Chapter 38
The Parable of the Two Sons
Verse 1: “What do you think? A man had two sons. The first was devout and kept the law faithfully, and said to his father, 'I do all that you require of me.'
2 But when his neighbour came to him hungry, he turned him away, saying, 'I must attend to the things of God.'
3 The second son made no such claim. When his neighbour came to him hungry, he fed him. When a stranger came to him cold, he clothed him. When the outcast came to him in shame, he sat with him.
4 Which of the two did the will of the father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “In truth I say to you, you have judged rightly by your own law. Yet the one you named left his neighbour in the dust. | Matthew 21:31
5 For I came to you in a righteousness way and yet, you did not believe me, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes that I sat with believed me, and even after you saw this you did not change your minds and believe me.” | Matthew 21:32
The Parable of the Wicked Tenants
6 “Listen to another parable. There was a certain landowner who planted a vineyard, set a tall fence around it, dug in a winepress, and built a watchtower. Then he rented it to tenants and left. | Matthew 21:33
7 When the time to harvest had come, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his share of the vineyard produce. | Matthew 21:34, Luke 20:9
8 But the tenants seized his servants. They killed one immediately, stoned another and beat one then sent him away empty-handed. | Matthew 21:35
9 Again he sent other servants, more than the first group, and the tenants treated them in the same way. | Matthew 21:36
10 Then the owner of the vineyard asked himself, ‘What will I do? I shall send my beloved son; perhaps they will listen to him.’ | Luke 20:13
11 But when the tenants saw the son, they discussed the matter among themselves and thought, ‘This is the heir; let us kill him and the inheritance will be ours.’ | Luke 20:14
12 So they seized him and threw him out of the vineyard then killed him. | Matthew 21:39
13 Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard returns, what do you think he will he do to those tenants?” | Matthew 21:40
14 They said to him, “He will destroy those wicked men and lease the vineyard to other tenants who will pay him his share of the produce.” | Matthew 21:41
15 Jesus said to them, “Did you never consider”, and he paused, “the thing you throw away may be the very thing you needed?” | Matthew 21:42
16 “Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of my Father is with people that produces his good fruits. | Matthew 21:43
17 Whoever turns from my Father shall not dwell in his light; but they will be cast out, and in that outer darkness the devouring flame will find them.” | Matthew 21:44
18 After listening to this parable, the chief priests and the Pharisees knew that Jesus was speaking about them. | Matthew 21:45
19 Although they desired to arrest him, they feared the crowds, because the people regarded him as a prophet. | Matthew 21:46
The Parable of the Wedding Banquet
20 Once more Jesus spoke to the crowd in parables, saying: | Matthew 22:1
21 “The kingdom of heaven can be compared to a certain king who gave a celebrated by giving a wedding banquet for his son. | Matthew 22:2
22 He sent his servants to summon those who had been invited to the celebration, but they refused to come. | Matthew 22:3
23 Again he sent other servants and said, ‘Tell those who have been invited that, I have prepared the feast, my oxen and my fat cattle have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. To come to the wedding banquet.’ | Matthew 22:4
24 But they paid no attention and went away, one to his farm, and the other to his business, | Matthew 22:5
25 while the rest apprehended his servants, mistreated them, and killed them. | Matthew 22:6
26 The king was outraged. He sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and razed their city to the ground. | Matthew 22:7
27 Then he said to his servants, ‘The banquet is ready, but those who I invited were not worthy. | Matthew 22:8
28 Go therefore onto the main streets, thoroughfares, crossroads and invite anyone you can find.’ | Matthew 22:9
29 Those servants went out into the streets and alleyways and gathered all they could find, both good and evil, so the wedding hall was filled with guests. | Matthew 22:10
30 But when the king came in to meet the guests, he came upon a man who was not wearing any wedding garments, | Matthew 22:11
31 and the king said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding clothes?’ But he had nothing to say. | Matthew 22:12
32 Then the king told the servants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and cast him into the outer darkness, where there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ | Matthew 22:13
33 For many are called, but few are chosen.” | Matthew 22:14
The Question about Paying Taxes
34 Then the Pharisees went out and conspired to entrap him with his own words. | Matthew 22:15
35 So they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, asking, “Teacher, we know that you are honest, and teach the way of God in accordance with the truth, and are not afraid of anyone, for you pay no regard to a man's position. | Matthew 22:16
36 Tell us therefore, what do you think. Is it lawful and just to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” | Matthew 22:17
37 But Jesus realised their wicked intentions and said, “Why are you testing me, you hypocrites? | Matthew 22:18
38 Bring me the coin used to pay the tax.” And they gave him a denarius. | Matthew 22:19
39 Then he asked them directly, “Whose head and title are these?” | Matthew 22:20
40 They replied, “Caesar’s.” Then he answered them, “Give then to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to your God what belongs to God and give me mine what is mine.” | Matthew 22:21, Gospel of Thomas 100
41 And when they all heard this, they were astonished and became silent. So they left him and went away. | Matthew 22:22
The Parable of the Wedding Banquet Explained
42 When the Pharisees left, his disciples came to him privately. Judas questioned him, ”Master, explain to us the parable of the wedding banquet.”
43 Jesus replied, ”The king is my father, and the banquet is the place of rest after judgement. The son for whom the banquet is given is the judge, through whom all are judged by.
44 Those first invited are those who received my teaching and turned away. One went to his farm, he is the one who chose the material world over the pathway.
45 The other went to his business, he is the one who chose the accumulation of temporary things.
46 These are those who love the outer garment more than the inner one. Those gathered from the streets and crossroads, both good and evil; these are all those who have ears to hear.
47 The invitation was extended to everyone without distinction, for my father desires his banquet hall to be complete.”
48 Peter asked, “Teacher, but the man without wedding garments, who is he?”
49 Jesus replied, “He is the one who entered the wedding hall but did not seek the bridal chamber. He came to the banquet but refused to strip away his old clothing,
50 the clothing of the rulers and authorities, which is granted only for a time and does not last.
51 He stood in the illuminated place still wearing the garments of the material world. This is why he had nothing to say. For what can one say when the light is already evident?”
52 Matthew asked, “And the outer darkness, what is this?”
53 Jesus said, “It is not just a place to which one is cast out to. It is the condition of one who has not yet uncovered the light within themselves.
54 The weeping and suffering there comes not from punishment imposed from outside, but from recognising what one failed to seek.
55 For there is no greater anguish than to stand at the threshold of the prized place and realize you are still divided.”
56 Judas asked, “How will we receive our clothing?”
57 Jesus replied, “Some will receive and others will provide for you. From these you will be clothed. How else will you reach that prized place?
58 The clothing of life is given only to those of humanity who understand the pathway through which one can depart. And this is difficult even for me to reach this.”
59 Judas asked, “We wish to know the type of clothing we will wear when we leave the decomposing flesh.”
60 Jesus replied, “The rulers and authorities wear temporary clothing granted only for a time. That clothing will not last.
61 But you, the children of truth, will not clothe yourselves in these temporary garments.
62 Rather, I tell you, you will be blessed as you bear yourselves. For there is no big issue with what remains outside.”
63 Mary said, “Then the man at the banquet was not cast out, he was already outside, and had never truly entered.”
64 Jesus replied, “My sister, you have understood. Many are called because the invitation goes to all. Few are chosen because few choose to seek the clothing of life.
65 The choosing is not the Father's withholding, it is the seeker's awakening.”