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Matthew 22:15-22

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Matthew 21:23Jesus entered the temple courts, and, while he was teaching, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him. “By what authority are you doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave you this authority?”

Matthew 21:24Jesus replied, “I will also ask you one question. If you answer me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things.

Matthew 21:25John’s baptism—where did it come from? Was it from heaven, or of human origin?” They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’

Matthew 21:26But if we say, ‘Of human origin’—we are afraid of the people, for they all hold that John was a prophet.”

Matthew 21:27So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.” Then he said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.

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15Then the Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap him in his words.

16They sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians. “Teacher,” they said, “we know that you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren’t swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are.

17Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not?”

18But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, “You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me?

19Show me the coin used for paying the tax.” They brought him a denarius,

20and he asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?”

21“Caesar’s,” they replied. Then he said to them, “So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”

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

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1)       Is Matthew 21:23-27 included in VisionCasting-Matthew21.23-27?

o   Yes.

 

2)       Why is Matthew 21:23-27 included here?

o   It is included here to provide continuity of context.

 

3)       According to verses 15 and 16 what did the Pharisees send their disciples to Jesus along with the Herodians for?

o   They were trying to trap Jesus in his words.

 

4)       What was the motive behind the commendation of Jesus by the Pharisees and Herodians in verse 16?

o   They were trying to put Jesus in a position.

o   Where

o   He had to answer the question.

o   That

o   They were posing to him.

 

5)       Why were the Pharisees and Herodians trying to force Jesus to answer their questionsHHJJJJ?

o   In the previous chapter Jesus asked

§  The chief priests.

§  And the elders of the people.

o   A question about John the Baptist with a choice of two unacceptable options. 

o   Now they

§  Turned the table on Jesus.

§  And asked him a question with a choice of two unacceptable options.

 

6)       How did the question of the Pharisees and Herodians in verse 17 carry a choice of two unacceptable optionsHHJJJJ?

o   Jesus would be

§  Undermining God’s sovereignty.

§  And legitimizing the rule of the Romans over Israel.

o   If

o   He said that it was right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar.

o   Jesus would be inciting rebellion against the Romans.

o   If

o   He said that it was not right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar.

 

7)       What did Jesus say in reply in verses 20 and 21 that avoided the trap of the Pharisees and Herodians?

o   Jesus got them to acknowledge that the coin used for paying the imperial tax

§  Bears the

Ø  Image. 

Ø  And inscription of Caesar.

§  And belongs to Caesar.

o   Paying the imperial tax to Caesar was therefore legitimate.

 

8)       According to verse 22 what was the reaction of the Pharisees and the Herodians?

o   They were amazed.

o   So they

§  Left him.

§  And went away.

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Matthew 22:15-22

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