What Jesus Did : Matthew 22:23-29 - Isn't This Why You're Wrong?
by Phil Ware
Isn't This Why You're Wrong? - Matthew 22:23-29
That same day some Sadducees came to Jesus. (Sadducees believe that no person will rise from death.) The Sadducees asked Jesus a question. They said, "Teacher, Moses told us that if a married man dies and he had no children, then his brother must marry the woman. Then they will have children for the dead brother. There were seven brothers among us. The first one married but died. He had no children. So his brother married the woman. Then the second brother also died. The same thing happened to the third brother and all the other brothers. The woman was last to die. But all seven men had married her. So when people rise from death, whose wife will she be?" Jesus answered, "You don't understand because you don't know what the Scriptures say. And you don't know about the power of God." (ERV) Full Text
Key Thought
Don't you just love the way Jesus brushes away this obtuse, convoluted argument with one sentence! "Nope, you're just wrong because you don't know God!" Wow! Such authoritative force and such clear truth. In a world that doesn't want to hurt anyone's feelings, it's refreshing to hear someone say, "The emperor isn't wearing any clothes!" The Sadducees' learning, tradition, and political power are all swept away by the straightforward truth!
Today's Prayer
Holy God, give me the courage to simply and straightforwardly tell the truth and not look for political angles to soften the truth when it is being mocked. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
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Then the Pharisees left the place where Jesus was teaching. They made plans to catch Jesus saying something wrong. The Pharisees sent some men to Jesus {to trick him}. They sent some of their own followers and some men from the group called Herodians. These men said, "Teacher, we know that you are an honest man. We know that you teach the truth about God's way. You are not afraid of what other people think about you. All men are the same to you. So tell us what you think. Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar ? Yes or no?" But Jesus knew that these men were trying to trick him. So he said, "You hypocrites ! Why are you trying to catch me saying something wrong? Show me a coin used for paying the tax." The men showed Jesus a silver coin. Then Jesus asked, "Whose picture is on the coin? And whose name is written on the coin?" The men answered, "It is Caesar's picture and Caesar's name." Then Jesus said to them, "Give to Caesar the things that are Caesar's. And give to God the things that are God's." Those men heard what Jesus said, and they were amazed. They left him and went away. That same day some Sadducees came to Jesus. (Sadducees believe that no person will rise from death.) The Sadducees asked Jesus a question. They said, "Teacher, Moses told us that if a married man dies and he had no children, then his brother must marry the woman. Then they will have children for the dead brother. There were seven brothers among us. The first one married but died. He had no children. So his brother married the woman. Then the second brother also died. The same thing happened to the third brother and all the other brothers. The woman was last to die. But all seven men had married her. So when people rise from death, whose wife will she be?" Jesus answered, "You don't understand because you don't know what the Scriptures say. And you don't know about the power of God. At the time when people rise from death, there will be no marriage. People will not be married to each other. Allpeople will be like the angels in heaven. Surely you have read what God said to you about the rising from death? God said, 'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. ' {If God said he is their God, then} these men are not really dead. He is the God only of living people." All the people heard this. They were amazed at Jesus' teaching.
-- Matthew 22:15-33 (ERV)
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