Jesus the Lamb of God is Tested and Found Spotless

Jesus Is Found to Be Without Spot or Wrinkle

Religious Leaders Test Jesus

From this time on, the Pharisees went out and plotted on how they could trap Jesus in His own words. They watched Him closely and sent spies out who pretended to be sincere1 so they could find a reason to grab Him. They did this so they could arrest Him based on something He might say and then deliver Him up to the rule and authority of the governor, Pontius Pilate (M 22:15, L 20:20).

Is it Lawful to Pay Taxes to Caesar

2 The Pharisees sent some of their disciples, along with some of Herod's supporters, called Herodians, to catch Him in His words. They came and asked Him, "Teacher, we know You are true, and that You say and teach things correctly. You are not concerned with conforming to other people's views2 because You have no regard for the opinions of men3 but, rather, teach the way of God truthfully (Consider Proverbs 27:6). So tell us, what do You think? Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar? Should we pay them or not?" (M 22:16-17, K 12:13-15a, L 20:21-22).

3 Knowing their hypocrisy, Jesus recognized their wicked schemes and said, "You hypocrites! Why are you testing Me? Bring the money you use to pay the taxes here so that I can see it" (M 22:18-19a, K 12:15b, L 20:23-24a, but not b or c).

4 They brought Him a denarius (M 22:19b, K 12:16a, but not b or c).

5 So then He asked them, "Whose image and inscription is this?" (M 22:20, K 12:16b but not c or a, L 20:24b but not a or c).

6 "Caesars," they replied (M 22:21a, K 12:16c, L 20:24c).

7 "Then give back to Caesar that which is Caesar's and give back to God that which is God's" (M 22:21b, K 12:17a, L 20:25).

8 And when they heard this, they were very surprised by His answer, and so they kept silent. And since they could not trap Him in His own words, to pit the people against Him, they left Him alone and went away (M 22:22, K 12:17b, L 20:26).

Sadducees Ask, "Who's Wife Will She Be in the Resurrection?"

9 On that same day (Tuesday the 12th of Nisan or our April 8th),4 some of the Sadducees who say there is no such thing as people being raised into everlasting life came to Him and said, "Teacher, Moses wrote to us and said, 'if a man's brother dies and leaves his wife behind without any children, his brother is then suppose to marry her to have and raise children for him (Deuteronomy 25:5-6).' Now then, there were seven brothers with us. The first one took a wife and died after he married her. And since he did not have any children, he left his wife to his brother" (M 22:23-25, K 12:18-20, L 20:27-29).

10 "The same thing also happened to the second and the third. It even went up to as far as the seventh. Finally the woman herself even died. So then, when they are raised to life, which one of the seven brother's wife will she be? All seven of them have had her as their wife" (M 22:26-28, K 12:21-23, L 20:30-33).

11 "You are wrong," Jesus said. "You do not understand the Scripture nor the power of God. The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage. But those who are considered worthy to take part5 in that age, the time when they are raised from the dead, neither marry nor are they given in marriage. For they cannot die anymore. They are equal to the angels in heaven. They are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection" (M 22:29-30, K 12:24-26a, L 20:34-36).

12 "But concerning the dead being raised to life, do you not remember the words spoken to you by God through Moses, where he showed you in the burning-bush passage that the dead are raised, when he called the Lord, 'The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob (Exodus 3:6)?' Therefore, He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, because everyone lives to Him. So obviously, you are seriously wrong" (M 22:31-32, K 12:26b-27, L 20:37-38).

"What is the Greatest Commandment?"

13 When the crowds heard this, they were amazed at His teaching. Some of the scribes even said, "Teacher, You have spoken well." But when the Pharisees heard that He had silenced the Sadducees, they grouped together against Him (M 22:33-34, L 20:39).

14 However, one of the scribes (a man learned in the law) came, having heard them discussing this, and seeing that Jesus had answered them well, and asked Him a question, to test Him, saying, "Teacher, which is the first and greatest commandment of the entire law?" (M 22:35-36, K 12:28).

15 Jesus said to him,

"First there is,

"This is the first and greatest commandment. But the second one is like it:

"There is no commandment greater than these. In fact, the whole law and all the prophets hang on these two commandments" (M 22:37-40, K 12:29-31).

16 Hearing this, the scribe replied, "Well said, teacher. You are right when you say He is One and that there is no other God but Him,7 and that to love Him with all our heart, understanding, and strength (Deuteronomy 6:5). as well as to love one's neighbor as one loves himself (Leviticus 19:18). is much more important than all the burnt offerings and sacrifices (Isaiah 1:10-17, Hosea 6:6, Micah 6:6-8)" (K 12:32-33).

17 When Jesus saw that the scribe had answered sensibly, He said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God" (K 12:34a).

18 After that, and from that day on, no one had the courage to ask Jesus anything else (9:21M 22:46b9:23, K 12:34b, L 20:40).

