Good morning, everyone!
Today I read Matthew 22-23.
In today's reading, the Pharisees and Sadducees question Jesus, hoping to trip Him up.
The Pharisees ask whether it is lawful to give taxes (in this case, tithes) to Caesar.
His response?
Matthew 22:18-22 - But Jesus perceived their malice, and said, "Why are you testing Me, you hypocrites? Show Me the coin used for the poll-tax." And they brought Him a denarius. And He said to them, "Whose likeness and inscription is this?" They said to Him, "Caesar's." Then He said to them, "Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's; and to God the things that are God's." And hearing this, they were amazed, and leaving Him, they went away.
Later that day, the Sadducees also tested Jesus.
"The law says that if a man dies without children, his brother is to marry his widow. What if he has seven brothers, and each dies so she marries all of them, whose wife is she?"
Jesus declares that they are misunderstanding the Scriptures. He says that people are like the angels in heaven, in that they are no longer married in heaven. Marriage is no longer necessary.
They are astonished.
But the Pharisees, hearing this, question Him again, asking which of the commandments in the Law is the greatest.
Matthew 22:37-40 - And He said to him, "YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.' This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.' On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.
Then it's Jesus' turn to ask questions. He asks them what they think about the Christ (not declaring Himself to be so) and asks whose son they think the Christ is.
They answer that He is David's son.
So, Jesus questions why then David calls Him Lord, if He is David's son.
Matthew 22:46 - No one was able to answer Him a word, nor did anyone dare from that day on to ask Him another question.
Jesus left them speechless, and the Pharisees could not ask Him any more questions. He spoke the truth of the Law, and they knew it.
I hope you'll join me tomorrow when I read Matthew 24-25.
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