Matthew 22:15-33

God’s Word of Wisdom

Introduction

Matthew 22:15-33: The religious leaders seek to trap Jesus by asking him questions about paying taxes and about rising from death. Today’s reading mentions two groups of religious leaders—the Pharisees and the Sadducees. Unlike the Pharisees and Jesus, the Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection of the dead.

Scripture Reading

The Question about Paying Taxes

¹⁵ The Pharisees went off and made a plan to trap Jesus with questions. ¹⁶ Then they sent to him some of their disciples and some members of Herod’s party. “Teacher,” they said, “we know that you tell the truth. You teach the truth about God’s will for people, without worrying about what others think, because you pay no attention to anyone’s status. ¹⁷ Tell us, then, what do you think? Is it against our Law to pay taxes to the Roman Emperor, or not?”

¹⁸ Jesus, however, was aware of their evil plan, and so he said, “You hypocrites! Why are you trying to trap me? ¹⁹ Show me the coin for paying the tax!”

They brought him the coin, ²⁰ and he asked them, “Whose face and name are these?”

²¹ “The Emperor’s,” they answered.

So Jesus said to them, “Well, then, pay to the Emperor what belongs to the Emperor, and pay to God what belongs to God.”

²² When they heard this, they were amazed; and they left him and went away.

The Question about Rising from Death

²³ That same day some Sadducees came to Jesus and claimed that people will not rise from death. ²⁴ “Teacher,” they said, “Moses said that if a man who has no children dies, his brother must marry the widow so that they can have children who will be considered the dead man’s children. ²⁵ Now, there were seven brothers who used to live here. The oldest got married and died without having children, so he left his widow to his brother. ²⁶ The same thing happened to the second brother, to the third, and finally to all seven. ²⁷ Last of all, the woman died. ²⁸ Now, on the day when the dead rise to life, whose wife will she be? All of them had married her.”

²⁹ Jesus answered them, “How wrong you are! It is because you don’t know the Scriptures or God’s power. ³⁰ For when the dead rise to life, they will be like the angels in heaven and will not marry. ³¹ Now, as for the dead rising to life: haven’t you ever read what God has told you? He said, ³² ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ He is the God of the living, not of the dead.”

³³ When the crowds heard this, they were amazed at his teaching.

Today’s Key Verse: Matthew 22:31b-32

[Jesus said:] “Haven’t you ever read what God has told you? He said, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ He is the God of the living, not of the dead.”

Reflect

When Jesus challenges the Pharisees who seek to trap him, he tells them,  “pay to God what belongs to God” (verses 15-22). What do you think he means by this? How does this statement imply loyalty and honor to God? In seeking to trap Jesus with a question about rising from death, the Sadducees employ the example of levirate marriage, a practice that ensures continuation of a man’s line by maintaining the woman’s childbearing role in her husband’s family (see Deuteronomy 25:5, 6). What are your thoughts about Jesus’s response to the Sadducees (verses 23-32)? How did the crowds react to Jesus’s teaching (verse 33)?

Pray

Lord God, you are the God of the living. Guide me day by day with your teachings so that I serve in obedience to your will and give honor and glory to you. In your holy name, I pray. Amen.

Tomorrow’s Reading

Lord God, you are the God of the living. Guide me day by day with your teachings so that I serve in obedience to your will and give honor and glory to you. In your holy name, I pray. Amen.