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Text -- Matthew 22:4 (NET)

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Context
22:4 Again he sent other slaves, saying, ‘Tell those who have been invited, “Look! The feast I have prepared for you is ready. My oxen and fattened cattle have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.”’
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Names, People and Places, Dictionary Themes and Topics

Dictionary Themes and Topics: Worldliness | Wicked | MEALS | MARRIAGE | Kingdom | Jesus, The Christ | JESUS CHRIST, 4E1 | Hospitality | Greed | Feasts | Fatling | DINNER | Call | CATTLE | BID | BANQUET | more
Table of Contents

Word/Phrase Notes
Robertson , Vincent , Wesley , JFB , Clarke , Calvin , TSK

Word/Phrase Notes
Barnes , Poole , Gill

Verse Notes / Footnotes
NET Notes , Geneva Bible

Verse Range Notes
TSK Synopsis , Maclaren , MHCC , Matthew Henry , Barclay , Constable , College , McGarvey , Lapide

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Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per phrase)

Robertson: Mat 22:4 - -- My dinner ( to ariston mou ). It is breakfast, not dinner. In Luk 14:12 both ariston (breakfast) and deipnon (dinner) are used. This noon or midd...

My dinner ( to ariston mou ).

It is breakfast, not dinner. In Luk 14:12 both ariston (breakfast) and deipnon (dinner) are used. This noon or midday meal, like the French breakfast at noon, was sometimes called deipnon mesēmbrinon (midday dinner or luncheon). The regular dinner (deipnon ) came in the evening. The confusion arose from applying ariston to the early morning meal and then to the noon meal (some not eating an earlier meal). In Joh 21:12, Joh 21:15 aristaō is used of the early morning meal, "Break your fast"(aristēsate ). When ariston was applied to luncheon, like the Latin prandium , akratisma was the term for the early breakfast.

Robertson: Mat 22:4 - -- My fatlings ( ta sitista ). Verbal from sitizō , to feed with wheat or other grain, to fatten. Fed-up or fatted animals.

My fatlings ( ta sitista ).

Verbal from sitizō , to feed with wheat or other grain, to fatten. Fed-up or fatted animals.

Vincent: Mat 22:4 - -- Dinner ( ἄριστον ) Not the principal meal of the day, but a noon - breakfast; luncheon.

Dinner ( ἄριστον )

Not the principal meal of the day, but a noon - breakfast; luncheon.

Vincent: Mat 22:4 - -- Fatlings ( σιτιστὰ ) From σῖτος , corn, grain, or food generally. Properly animals especially fed up or fatted for a feast.

Fatlings ( σιτιστὰ )

From σῖτος , corn, grain, or food generally. Properly animals especially fed up or fatted for a feast.

Wesley: Mat 22:4 - -- Fatted beasts and fowls.

Fatted beasts and fowls.

JFB: Mat 22:4 - -- This points to those Gospel calls after Christ's death, resurrection, ascension, and effusion of the Spirit, to which the parable could not directly a...

This points to those Gospel calls after Christ's death, resurrection, ascension, and effusion of the Spirit, to which the parable could not directly allude, but when only it could be said, with strict propriety, "that all things were ready." Compare 1Co 5:7-8, "Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us; therefore, let us keep the feast"; also Joh 6:51, "I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread which I will give is My flesh, which I will give for the life of the world."

Clarke: Mat 22:4 - -- Fatlings - Τα σιτιϚα Properly, fatted rams, or wethers. 2Sa 6:13; 1Ch 15:26.

Fatlings - Τα σιτιϚα Properly, fatted rams, or wethers. 2Sa 6:13; 1Ch 15:26.

Calvin: Mat 22:4 - -- 4.Again he sent other servants He speaks as if it had been the same persons who were invited, for it was one body of the people. The meaning is, that...

