SECTION 10: THE REJECTION OF THE KING
CHAPTER 51
A COUPLE OF ENSNARING QUESTIONS
OR
SCRIPTURAL KNOWLEDGE DEFEATS DECEIT
Scripture To Consider:
“Then the Pharisees went and plotted how they might entangle Jesus in His talk. And they sent to Him the disciples with the Herodians, saying, ‘Teacher, we know that You are true, and teach the way of God in truth; nor do You care about anyone, for You do not regard the person of men. Tell us, therefore, what do You think? Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?'”
“But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, ‘Why do you test Me, you hypocrites? Show Me the tax money.” So they brought Him a denarius. And Jesus said to them, ‘Whose image and inscription is this?’ They said to Him, ‘Caesar’s.’ And Jesus said to them, ‘Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s.’ When they had heard these words, they marveled, and left Him and went their way.” Matthew 22.15-22
Something To Consider:
Early in this memorable day of public teaching, Jesus had been attacked by the elders, chief priests, and scribes; but He defeated them, exposed them to ridicule, and revealed them as apostates and murderers. In their furious hatred they would have killed Him at once; but they feared the multitudes with who Jesus was so popular. To force upon the people His death, they first had to discredit Him with the people. Therefore, they needed to entangle Jesus in His teaching.
Thus, to entrap Him, they return with series of crafty questions; but Jesus evaded each ensnaring attempt. He answered each question fairly and completely, and then asked a question by which His enemies were finally silenced. The first question Jesus was asked was related to the payment of tribute money or taxes to the Roman government. The more conservative Jewish people held that God was the ruler of Israel and that it was possibly wrong to pay taxes to support a heathen state.
The more liberal party sided with Herod, who owed his power to Rome. Therefore, the enemies of Jesus sent to Him representatives of both parties, Pharisees and Herodians, so that if Jesus avoided offending one party, He would displease the other. The trap was set, at least in their deceitfully evil minds.
They approached Jesus with the flattering assurance that He was so truthful and courageous that they thought He would not hesitate to express His true convictions. And then they proposed their evil but artful question, “Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” Should Jesus say, “Yes,” then He would cease to be a popular icon, for the people despised the hateful oppression of Rome. Should Jesus say, “No,” then His enemies would hurry Him away to the Roman governor and the cross before His time, as a traitor and a rebel.
The dilemma seemed complete; yet Jesus not only escaped the snare, but, in His reply, He enunciated a law for all time, “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” To make plain His meaning, Jesus first called for a Roman coin and asked whose image and superscription it bore. They of course replied, “Caesar’s.” Jesus, therefore, insisted that if they accepted the protection of a government, and the privileges provided by a government, then one was and is, under obligation to support the government.
Christianity never should be identified with any political party or social theory, but Christians should take their stand for loyalty, for law and order, in and through the righteousness of Jesus Christ and His teachings. It is not the whole of life to render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s; one must also render unto God the things that are God’s. The latter higher allegiance includes the former. The enemies of Jesus suggested a conflict of duties; but Jesus showed that there was and is perfect harmony.
Jesus also suggested that there was danger in forgetting God, and our obligations to Him were and are that of trust, service, worship, and love. The true basis for citizenship in the kingdom of God is devotion to God, and no political theory or party allegiance can be taken as a substitute for loyalty to Him. Therefore, the enemies of Jesus were answered and rebuked, and His followers then were and now are given spiritual biblical guidance for all the coming years unto the end of this age.
More Scripture To Consider:
“The same day the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus and asked Him, saying, ‘Teacher, Moses said that if a man dies, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife and raise up offspring for his brother. Now there was with us seven brothers. The first died after he had married, and having no offspring, left his wife to his brother. Likewise, the second also died, and the third, even to the seventh. And last of all, the woman died also. Therefore, in the resurrection, whose wife of the seven will she be? For they all had her.'”
“Jesus answered and said to them, ‘You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God. For in the resurrection, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like the angels of God in heaven. But concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God, saying, “I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob”? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.’ And when the multitudes heard this, they were astonished at His teaching.” Matthew 22.23-33
Something Else To Consider:
Jesus defeated the Pharisees and the Herodians. He was then attacked by the Sadducees, who were the priestly and most powerful party among the Jewish people. They questioned the immorality of the soul, and they believed neither in angels nor in spirits, while representing the modern-day materialists. It is to be noted, however, that the question with which they approached Jesus was not in reference to immorality but to the resurrection of the body.
