In the parable of the Marriage Feast just spoken of, we read that when the invited guests refused to come, beggars were compelled to come in from the highways; now, though this may seem to us a strange thing, it would not appear so to those who heard this parable, as it was according to the customs of the East.

Even now, the Arab princes often dine in the open air before their dwellings, and invite all that pass, even beggars, to share their meal: these guests sit down and eat, and when they have done, return thanks and go away.

Another custom of those times is also referred to in this parable: kings and great men, when they made a feast, provided garments or robes to be lent to any guests who came without a proper dress for the occasion. As every man who needed it could have a garment if he asked for it, there was no excuse for any person who sat down without one. The man spoken of in the parable, could have had a wedding garment if he had sought for it; and so we read that he "was speechless," had nothing to say in his own defence, and was cast from the presence of the Lord.

So it is with us; God will give faith, and love, and strength to keep His holy Word, to all who ask, and seek: therefore, if we are not covered with the garment of faith and holiness, it will be our own fault that we are not allowed to sit down with the righteous in the kingdom of Heaven.

The righteousness of Christ is the real wedding garment of believers; and this will cover and save all, whose faith is true and lively; such as will show itself in their words and deeds.

The Pharisees and Scribes saw that these parables were spoken against them, to show them how wrong they were; and this made them the more angry, and the more desirous to destroy Jesus. Being afraid to do this openly by violence, they "took counsel (or consulted together) how they might entangle him in his talk": that is, get Him to say something which would either offend the people, or give them a pretence for accusing Him to the Roman governor of teaching the people to rebel against the authority of CÆsar.

They, therefore, sent forth certain of their own disciples, with the Herodians; spies, which should feign themselves just and good men, anxious to learn the truth by asking questions; whilst all the time, they hoped He would say something to enable them to "deliver him unto the power and authority of the governor." The Herodians here spoken of, seem to have been a party amongst the Jews, who were very favourable to the Romans; and thought they had the best right to appoint the kings and governors of JudÆa. This party took its rise in the time of Herod the Great.

These Herodians, though Jews themselves, had been quite ready to join with Herod, when, to please the Romans, he set apart temples for the worship of their false gods: by such means they had got into great favour with the Romans, as also with Herod the Great and all his family.

The Pharisees and Herodians then came to Jesus, and having first declared their belief, that no fear of man would prevent His telling them plainly what was the Will of God, they said, "Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou, Is it lawful to give tribute unto CÆsar, or not? Shall we give or shall we not give?"

The Romans had laid a tax upon JudÆa when it became a Roman province: the Jews hated this mark of subjection, and the Pharisees taught, that as the Jews were God's chosen people, they ought not to pay tax or tribute to any foreign power. The Herodians held the contrary opinion; and some of the Jews followed them. CÆsar was a common name or title given to all the Roman Emperors, who had each their own particular name besides. Augustus CÆsar was Emperor of Rome when Jesus Christ was born; and, at the time we are speaking of, Tiberius CÆsar was the Emperor. If, to the question now asked, Jesus should answer, "Do not pay tribute," the Herodians would be offended, and would get the Roman governor to punish Him. If, on the other hand, Jesus should declare that it was lawful and right to pay tribute, the greater part of the Jewish people would be very indignant, and perhaps stone Him at once: at any rate, He would lose their favour, so that they would not oppose His destruction. Thus the Pharisees felt confident that Jesus must fall into the snare. "But Jesus perceived their wickedness; and knowing their hypocrisy, said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites? Show me the tribute-money," that I may see it. "And they brought unto him a penny"—a Roman coin, equal to 7½d. of our money, having upon it the image or figure of the Emperor's head, with some words, called the superscription, round it: just as our money has the Queen's image upon it, and writing also. "And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? They say unto him, CÆsar's. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto CÆsar the things which are CÆsar's; and unto God the things that are God's." Thus teaching, that their duty to God as His people, did not interfere with their duty to the Romans as temporal rulers. The Pharisees could not take hold of such words: "they marvelled at his answer, and held their peace, and left him, and went their way." Let us remember that with us also, our duty to God will not interfere with our duty to man: on the contrary, those who most love God, will best do their duty as Parents and Children, Kings and Subjects, Masters and Servants, Friends and Neighbours.

The Pharisees having been put to silence in the matter of the tribute-money, another party or sect amongst the Jews, who did not believe in the future resurrection of the dead, came to Jesus, hoping also to entangle him in his talk. These Jews, who were called Sadducees, asked our Lord a question, which they thought it would be impossible for him to answer: but Jesus showed them, that only their own ignorance and inattention to what was written in their Scriptures, made them find any difficulty as to the resurrection of the dead: and He told them most plainly, that all the dead should certainly rise again; and that those who were worthy to live in Heaven, should "be as the angels of God." Some of the Scribes, who were present, agreed to the truth of all that Jesus spake, and said, "Master, thou hast well said."

But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together. Then one of them, which was a Lawyer, one of the Scribes, came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, "asked him a question, tempting him"; that is, hoping that His answer might give an opportunity of finding fault with Him.

Before we speak of the question now asked, it is necessary to understand, that at this time the Scribes and Pharisees had taken up an opinion, that it was quite impossible for anybody to observe all the precepts and commandments contained in the Law of Moses; and that, therefore, every man might choose out one or two, and that if he observed these perfectly, he would be forgiven for not keeping the others. This was, of course, quite contrary to the teaching of Scripture, where we learn that all men must do their very best to keep the whole law of God, and do His Will in all things. The Pharisees having thus settled that they need only keep one Commandment, the question was, which it should be: some considered that the ordinances as to sacrifices were the most important; others thought attention to the wearing of phylacteries was the chief thing. No doubt it was much easier to attend to such outward observances, than to keep the temper in order and practise self-denial; but no outward service can please God if the heart is not right. As the Scribes and Pharisees were constantly disputing amongst themselves, as to which of the Commandments it was most important to keep, this Lawyer now asked Jesus, "Master, which is the first commandment of all?" which is the great commandment in the law? "And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first and great commandment." This answer could not be found fault with; for it agreed exactly with what Moses had said. But Jesus did not stop here. He knew that the Pharisees behaved with great unkindness to their Jewish brethren, who did not hold the same opinions as they did; and that they actually hated all their fellow creatures of a different religion: He therefore told them, that there was a second commandment, of almost equal importance to the first, and both must be kept. He said, "And the second is like unto it, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the prophets": meaning, that these two commandments contain all that the Law and the prophets had taught, and that any man who kept these, would indeed, keep the whole Law.

Just as in our Catechism we say, that from the Commandments of the Law we learn two things: our duty towards God, and our duty towards man: nor can they be separated; he who really does love God with heart, and mind, and soul, and strength, will try in all things to please Him, and will not willingly break the least of His commands.

He who so loves his fellow creatures, as to do them all the good he can, and treat them as he would himself wish to be treated, will certainly never injure any one in his person or his property; nor even be unkind to him, in word or deed.

The Scribe who had asked the question, "tempting him," appears to have been more honest than many of his brethren: he felt the truth of our Lord's words, and at once "said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he: and to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God." Jesus meant, that this Scribe was not far from being a true believer and disciple, and, we may hope, that he did become a sincere follower of the Lord, and an inheritor of the kingdom of Heaven.

"And no man after that durst ask him any question." Seeing how all had failed to entangle Jesus in his talk, the Pharisees appear to have given up asking questions, which only gave Him an opportunity of showing His wisdom and holiness.