4.Again he sent other servants He speaks as if it had been the same persons who were invited, for it was one body of the people. The meaning is, that when the happy and joyful day of redemption drew near, they were warned to be ready; for they had been long ago informed as to the time. But now Christ told them that, at the very hour, fresh messengers were sent to entreat them to come with haste; for the first invitation which he mentions includes all the former prophecies, down to the publication of the Gospel. For a long period, they exercised cruelty on the prophets; but their fury grew as the time advanced, and at length spent all its force on Christ and the apostles. For this reason, he charges the ancient people with nothing more than contempt and pride, but says, that the servants who had been last sent, and who arrived at the hour of supper, were abused or slain. That people arrived at the highest pitch of their crimes, when their haughty rejection of his grace was followed by the madness of cruelty. And yet he does not charge all of them equally with crime; for even at the latest call, which was given by the Gospel, the grace of God was in part ridiculed by careless despisers, and in part was furiously rejected by hypocrites. And thus it usually happens, that ungodly men break out into fiercer rage against God, in proportion to the earnestness with which he invites them to salvation.

TSK: Mat 22:4 - -- other : Luke 10:1-16, Luk 24:46, Luk 24:47; Act 1:8, Act 11:19, Act 11:20, Act 13:46, Act 28:17-31 Behold : Pro 9:1, Pro 9:2; Son 5:1; Joh 6:50-57; Ro...

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Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per Verse)

Barnes: Mat 22:4 - -- Other servants - Who might press it on their attention. So God repeats his message to sinners when they reject it. My dinner - This word ...

Other servants - Who might press it on their attention. So God repeats his message to sinners when they reject it.

My dinner - This word literally denotes the meal taken about noon. It is also taken for a meal in general. As marriages were, among Eastern nations, in the evening, it refers here to a meal taken at that time.

Fatlings - This word does not refer to any particular species of animals. It denotes any fat animals. As oxen are also mentioned, however, it refers here, probably, to lambs or calves, 2Sa 6:13; 1Ch 15:26.

Poole: Mat 22:1-14 - -- Ver. 1-14. Luke hath this parable, Mat 14:16-24 , which hath made divers interpreters think that Matthew hath put it out of its due order; for Luke r...

Ver. 1-14. Luke hath this parable, Mat 14:16-24 , which hath made divers interpreters think that Matthew hath put it out of its due order; for Luke reports it as spoken long before, and that not in the temple, but at a Pharisee’ s house where he was at dinner, and upon occasion of one of them saying, Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God. But I know no reason why we may not allow our Saviour to have used the same parable twice, in two differing companies, and upon two different occasions, especially considering there are remarkable differences in Luke’ s and Matthew’ s relation. I shall therefore leave the consideration of Luke’ s relation till I come to that chapter in his Gospel, where I shall meet with it in course, and consider only what Matthew saith. We must remember this is a parable, not an historical narration. The first verse tells us,

And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables: he answered, that is, he began a discourse, so the word very often signifies. Our Saviour hath neither given us any particular explication of this parable, nor any proparabola, or epiparabola, any sentence before or after the parable, guiding us as to the explication, except only that short sentence, Mat 22:14 ,

For many are called, but few are chosen which rather guides us in the explication of the four latter verses than of the whole parable: yet it is not hard for us to find out our Saviour’ s scope in this parable. It seemeth to be double:

1. To inform those to whom he spake of the destruction suddenly coming upon the Jews, for their rejection of the gospel, and of the calling of the Gentiles.

2. To let us know, that neither Amongst the Jews nor Gentiles all should be saved whom God called by the external ministration of the gospel; but those alone who, belonging to the election of grace, should be found in the day of judgment having on the wedding garment.

