaki, na Mungu wa Yakobo’? Yeye si Mungu wa wafu, bali ni Mungu wa walio hai.”
3322:33 Mt 7:28Ule umati wa watu uliposikia hayo, ulishangaa sana kwa mafundisho yake.
Amri Kuu Kuliko Zote
(Marko 12:28-34; Luka 10:25-28)
3422:34 Mdo 4:1Mafarisayo waliposikia kwamba Yesu alikuwa amewanyamazisha Masadukayo, Mafarisayo wakakusanyika pamoja. 3522:35 Lk 11:45; 14:3Mmoja wao, mtaalamu wa sheria, akamuuliza swali ili kumjaribu, akisema, 36“Mwalimu, ni amri ipi katika Sheria iliyo kuu kuliko zote?”
3722:37 Kum 6:5Yesu akamjibu, “ ‘Mpende Bwana Mungu wako kwa moyo wako wote na kwa roho yako yote na kwa akili zako zote.’ 38Hii ndiyo amri iliyo kuu, tena ni ya kwanza. 3922:39 Law 19:18; Gal 5:14Nayo ya pili ni kama hiyo, nayo ni hii: ‘Mpende jirani yako kama nafsi yako.’ 4022:40 Mt 7:12; Lk 10:25-28Amri hizi mbili ndizo msingi wa Sheria na Manabii.”
Swali Kuhusu Mwana Wa Daudi
(Marko 12:35-37; Luka 20:41-44)
4122:41 Mk 12:35; Lk 20:41Wakati Mafarisayo walikuwa wamekusanyika pamoja, Yesu akawauliza, 4222:42 Mt 9:27“Mnaonaje kuhusu Kristo?22:42 Kristo maana yake ni Masiya, yaani Aliyetiwa mafuta. Yeye ni mwana wa nani?”
Wakamjibu, “Yeye ni mwana wa Daudi.”
43Akawaambia, “Inakuwaje basi kwamba Daudi, akinena kwa kuongozwa na Roho, anamwita Kristo ‘Bwana’? Kwa maana asema,
4422:44 1Fal 5:3; Ebr 1:13“ ‘Bwana alimwambia Bwana wangu:
“Keti mkono wangu wa kuume,
hadi nitakapowaweka adui zako
chini ya miguu yako.” ’
45Kama basi Daudi anamwita yeye ‘Bwana,’ awezaje kuwa mwanawe?” 4622:46 Mk 12:34; Lk 20:40Hakuna mtu aliyeweza kumjibu Yesu neno. Tena tangu siku hiyo hakuna aliyethubutu kumuuliza tena maswali.