They proposed the case of a woman, married successively to seven brothers from each of whom she was separated by death. And so, they asked, “Therefore, in the resurrection, whose wife of the seven will she be?” They had hoped that Jesus would either deny the orthodox belief as to the resurrection or make some statement which would contradict the law of Moses which made the successive marriages lawful. The reply of Jesus was one of which is applicable to many modern skeptics, “You are mistaken [or in error], not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God.”
This twofold ignorance caused them to imagine a contradiction which really did not exist. First, as to the power of God; He was and is able to provide a life in which there is no death, or birth, or marriage, but where the relations are even higher than the most blessed relationship of earth. Such an existence, with its higher laws, is consistent with the facts and laws of our present life.
Second, as to the Scriptures; what do they declare that God has promised to do? Jesus answered this question by quoting from the very system of law to which the Sadducees had referred, by stating, “I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And then Jesus added, “God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.” Jesus meant to establish the fact of the continued existence of the dead; yet not merely that, but to prove the resurrection of the dead. The latter was the question at issue.
Life, as used by our Lord, indicated normal life; not that of the disembodied soul, but of an immortal soul clothed with a deathless body. Those “living” are therefore, the risen. The confident expectation of such a future state is based on our relation to God. If He is truly our God, and we are truly His people, the triumph of death will be ended by the glory of a resurrection from the dead. Many find this hard to believe because it seems to contradict known laws of science but will someday be explained by the discovery of the higher laws of God.
Something More To Consider:
The ensnaring agenda style questions asked of Jesus by the established religious ruling class, certainly were not asked to increase the knowledge or understanding of Scripture or of Jesus’ mission plans. These questions, which were meant solely to entrap Jesus and create division between Him and the following multitudes, and to discredit Jesus and to decrease His popularity among the people.
After revealing their hypocrisy concerning whether to pay taxes to Caesar or not, these so-called religious leaders marveled at His discerning wisdom, and so they left Him and went away. And yet, on the very same day, after Jesus soundly defeated the pre-meditated deception of the Pharisees and the Herodians, the Sadducees came with their foolishly contrived fable of seven brothers all dying after having the same wife on earth. The question they should have asked themselves was just how foolish did they think Jesus really was?
The Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection, and yet they attempted to ensnare Jesus with the very premise of resurrection. But why did they not believe in the resurrection? The Old Testament attested to the doctrine of the resurrection. In Isaiah 26.19, the prophet wrote, “Your dead shall live; together with my dead body they shall arise. Awake and sing, you who dwell in dust; for your dew is like the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.” Job 19.25-26 and Daniel 12.2, also speak to the validity of the resurrection.
A Few Final Words:
The Sadducees ensnaring question ended with them asking Jesus which of the seven brothers would be her husband in heaven. But Jesus answered, and said unto them, “You are mistaken, [you do err], not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God. For in the resurrection, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels of God in heaven.”
I love to read Jesus’ answer! “You [the so-called religious rulers, you who are to be teaching the Word of God] you are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures.” Scriptural knowledge always defeats deceitful motives and evil agendas. Jesus, in Matthew 24.4, just before teaching the sequential order of end time events, warned, “Take heed, that no one deceives you.” Are we heeding the warning given by Jesus to not be deceived?
In Closing:
The world is full of deceitful agendas! But what is most difficult to understand is the wide-spread religious deception due to a lack of scriptural knowledge. How often are we mistaken? How often do we walk in error, not knowing the Scriptures? If we fail the test of scriptural knowledge, we are sure to be found mistaken. Therefore, let us seek to grow in the grace and in the knowledge of the Word of God from this moment on!
Let’s Pray:
Our Father in heaven, thank You for revealing the ensnaring questions of the religious rulers of Jesus’ day. Help us never to be deceived by the enemy’s lies and deception. And help us never to foolishly deceive others by our not knowing the Scriptures. But rather, help us to study the Scriptures to show ourselves approved unto God and unashamed of the Word of God, of whom is Jesus. In Him Always, Amen!
According to Jesus 