So then, the kingdom of heaven here signifies, the way or equity of God in the dispensation of the gospel, or the administration of things in order to the kingdom of glory. The king here mentioned must be he who is the King of kings. The marriage for his son, is the exhibition of the covenant of grace; which whosoever layeth hold on, Isa 56:4 , is by faith united to Christ; which union is often expressed in holy writ under the notion of a marriage, Psa 45:10,11 Eph 5:23 , &c.: or their union with him in glory, Rev 19:9 . The persons bidden were the Jews. The servants that called them to the wedding, were those that were faithful amongst their ordinary teachers, or the prophets, such as Isaiah and the rest, whom they refused to hearken unto. The other servants might signify John the Baptist, and the twelve, and others sent out by Christ, to tell them that Christ was now come, there wanted nothing but their coming to him and receiving of him. Their making light of it, going one to his farm, another to his merchandise, and others taking the servants, entreating them spitefully, and slaying them, signifies the Jews’ general refusal of the gospel, and the particular rage and malice of some of them, shown in their abusing of the Lord’ s prophets and messengers, and which he knew some of them would further show against Stephen and James. The king’ s sending forth his armies, and slaying the murderers, signified the coming of the Roman armies, and their utter destroying Jerusalem. The sending of the servants into the highways, and inviting all those whom they found to the wedding, signified the apostles going to the Gentiles, and preaching the gospel to all nations; which much enlarged the territories of the church, gathering in many who professed to accept of Christ, but not all in truth and sincerity. The king’ s coming to see his guests, signifieth Christ’ s coming at the day of the last judgment, with his fan in his hand, throughly to purge his floor. His finding one without his wedding garment, signifieth his finding many hypocrites at the day of judgment. The guests at weddings were either wont to put on their best clothes, (as we usually do), or a particular garment which was then in use, and was worn by those who were invited to weddings. By the

wedding garment here is meant Christ, Rom 13:14 , who is at this feast both the bridegroom, and the meat at the feast, and the wedding garment also, in divers respects. It is but an idle dispute, whether faith is meant, or love: neither the one nor the other separately, but faith that worketh by love; whatsoever God requireth of us, that we may be made meet for the kingdom of God: without faith and holiness none can see God. His being

speechless signifies, that those who have lived under the proffers of grace and salvation, and have rejected them, neither believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, nor bringing forth fruits of holiness, will be without excuse at the day of judgment. And the king’ s commanding his servants to

bind him hand and foot & c., signifieth that all such persons as live within the church, under the means of grace, yet die impenitent and unbelievers, having not by a true faith received Christ as their Saviour, and brought forth the fruits of true repentance and holiness, shall get nothing by their being within the church and externally called, but shall be thrown into hell as well as others, the pains of which are here expressed by binding hand and foot, lying in outer darkness, weeping and gnashing of teeth; as in other places by a worm that shall never die, and a fire that shall never go out; all metaphorical expressions, signifying the vexations and intolerable punishment of the damned in hell.

For (saith our Saviour) many are called, but few are chosen We met with this expression before, Mat 20:16 , where the sense of it was not so obvious as it is here. Some by it here understand, a choice unto life eternal; nor without reason, if that be understood by the marriage supper, as it is Rev 19:9 ; and it appears to be partly at least the sense of it here, in that the person without the wedding garment is doomed to eternal misery. If we by the marriage supper understand a union with Christ here, or the benefits flowing from that, we must by chosen here understand effectually called, being made partakers of that special distinguishing grace which bringeth salvation. The gospel is preached to many whom God doth not favour with his special grace, so as they receive it, convert, and are saved. The former part of this parable doth hint us the reason why the Jews rejected the offers of grace and salvation made to them, viz. the power that the temptations from the world, of pleasure, profit, and honour, had upon them. As the latter part also showeth us the true reason why any are saved to be from the free grace of God, viz. because they are chosen, chosen to eternal life, and particularly favoured to be made partakers of his special and, distinguishing grace.

Gill: Mat 22:4 - -- Again he sent forth other servants,.... The seventy disciples, and other ministers of the Gospel, as Barnabas and Saul, and others that were joined to...

