| |
The Sadducees and Pharisees were always playing games with Jesus. They, like some today, thought they could outsmart God.
Here in Matthew 22, we find some intense back-and-forth debating from the teachers of the law. As we discussed a few chapters back, the Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection. This riddle they pose to Jesus starting in verse 24 was no doubt used against their religious rivals – The Pharisees. The Sadducees thought of themselves as prestigious and loved to argue. Jesus plainly tells them – you are wrong. Because they had not accepted the Word of God, they had limited their own understanding of the supernatural. As Paul writes, “their minds had become darkened.”
After Jesus silences the Sadducees, the Pharisees take their turn. They question Jesus on the laws and He answers with the greatest commandments – love God and love people. When you consider the Ten Commandments, you can see how plainly these two phrases sum up the law and the prophets. The first four commandments deal with love for God and the last six deal with our responsibilities toward others.
Finally, Jesus has a question for the Pharisees. He wants to know, regarding the Christ, whose son is He? The correct answer is God’s Son. This is the answer which has been illustrated time and time again directly before the Pharisees’ eyes. The most popular phrase for the Messiah in that time was Son of David. This is the Pharisees’ response. This simple answer reveals a very big theological ideal. The Pharisees did not believe the Christ to be divine, but merely an upgraded David. They would not admit that Jesus was this man, but more importantly, they would not admit that He was God in the flesh.
It’s so important to understand that this singular point is what divides humanity when it comes to Jesus Christ. He is universally considered a real man who lived during the first century. He is universally considered a good man who preached truth and did lots of good works. He is universally considered a wise man who was well-respected as a teacher and rabbi. However, when it comes to admitting to the claim that He was God in the flesh, many will scoff and demand “evidence.” This is the reason why so many hated Him then, and why so many hate Him today. Notice, most of the Pharisees still didn’t believe even when the evidence stood before them in person.
As Christians, this is the foundation of our faith. The sinless lamb of God was placed on the cross in order to atone for our life of sin. The only way we know this with certainty is through the precious gift of faith. We do not come on our own, but are drawn by Him. Our goal as Christians shouldn’t be to provide endless amounts of evidence, but to enthusiastically represent Christ’s characteristics and pray that others would have “eyes to see.”