"Whose Son is the Christ?"

19 But while the Pharisees were gathered together, as Jesus was teaching in Yhvh's House, He asked them, "What do you think about the Messiah? Whose Son is He?" (M 22:41-42a, K 12:35a).

20 "The Son of David," they replied (M 22:42b).

21 Jesus said, "Then how can the scribes say that the Messiah is the Son of David, since David, by the Holy Spirit, said in the book of Psalms:

"Therefore, if David himself calls Him 'Lord' then how is it that He is his Son?" (M 22:43-45, K 12:35b-37a, L 20:41-44).

22 Having said this, no one could say a thing in return, and the rest of the people listened to Him gladly (M 22:46a, 9:18K 12:37b).

Pharisees Sit in Moses' Seat

23 Then, as all the people were listening, Jesus said to the crowds, as well as to His disciples, "The scribes and Pharisees sit in the seat of Moses: Whatever they tell you to do, do it. But do not do it in the same way they do their works. For they say that they do it, but then they don't.8 They make bundles of heavy burdens and place them on men's shoulders – even though they are too heavy to carry – while they are unwilling to move them with a single finger themselves" (9:18M 23:1-4, L 20:45).

24 He also taught them, saying, "Beware of the Scribes who like to walk around in fancy robes. For they do all their works to be seen by men. They make their tefillin9 big and enlarge the tassels on their outer garments.10 They love to be greeted in the market places, to have the honorable places at the feasts and in the congregations, and to have men call them 'Teacher.' But with you, do not have yourselves to be called 'Teacher.' For there is only One who is your Teacher; and you are all brothers" (M 23:5-8, K 12:38, L 20:46).

25 "Also, do not call anyone on earth your father.11 For there is only One who is your Father, and He is in heaven. Also, do not be called leaders because there is only One who is your leader – the Messiah. For whoever is the greatest among you will be the one who is as your servant.12 Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be lifted up" (M 23:9-12, K 12:39).

"Woe to You Scribes and Pharisees."

26 "But woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven up against men. You do not go in for yourselves nor do you allow those who are entering to go in" (M 23:13).

27 "Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!13 You devour widows' houses and then, for appearance,14 make long prayers. On account of this, you will receive a greater condemnation"15 (M 23:14, K 12:40, L 20:4710:1).

28 "Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, two faced! You travel all over the land and sea to win just one convert, and once he is converted, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are" (M 23:15).

29 "Woe to you blind guides, who say, "Whoever swears by the holy place of the House of God it means nothing, but whoever swears by the gold in holy place of the House of God, he is obligated to fulfill it.' That is foolish and blind! Which is greater, the gold, or the holy place that sets the gold apart?"16 (M 23:16-17).

30 "You also say, 'Whoever swears by the altar, it means nothing, but whoever swears by the gift that is on the altar, he is obligated to fulfill it.' That is foolish and ignorant! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that sets the gift apart?" (M 23:18-19).

31 "This being so, whoever swears by the altar, swears by it and everything on it. And anyone who swears by the most Holy Place of the Lord's House, swears by it and by Him who dwells within it.17 And he who swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God and by Him who sits on it" (M 23:20-22).

32 "Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You pay a tenth of your mint, dill, and cumi. But then you neglect the more important parts of the law like justice, mercy, and faith" (Micah 6:8). You should have done these first parts of the law without leaving the other parts of the law undone. Blind guides! You strain out a fruit fly and yet swallow an entire camel!" (M 23:23-24).

33 "Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, two faced! For you clean off the outside of the dish and cup, but inside they are still full of plundering and a desire for power. Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, so that then the outside can be clean as well" (M 23:25-26).

34 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, two faced! You are like whitewashed tombs that look beautiful on the outside, but inside they are still full of dead men's bones and total uncleanness (Numbers 19:11). In the same way, you, also, on the surface appear righteous to men, but inside yourselves you are still full of hypocrisy18 and lawlessness"19 (M 23:27-28).

35 "Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous, saying, 'If we had lived in the days of our forefathers, we would not have been with them in shedding their blood'" (M 23:29-30).

36 "But as it is, you testify against yourselves by saying this – that you are the sons of those who murdered the prophets. In that case, complete the extent of your forefathers' sin. You snakes, you whole nest of poisonous snakes. How are you going to escape the condemnation of hell?20 Well, on account of all this, behold, I am sending you prophets, wise men, and scribes. Some of them you will kill and crucify, and others you will flog in your congregations, and also persecute them from city to city" (M 23:31-34).

37 "I will do this so that all the righteous blood that has been shed on the earth may come upon you – From the blood of righteous Abel (Genesis 4) to the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the Sanctuary of Yhvh's House (2 Chronicles 24-20-22) and the altar. For I assure you, all these things will come upon you and your family"21 (M 23:35-36).