Again he sent forth other servants,.... The seventy disciples, and other ministers of the Gospel, as Barnabas and Saul, and others that were joined to, and were helpers of the apostles, who were sent, and preached to the Jews, any time before the destruction of Jerusalem:

saying, tell them which are bidden; for these preachers of the word were first sent to the Jews, and preached unto them, until they by their carriage and conduct, showed themselves to be unworthy of the blessing. These men had notice of the Gospel feast by the prophets, and were invited to it, by the forerunner of Christ, by him, and his disciples, and again by them, and others; which strongly expresses the goodness, grace, and condescension of God to these people, and aggravates their stupidity, ingratitude, and wickedness:

behold, I have prepared my dinner. The ministry of the word and ordinances under the Gospel dispensation, is signified by a "dinner"; of God's preparing and providing; which is a full meal at noon, and in it is plenty of food, and of that which is wholesome to the souls of men, sweet and savoury to a spiritual taste, and very nourishing and satisfying; and this dinner is a feast, a rich banquet, a grand entertainment; in which are a variety of provisions, suited to all sorts of persons, and plenty of the richest dainties, attended with the largest expressions of joy; and this feast is a marriage one, and that not for an ordinary person, but for the king's son, the son of the King of kings; it is large, grand, and noble, rich and costly, and yet all free to the guests; it is kept in the king's palace, the banqueting house, the church, is common to all, and of long continuance, it will last unto the end of the world. What privileges the patriarchs and prophets, and the people of the Jews enjoyed, in the morning of the world, before the coming of Christ, who made the bright and full day of the Gospel, were but as a "breakfast", a short meal; the means of grace were not so rich and plentiful, and their knowledge of spiritual things not so large; they had but, as it were, a taste of what is plentifully bestowed under the Gospel dispensation, and therefore that is called a "dinner"; grace and truth in all their fulness, coming by Jesus, by whom God has delivered at once his whole mind and will; whereas, before, it was delivered piecemeal, at sundry times and divers manners; and this is distinguishable from the "supper" of the Lamb, in the evening of the world, in the latter day, when the Jews will be converted, and will not act the part they are represented to do in the parable; and the fulness of the Gentiles will be brought in, and the Gospel will have a general spread all over the world. The dinner is the same with the feast of fat things, which God is said to make for all people, Gentiles as well as Jews, in his holy mountain the church, Isa 25:6 and the table which wisdom has furnished, Pro 9:2 with all sorts of suitable food, proper to persons of every age: here's milk for babes, even the sincere milk of the word, that their souls may grow thereby, who are newborn babes, and have tasted of the grace of God; namely, the plainer and more easy truths of the Gospel, to be taken in, understood, fed upon, and digested; and meat for strong men, the more sublime doctrines of it, which such as are strong in faith, receive, relish, and live upon, and are greatly refreshed and edified with: here's the wine of God's everlasting love set forth, in the election, redemption, justification, pardon, adoption, regeneration, and salvation of his people; and fruits served up both new and old, for their comfort, delight, and pleasure; in the ordinances of the Gospel, are the flesh and blood of Christ, the Lamb of God, and fatted calf, whose flesh is meat indeed, and whose blood is drink indeed: here is everything for delight and nourishment, for faith to feed and live upon; and therefore may well be called a dinner, and what is worthy of him, who is the maker of it, and exceedingly well suited to the persons who are to partake of it.

My oxen and my fatlings are killed; in allusion to feasts and large entertainments, when oxen and fatted calves, and the best of the flock were killed and dressed; or to the sacrifices of oxen and other creatures, under the law, as typical of the sacrifice of Christ; and may here represent Christ as crucified and slain, held forth in the ministry of the word and ordinances; who as such, is suitable food for believers, is spiritual, solid, and substantial, and greatly to be desired; is nourishing and strengthening, comforting and quickening, delightful and satisfying:

