"Christ's Answer to His Critics" 

  1. THE QUESTION OF TRIBUTE -- 22:15-22
         This was asked by the Herodians, a religious group with political ambitions. While there is not much information about them, it appears that they had friendship toward Rome. They were opposed to the Pharasees who hated Roman rule; but these two enemies got together when it came to opposing Christ.
        I feel the question of tribute was a "touchy subject." If Christ opposed tribute to Rome, the He could be arrested as a traitor and a man dangerous to the government. It He favored tribute to Caesar, He would lose the hearts of the Jews who despised their Roman rulers. Christ's reply shows that the true child of God has obligations BOTH to God and to his country. Remember, the best citizen is a Christian citizen. Just as Caesar stamped his image on the coin, so God has stamped His image on man (Gen. 1:26-27). Sin has marred that image, but through Christ we receive again that image that we lost (Eph. 4:24), and Col. 3:10). The parable of the lost coin in Luke 15:8-10 suggests that man, made in the image of God, is lost and must be found before that true image can be revealed.
  2. THE QUESTION OF RESURRECTION -- 22:23-33
        Now the Sadducees enter the picture with a doctrinal problem. We see once again how the Pharisees and Sadducees, who were enemies, unite to oppose Christ. They presented a question about marriage in the next life, based on the OT law that a man marry his brother's widow to penetrate the family (Gen. 38:8 and Deut. 25:5-10). They were ignorant, said Jesus, of God's power and God's Word. He explained that human marriage as we know it will not exist in the next life, but that men will be as angels, that is, sexless, and living in a spiritual world not controlled by human laws. (THIS DOES NOT MEAN THAT WE SHALL BE ANGELS, BUT THAT WE SHALL BE LIKE THEM in regard to marriage. Saints will always reign as children of God, and not as servants like angels. 
        Christ answered His critics from the Bible, referring to (Ex. 3:6 and Ex. 3:15-16). God said, "I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, " not " I WAS the God....." Death does not destroy the real person, although the body may turn to dust. Jesus teaches that the soul exists after death, and those who have faith go to be with God. Certainly God's power is great enough to raise them from the dead!!!
  3. THE QUESTION OF THE GREAT COMMANDMENT -- 22:34-46
         Now the Pharisees appear openly to ask a legal question about the OT law. (The word "put to silence" in verse 34 means "muzzled" showing how completely Christ has silenced His enemies). The Pharisees thought they could trap Jesus by forcing Him to take sides on these issues.
        No man can love God apart from knowing Jesus Christ as Saviour (John 8:42); and when a man knows and loves God, the love of God will be shed abroad from his heart by the Spirit (Rom. 5:5). Christ is not speaking of that shallow, sentimental love for God and man that the modernistic preachers talk about, He is talking about a deep heart love for God because of the work of Christ on the cross.
        Having silenced the Herodians, Sadducees, and Pharisees, Christ now asks a question Himself (22:41-42) -- but no one is able to answer it. He refers to Psalm 110:1 where David called Him "Lord." Notice that Christ states that David wrote the Psalm; that he wrote it inspired by the Spirit. His question was, "If David then called Him Lord (meaning He is God), then how can He be David's Son?" The answer is given in Matthew 1-2 -- the virgin birth of Christ.
    As eternal God, Christ is David's Lord; but as the God-man, come in the flesh, He is David's SON. If the Scribes and Pharisees had answered this question correctly, they would have had to acknowledge the Messiahship of Christ. But in their hardness of heart, they rejected the truth and turned to more devilish ways of silencing Him. They were the children of the devil (John 8: 44); they had tried LIES and had failed, so now they would try to murder Him.
        If you have read all of Psalm 110, you will notice it deals with the high priesthood of Jesus Christ, as well as His conquest of His enemies. Peter quotes it in Acts 2:32-36 to prove the resurrection of Christ; and it is also quoted in Hebrews 10:12-13. Having been rejected as King by the Jews, Christ will turn to the Gentiles and become their High Priest. When He returns to the earth, He will make His enemies the footstool of His feet. He is patiently waiting until that day of judgment and triumph.
 
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