Year 2, Week 36, Day 5 Bible Reading Observations

Year 2, Week 36, Day 5

I have a brief observation for today’s reading of Matthew 22.

Today’s reading is Matthew’s account of several instructions from Jesus as well as interactions between Jesus and several different groups. Jesus has entered Jerusalem with much public praise, but that soon turns hostile as the Jewish leadership challenges Jesus’ authority. This hostile reception prompts Jesus to once again teach in parable. While these parable began in Matthew 21, Matthew 22 opens with another parable: “And again Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son, and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come” (Matthew 22:1-3). The parable, like many of the immediately preceding parables in Matthew’s Gospel account, point to a rejection toward the King. In their rejections of Jesus, the actions of the Jewish religious leadership reflect many of the parables in this section of Matthew. The rest of Matthew 22 records a series of controversies brought to Jesus with the intent to trap Him: “Then the Pharisees went and plotted how to entangle him in his words. And they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians” (Matthew 22:15-16a). While the Pharisees and Herodians were no natural allies, they are brought together for the common goal of refuting Jesus and undermining His authority. This whole segment of Matthew 22 is something of a battle of wits between Jesus and the Jewish leadership. Altogether, three different challenges are brought to Jesus and then the chapter ends with Jesus offering a challenge for the Pharisees to answer. The chapter ends with Jesus’ challengers being silenced: “And no one was able to answer him a word, nor from that day did anyone dare to ask him any more questions” (Matthew 22:46).

One of the things that struck me from today’s reading was the way in which Jesus handled each of the three challenges that those hostile towards him presented to Him. None of the controversies that were brought to Jesus was prompted out of an earnest attempt to learn from Jesus. For instance, the first controversy was over paying taxes: “Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” (Matthew 22:17). Jesus understands the motivation behind their inquiry: “But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why put me to the test, you hypocrites?” (Matthew 22:18). The whole matter was a hypocritical arrangement designed by the combined efforts of the Pharisees and the Herodians to provoke trouble for Jesus. The began with an insincere flattery: “Teacher, we know that you are true and teach the way of God truthfully, and you do not care about anyone’s opinion, for you are not swayed by appearances” (Matthew 22:16b). But the Pharisees and Herodians surely think they have constructed a fine dilemma in whichever way Jesus answers, He will be in trouble. But Jesus responds with a counter question that they are required to answer: “Show me the coin for the tax.” And they brought him a denarius. And Jesus said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” (Matthew 22:19). Their response to Jesus’ question gives way to Jesus’ final answer: “They said, “Caesar’s.” Then he said to them, “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s” (Matthew 22:21). Give to Caesar what’s his, but do not give to Caesar what belongs to God. The first round of the battle of wits and with the combined forces of the Pharisees and Herodians at their wits end: “When they heard it, they marveled. And they left him and went away” (Matthew 22:22).

One of the other controversies that was present to Jesus was a matter concerning the resurrection from the dead: “Teacher, Moses said, If a man dies having no children, his brother must marry the widow and raise up offspring for his brother.’ Now there were seven brothers among us. The first married and died, and having no offspring left his wife to his brother. So too the second and third, down to the seventh. After them all, the woman died. In the resurrection, therefore, of the seven, whose wife will she be? For they all had her” (Matthew 22:24-28). Like the previous controversy, this matter was not brought to Jesus out of an earnest inquiry to learn from Jesus. The Sadducees question is bogus, for they did not even acknowledge the reality of the resurrection: “The same day Sadducees came to him, who say that there is no resurrection, and they asked him a question” (Matthew 22:23).

Jesus ignores their fictitious question and bores down on the real issue: “But Jesus answered them, “You are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God” (Matthew 22:29). In denying the reality of the resurrection, they were denying the power of God to raise the dead to life. This denial was rooted in their ignorance of the Old Testament Scriptures, which dramatically impaired their understanding of reality. Then Jesus clarifies the ridiculousness of the scenario behind their question: "For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven” (Matthew 22:30). And finally, Jesus addresses their serious error by pointing out what their Scriptures actually affirmed: “And as for the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was said to you by God: I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not God of the dead, but of the living” (Matthew 22:31-32, quoting Exodus 3:6). The Patriarch died physically, but they must still be alive because God continues in a relationship with them as their God. If they are still alive, even though they are physically dead, then life after death through resurrection is a reality. Once again, the assessment in this next round of the battle of wits indicates that the Sadducees were outwitted: “And when the crowd heard it, they were astonished at his teaching” (Matthew 22:33).

What struck you in today’s reading? What questions were prompted from today’s reading?

Pastor Joe