Matthew 22:5 kjv
But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise:
Matthew 22:5 nkjv
But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business.
Matthew 22:5 niv
"But they paid no attention and went off?one to his field, another to his business.
Matthew 22:5 esv
But they paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business,
Matthew 22:5 nlt
But the guests he had invited ignored them and went their own way, one to his farm, another to his business.
Matthew 22 5 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lk 14:18-20 | But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, ‘I have bought a field... another, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen… another said, ‘I have married a wife...’ | Rejection of great supper invitation. |
| Matt 13:22 | As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word... | Worldly cares hinder reception of God's Word. |
| Mk 4:19 | ...the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word... | Worldly concerns stifle spiritual growth. |
| Lk 8:14 | ...what fell among thorns, these are the ones who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by cares and riches and pleasures of life... | Life's pleasures obstruct the Kingdom. |
| Lk 12:15 | ...Be on your guard against all kinds of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” | Warning against the deceit of possessions. |
| 1 Jn 2:16 | For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. | Worldly desires contrast with divine origin. |
| Ps 81:11-12 | “But My people did not listen to My voice... So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts... | God giving over a stubborn people. |
| Isa 65:12 | ...I will destine you to the sword, and all of you shall bow down to the slaughter, because, when I called, you did not answer... | Judgment for failing to answer God's call. |
| Prov 1:24-25 | “Because I have called and you refused to listen... you have ignored all my counsel...” | Consequences of ignoring wisdom. |
| Jer 7:25-26 | From the day that your fathers came out of the land of Egypt to this day, I have persistently sent all My servants the prophets to them, yet they did not listen... | Israel's historical pattern of not listening. |
| Zech 7:11-12 | But they refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder and stopped their ears that they might not hear. They made their hearts diamond-hard... | Stubborn rejection of God's law. |
| Heb 2:3 | How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? | Peril of neglecting salvation. |
| Jn 1:11 | He came to His own, and His own people did not receive Him. | Christ's rejection by His own people. |
| Matt 21:32 | ...but you, even when you saw it, did not afterward change your minds and believe him. | Refusal to repent despite evidence. |
| Rom 1:21 | For although they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks to Him... | Unthankfulness leading to futile thinking. |
| 2 Thess 2:10 | ...because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. | Destruction for refusing the truth. |
| Acts 7:51 | “You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you.” | Resistance to the Holy Spirit. |
| Matt 6:24 | “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” | Cannot serve God and material possessions. |
| Lk 9:61-62 | Another said, “I will follow You, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit...” | Putting worldly ties before Christ. |
| 1 Cor 7:31 | ...and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For the present form of this world is passing away. | Living without undue attachment to the world. |
| Rom 12:2 | Do not be conformed to this world... | Transform not conforming to the world. |
| 2 Cor 6:17 | Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing... | Separation from worldly defilement. |
Matthew 22 verses
Matthew 22 5 Meaning
Matthew 22:5 portrays the immediate response of those initially invited to the King's wedding feast for His Son: a deliberate, contemptuous neglect of the invitation, as they chose to prioritize their own worldly affairs. This indicates a profound indifference and active disregard for the sovereign call of the King, who represents God, and the sacred event, which symbolizes the Kingdom of Heaven and the Messiah.
Matthew 22 5 Context
Matthew 22:5 is part of Jesus' parable of the wedding feast (Matt 22:1-14). This parable immediately follows the Parable of the Wicked Tenants (Matt 21:33-46) and serves as another scathing rebuke to the Jewish leaders who rejected God's messengers (the prophets) and His Son (Jesus). The parable illustrates God (the King) preparing a magnificent feast for His Son's wedding (the inauguration of the Kingdom of Heaven). The initial invitees are Israel, particularly its religious leadership and people, who had been given prior notice of the Kingdom's coming. The king's dispatch of servants represents God repeatedly sending prophets and ultimately John the Baptist and Jesus to invite Israel. The historical context reflects Israel's repeated refusal throughout its history to heed God's call, culminating in the widespread rejection of Jesus Messiah, preferring instead their own earthly pursuits and positions.
Matthew 22 5 Word analysis
- But: Greek: hoi de (οἱ δὲ). This conjunction signals a contrast or shift in action. It immediately sets up the uncooperative response of the invited guests against the King's benevolent invitation. It highlights a deliberate opposition.
- they made light of it: Greek: amelesantes (ἀμελήσαντες). This aorist participle comes from ameleō, meaning "to neglect," "disregard," "have no care for," "be indifferent." It's stronger than mere oversight; it denotes active apathy, treating something as unimportant or beneath notice. This reveals a contemptuous dismissiveness towards the King's honor and the significance of the invitation.
- and went away: Greek: apēlthon (ἀπῆλθον). A simple past tense verb meaning "they went away," "departed." In context, it signifies a decisive and unhindered movement, emphasizing their choice to turn their backs on the opportunity. There was no hesitation or compulsion.
- one to his farm: Greek: hos men eis ton idion agron (ὃς μὲν εἰς τὸν ἴδιον ἀγρόν).
- one: Refers to a portion of the guests.
- to his own: Idion (ἴδιον) emphasizes personal possessions, private affairs, highlighting a self-centered priority.
- farm: Agron (ἀγρόν) refers to a field or land, representing worldly possessions, livelihoods, and the material pursuits of life. This signifies preoccupation with physical sustenance and material gain.
- another to his business: Greek: hos de epi tēn emporian autou (ὃς δὲ ἐπὶ τὴν ἐμπορίαν αὐτοῦ).
- another: Refers to a different portion of the guests, indicating a variety of personal interests overshadowing the divine invitation.
- his business: Emporian (ἐμπορίαν) refers to commerce, trade, merchandise. This represents commercial enterprise, profit-seeking, and economic endeavors. It denotes the relentless pursuit of financial success and worldly advantage.
Matthew 22 5 Bonus section
The guests' "making light of it" is a significant type of spiritual opposition: not outright rebellion, but rather spiritual apathy. This indifference is often more insidious and widespread than overt hostility. The specific examples of farm and business indicate that even legitimate, everyday pursuits, when elevated above God's call, become spiritual stumbling blocks. This rejection led to dire consequences for Jerusalem, as foretold by the destruction of the city (Matt 22:7), and ultimately opened the invitation to "those on the highways" (Gentiles), demonstrating God's sovereign plan despite human rejection. The verse emphasizes that eternal matters must never be considered secondary to earthly matters.
Matthew 22 5 Commentary
Matthew 22:5 profoundly illustrates the nature of human rejection of God's Kingdom invitation. The invitees' primary sin was not outright defiance or direct insult (though that would follow in Matt 22:6), but chilling indifference and active neglect. They were not unable to come; they simply deemed their own worldly preoccupations—be it the stability of their land or the profitability of their trade—more important than honoring the King and His Son. This highlights a universal human tendency to prioritize the tangible and temporal over the spiritual and eternal. Their decision was a dismissive act, reducing the momentous royal wedding to mere triviality, a clear picture of how worldly concerns can deafen individuals to the gracious, urgent call of God's salvation.