⭐WEB · Matthew 22:1
What does Matthew 22:1 mean?
"Jesus answered and spoke to them again in parables, saying,"
— Matthew 22:1 (World English Bible)
Surrounding context
Jesus answered and spoke to them again in parables, saying,
“The Kingdom of Heaven is like a certain king, who made a marriage feast for his son,
and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the marriage feast, but they would not come.
Again he sent out other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “Behold, I have prepared my dinner. My cattle and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the marriage feast!”’
Explanation
Matthew 22:1 is a simple narrative bridge, not a self-contained teaching in itself. It tells us that Jesus continued speaking, and that he did so once more through a parable. The verse sets the stage for what follows—the Parable of the Wedding Feast (or Wedding Banquet), which Jesus tells in verses 2 through 14. The word "again" is important: it signals continuity with what came before, linking this parable to the string of parables and confrontations Jesus had just delivered, such as the Parable of the Two Sons and the Parable of the Wicked Tenants in Matthew 21.
To understand the context, remember that Matthew's Gospel was written for a Jewish-Christian audience, likely to demonstrate that Jesus is the promised Messiah and to help believers understand how the kingdom of God was unfolding despite Israel's leadership rejecting Jesus. This chapter occurs during the final
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