and all things are ready; for upon the crucifixion and death of Christ, and after the renewed commission of Christ to his disciples, to preach the Gospel, beginning at Jerusalem, it might be justly represented in the ministry of the word, that all things were now ready. Redemption was obtained by Christ; an everlasting righteousness was wrought out and brought in; pardon of sin was procured; peace and reconciliation were made; the sacrifice of Christ was offered up, and full satisfaction given to law and justice; the covenant of grace, with all the blessings and promises of it, were ratified and confirmed; and all were ready in Christ's hands to distribute, to as many as came to him; in whom are life and salvation, and everything necessary for peace and comfort here, and eternal happiness hereafter. This shows the completeness and perfection of the Gospel dispensation, this being that better thing, which God has provided for his people in the last times, that former saints might not be perfect without them; see Gill on Heb 11:40. The law made nothing perfect; there was nothing got ready by that; the works, sacrifices, rites, and ceremonies of it, could not justify men's persons, nor sanctify their hearts, nor purge the consciences of the worshippers, nor take away sin, nor pacify God, or give satisfaction to his justice, or procure peace, pardon and salvation; but now all these things are declared to be ready in the Gospel: but this is not owing to man, it is all of God; it is of his providing and preparing; and he is a rock, and his work is perfect; and nothing can be brought by the Creature to be added to it, nor does it need it; there is everything exhibited in the Gospel that a poor sinner stands in need of, or can desire, even that can make him comfortable here, and happy hereafter.

Come unto the marriage; the marriage feast; come into the Gospel dispensation, attend the word and ordinances: the invitation is pressing, the arguments are strong and moving, but the persons invited were averse, self-willed, stubborn, obstinate, and inflexible.

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Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: Mat 22:4 Grk “Behold, I have prepared my dinner.” In some contexts, however, to translate ἄριστον (ariston) as ...

Geneva Bible: Mat 22:4 Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and [my] fatlings [are] ( a ) kill...

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Commentary -- Verse Range Notes

TSK Synopsis: Mat 22:1-46 - --1 The parable of the marriage of the king's son.9 The vocation of the Gentiles.12 The punishment of him that wanted the wedding garment.15 Tribute oug...

Maclaren: Mat 22:1-14 - --Two Ways Of Despising God's Feast And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said, 2. The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain...

MHCC: Mat 22:1-14 - --The provision made for perishing souls in the gospel, is represented by a royal feast made by a king, with eastern liberality, on the marriage of his ...

Matthew Henry: Mat 22:1-14 - -- We have here the parable of the guests invited to the wedding-feast. In this it is said (Mat 22:1), Jesus answered, not to what his opposers sa...

Barclay: Mat 22:1-10 - --Mat 22:1-14form not one parable, but two; and we will grasp their meaning far more easily and far more fully if we take them separately. The events ...

Constable: Mat 19:3--26:1 - --VI. The official presentation and rejection of the King 19:3--25:46 This section of the Gospel continues Jesus' ...

Constable: Mat 21:18--23:1 - --C. Israel's rejection of her King 21:18-22:46 This section of Matthew's Gospel presents Israel's formal ...

Constable: Mat 21:23--22:15 - --2. Rejection by the chief priests and the elders 21:23-22:14 (cf. Mark 11:27-12:12; Luke 20:1-19) ...

Constable: Mat 22:1-14 - --The parable of the royal wedding banquet 22:1-14 The three parables in this series are similar to three concentric circles in their scope. The scope o...

College: Mat 22:1-46 - --MATTHEW 22 G. PARABLE OF THE WEDDING FEAST (22:1-14) 1 Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: 2" The kingdom of heaven is like a king who pr...

McGarvey: Mat 22:1-14 - -- CVIII. IN REPLY TO THE QUESTIONS AS TO HIS AUTHORITY, JESUS GIVES THE THIRD GREAT GROUP OF PARABLES. (In the Court of the Temple. Tuesday, April 4, A...

Lapide: Mat 22:1-46 - --CHAPTER 22 And Jesus answered, &c., refuting the incredulity of the Scribes. The meaning is: it is the same in the kingdom of Heaven, i.e., in the C...

