What Does Matthew 22:5 Mean in the King James?
But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise:
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The invitation’s weight is exposed by where the guests’ concern goes next: to field and trade.
THE MEANING
Your attention has a direction: the field, the transaction, the work that feels immediate can occupy the place where an invitation might otherwise be received. Here the invitation goes unattended as each person turns toward what already commands their concern.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
The belief that busy attention leaves an invitation honored dissolves here: turning toward other concerns is already a form of neglect.
THE ROOT
ἀμελήσαντες
amelēsantes
GROWS FROM
μέλω
melō
To care about or be concerned with something.
“made light of it” in this verse is amelēsantes. The verb joins the negating prefix ἀ- (a-, “without”) to μέλω (melō, “to care”): the guests withdraw their concern from the invitation. Their next movement shows where that concern flows, revealing neglect as attention given elsewhere.
ALSO GROWS
melei: It concerns; it matters.
μέλει
In Mark 4:38, the disciples ask, “Master, carest thou not that we perish?” The same word-family makes the contrast in attention visible: what concerns a person shapes where their care goes.
ameleō: Neglect; leave unattended.
ἀμελέω
In 1 Timothy 4:14, “Neglect not the gift that is in thee.” The same verb describes something present that receives no care, illuminating how the invitation here is left unattended.
THE PATTERN
When a summons is left unattended, competing concerns determine where attention goes.
Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused.Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.THE THREAD
How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;Matthew 22:5 and Hebrews 2:3 use the same Greek form, ἀμελήσαντες (amelēsantes), “having neglected.” The shared word lets the neglected invitation to the feast and neglected deliverance illuminate one another: the danger begins as attention passes elsewhere.
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