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This time we're looking at Matthew 22:1-22. The passage begins with another parable about the kingdom of heaven and finishes with the need to pay taxes to Caesar. Our lives are enmeshed in both spiritual and earthly kingdoms.
It seems very likely that the religious leaders were still listening and would have heard the parable about the wedding banquet. What do you think they would have made of it? They would have understood that Yahshua was referring to them as the people who would not come to the King's banquet for his son. They probably realised that he was referring to himself as the son and that the King was Yahweh Elohim.
They were determined to trap him and their plan was a shrewd one - get him to speak against the Roman taxes in the presence of Herod's supporters. Then matters would take their course and Jesus would be silenced, at best executed and at the very minimum shut away in prison. But of course he was too wise for them and they were stymied once again.
As Jesus' followers we too should pay what the state requires of us while also paying due regard to what the Almighty requires of us. And one of those holy duties is inviting the people around us to the wedding feast of the Son. If we plan to be there ourselves, we'd better be robed in righteousness when we're in his presence.
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