Bible Strands
Matthew 22:1
Once again, Jesus spoke to them in parables:
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Jesus addresses the religious leaders present in Jerusalem, marking a transition from direct confrontation to illustrative teaching. The text records this moment as a direct address to "them" immediately following previous disputes.
The words — The Greek ἀποκριθεὶς (apokritheis) translates literally to "answering," indicating this parable functions as a direct response to prior questioning. The phrase ἐν παραβολαῖς (en parabolais) specifies that the instruction is delivered through comparative stories rather than direct command.
The thread — This narrative pattern of kingdom parables echoes Matthew 13 and Matthew 20:1, while the bridal banquet motif anticipates the imagery in Matthew 9:15. The text explicitly links this teaching to the broader scriptural theme of divine preparation and human response.
Why it lands — The verse demands recognition that Jesus shifts from direct debate to illustrative teaching to confront the listeners' assumptions. It requires the reader to examine how divine invitations are extended and how they are received.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said,
Cross-references
- Matthew 20:1 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard.
- Matthew 12:43 When an unclean spirit comes out of a man, it passes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it.
- Matthew 9:15 Jesus replied, “How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while He is with them? But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast.
- Matthew 13:3 And He told them many things in parables, saying, “A farmer went out to sow his seed.
- Matthew 21:28 But what do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first one and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’
- Mark 4:33 With many such parables Jesus spoke the word to them, to the extent that they could understand.
- Luke 8:10 He replied, “The knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that, ‘though seeing, they may not see; though hearing, they may not understand.’
- Luke 14:16 But Jesus replied, “A certain man prepared a great banquet and invited many guests.