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Introduction / Outline

Robertson: Matthew (Book Introduction) THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW By Way of Introduction The passing years do not make it any plainer who actually wrote our Greek Matthew. Papias r...

JFB: Matthew (Book Introduction) THE author of this Gospel was a publican or tax gatherer, residing at Capernaum, on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee. As to his identity with t...

JFB: Matthew (Outline) GENEALOGY OF CHRIST. ( = Luke 3:23-38). (Mat. 1:1-17) BIRTH OF CHRIST. (Mat 1:18-25) VISIT OF THE MAGI TO JERUSALEM AND BETHLEHEM. (Mat 2:1-12) THE F...

TSK: Matthew (Book Introduction) Matthew, being one of the twelve apostles, and early called to the apostleship, and from the time of his call a constant attendant on our Saviour, was...

TSK: Matthew 22 (Chapter Introduction) Overview Mat 22:1, The parable of the marriage of the king’s son; Mat 22:9, The vocation of the Gentiles; Mat 22:12, The punishment of him that ...

Poole: Matthew 22 (Chapter Introduction) CHAPTER 22

MHCC: Matthew (Book Introduction) Matthew, surnamed Levi, before his conversion was a publican, or tax-gatherer under the Romans at Capernaum. He is generally allowed to have written h...

MHCC: Matthew 22 (Chapter Introduction) (Mat 22:1-14) The parable of the marriage feast. (Mat 22:15-22) The Pharisees question Jesus as to the tribute. (Mat 22:23-33) The question of the S...

Matthew Henry: Matthew (Book Introduction) An Exposition, with Practical Observations, of The Gospel According to St. Matthew We have now before us, I. The New Testament of our Lord and Savior...

Matthew Henry: Matthew 22 (Chapter Introduction) This chapter is a continuation of Christ's discourses in the temple, two or three days before he died. His discourses then are largely recorded, as...

Barclay: Matthew (Book Introduction) INTRODUCTION TO THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO SAINT MATTHEW The Synoptic Gospels Matthew, Mark and Luke are usually known as the Synoptic Gospels. Synopt...

Barclay: Matthew 22 (Chapter Introduction) Joy And Judgment (Mat_22:1-10) The Scrutiny Of The King (Mat_22:11-14) Human And Divine Right (Mat_22:15-22) The Living God Of Living Men (Mat_22...

Constable: Matthew (Book Introduction) Introduction The Synoptic Problem The synoptic problem is intrinsic to all study of th...

Constable: Matthew (Outline) Outline I. The introduction of the King 1:1-4:11 A. The King's genealogy 1:1-17 ...

Constable: Matthew Matthew Bibliography Abbott-Smith, G. A. A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament. Edinburgh: T. & T. Cl...

Haydock: Matthew (Book Introduction) THE HOLY GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST, ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW INTRODUCTION. THIS and other titles, with the names of those that wrote the Gospels,...

Gill: Matthew (Book Introduction) INTRODUCTION TO MATTHEW The subject of this book, and indeed of all the writings of the New Testament, is the Gospel. The Greek word ευαγγελ...

College: Matthew (Book Introduction) INTRODUCTION HISTORY OF INTERPRETATION It may surprise the modern reader to realize that for the first two centuries of the Christian era, Matthew's...

College: Matthew (Outline) OUTLINE I. ESTABLISHING THE IDENTITY AND ROLE OF JESUS THE CHRIST - Matt 1:1-4:16 A. Genealogy of Jesus - 1:1-17 B. The Annunciation to Joseph...

Lapide: Matthew (Book Introduction) PREFACE. —————— IN presenting to the reader the Second Volume [Matt X to XXI] of this Translation of the great work of Cornelius à Lapi...

Advanced Commentary (Dictionaries, Hymns, Arts, Sermon Illustration, Question and Answers, etc)


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