22:11 wedding garment. The “wedding garment” of Christ’s righteousness is provided by Him to all who believe on Him, and no one can come to “the marriage supper of the Lamb” without the proper spiritual clothing (Revelation 19:7-9).

22:13 outer darkness. “Outer darkness” is the location of final hell (Jude 13).

22:16 the Herodians. The Herodians (Jews supporting the dynasty of Herod, who in turn supported Roman rule in Israel) were commonly at enmity with the Pharisees, strong legalists who were bitterly against Roman rule. However, they had come together to conspire against Jesus since early in His ministry (Mark 3:6), fearing His influence more than they feared and hated each other. A common enemy sometimes produces strange bedfellows (e.g., atheistic evolutionists and theistic evolutionists opposing together the evidences presented by Biblical creationists).

22:29 not knowing the scriptures. The Sadducees, who rejected the doctrine of resurrection, thought they could embarrass Jesus with their silly question of a woman who had married seven brothers successively. But all those who think they can find mistakes or contradictions in the Bible simply show that they know neither the Scriptures nor God’s power.

22:30 given in marriage. Almost every person is a member of at least two families on earth, that of his parents plus that of his own spouse and children. Some, of course, have more than one spouse, if the first spouse dies and he or she marries again. There is no way that our present relationships can continue unchanged after the resurrection, however, all will enjoy rich fellowship with the entire “family of God,” the redeemed children of Mother Eve.

22:31 have ye not read. Although this statement was spoken specifically by God to Moses (Exodus 3:6), all Scripture is inspired by God and can be considered by each person as directly “spoken unto you by God.”

22:32 I am the God. With a single word from the Old Testament (“am” rather than “was,” stressing the tense of the verb), the Scripture, as cited by Christ, both confirms the truth of life after death, rebukes the Sadducean priests, and illustrates the vital importance of the doctrine of the verbal (word-by-word, rather than general concepts) inspiration of the Bible. Note also Matthew 5:18; 22:45.

22:35 lawyer. The lawyers were, for the most part, the same as the scribes. Some of them were charged with copying the Scriptures. Mostly, however, they were the official interpreters of the more than six hundred commandments in the Torah, as well as teachers of the law and judges of law breakers.

22:37 all thy mind. Mark’s record of this greatest of all commandments adds “and with all thy strength.”

22:39 Thou shalt love. The highest form of love for one’s neighbor is to seek God’s will in and for him or her, and to do whatever one can in helping to achieve this goal.

22:40 these two commandments. These two key commandments of the Mosaic law are found in Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18.

22:45 call him Lord. With a single word (“Lord”) Christ silenced the Pharisees, just as He had used a single word (“am”) to refute the Sadducees. Again this illustrates Christ’s affirmation of verbal inspiration of Scripture, and also His own claim to deity. Citing Psalm 110:1 (Matthew 22:44), written by David and acknowledged by the Jews to be prophetic of the coming Messiah, He pointed out that David had spoken of Him as “my Lord.” Yet it was also acknowledged by all that the Messiah would be of the seed of David (II Samuel 7:12-16). The only way such prophecies as these and others could be fulfilled was for God to become man. The Messiah must be God incarnate! Noting His frequent quoting from the Old Testament, it is clear that, for the Lord Jesus Christ, the Scriptures were God’s Word, having full and final authority.