Lesson 22 – The King’s Kingdom Defined
Read Matthew 22 – www.bible.com/bible/59/mat.22.esv

After Jesus’ offer of His kingdom to the people, Jesus now spent a bit of time explaining this kingdom both to the people and to His disciples.

The first parable in chapter 22 tells the story of a wedding feast a king had prepared for his son. Many people had been invited to this feast, but on the day it was prepared, those people all found excuses for not coming. Some even went as far as killing the messengers from the king who came to invite them. But, though the ones who’d been invited refused to come, the king still wanted people to attend – so he sent out his servants to invite others who probably would never have thought themselves worthy to attend the king’s banquet.

The second explanation was to the religious leaders who again tried to trick Him into saying something they could use against Him – they asked if it was right to pay taxes to their hated oppressors.


In both these incidents, Jesus showed His kingdom as something so different from anything this world offered that they could hardly understand. First, the ones who would actually be in the kingdom were not necessarily those who were most likely to think they deserved this honor. Second, His kingdom was not yet to rule on this earth, and thus overthrow existing earthly kings. Verse 22 says the religious leaders were surprised at Jesus’ explanations.

The leaders’ surprise brought two more questions from them, and finally, one question from Jesus. The first question was an outrageous one intended only to embarrass Jesus – verses 23-33. Jesus answered them with proof of resurrection – something these people didn’t even believe to be true.

The second question came from a lawyer, again hoping to make Jesus answer in such a way they could get the crowd to turn against Him. He asked Jesus which was the most important commandment. In reply, Jesus said there were really only two commandments – and they had nothing to do with what anyone did, but everything to do with their relationships – with God and with others.

Then Jesus asked them a question – who was this promised Messiah to be? Whose son would He be? They answered the Messiah would be a descendant of David, the greatest king Israel had ever had. Jesus then asked, “If the Messiah is the son of David, why did David call the Messiah his Lord?” The real question was, if this Messiah was to be born hundreds of years after David, why did David call Him a name that meant He was already greater than David?

*What does the reality of resurrection mean to you?
*What are the two greatest commandments? Love ____, and love ___ ___.
*Who is Jesus in your life right now?