Matthew
22:23-46
Lesson 45
22:23-46
Lesson 45
Matthew 22:23-46
Testing Jesus 23 The same day came to him the Sadducees, which say that there is no resurrection, and asked him, 24 Saying, Master, Moses said, If a man die, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother. 25 Now there were with us seven brethren: and the first, when he had married a wife, deceased, and, having no issue, left his wife unto his brother: 26 Likewise the second also, and the third, unto the seventh. 27 And last of all the woman died also. 28 Therefore in the resurrection whose wife shall she be of the seven? for they all had her. 29 Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God. 30 For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven. 31 But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying, 32 I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living. 33 And when the multitude heard this, they were astonished at his doctrine. 34 But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together. 35 Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, 36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law? 37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. 41 While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, 42 Saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The son of David. 43 He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying, 44 The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool? 45 If David then call him Lord, how is he his son? 46 And no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions. |
Margin notes:
"There is no resurrection." (22:23 - Unlike the Pharisees, the Sadducees believed that souls died with the person. They denied such things as the immortality of the soul, the resurrection of the body, and the existence of angels, demons, and spirits (Acts 23:8). "Raise up seed unto his brother." (22:24) - This means "have children for his brother." According to the Jewish Law of levirate, if a married man died before having a son, his brother was to marry the widow, have children, and provide for her (Deuteronomy 25:5-9). "Having no issue." (22:25) - "Having no children." "Angels." (22:30) - Are angels real? Click here "Touching the resurrection of the dead." (22:31) - "Concerning the resurrection of the dead." "I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?" (22:32) - Jesus cites Genesis 26:24 and Exodus 3:6 in His response to the Sadducees. Since God states, "I am" rather than "I was" the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, it shows that their souls have been resurrected. See also Acts 7:31-32. "They were astonished at his doctrine." (22:33) - "They were astonished at His teachings." This is not the first time Jesus amazed people (Matthew 7:28; 22:22). "A lawyer." (22:35) - Usually called scribes, they were experts in Jewish law and the Old Testament prophecies. They were predominantly Pharisees and helped interpret the Law and settle religious arguments. "Tempting him." (22:35) - "Testing him." "Which is the great commandment in the law?" (22:36) - The Pharisees had listed over six hundred commandments and often argued amongst themselves which was the most important. "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind." (22:37) - Jesus is quoting from Deuteronomy 6:5, part of the Shema. See also Deuteronomy 10:12. "This is the first and the great commandment." (22:38) - This is one of the most important messages in the Bible: love God, and everything else follows (22:40). "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." (22:39) - Jesus is quoting Leviticus 19:18. His message of love is reinforced in Matthew 19:19 and Galatians 5:14. "They say unto him, The son of David." (22:42) - Jesus was a descendant of King David, as prophesized. See Matthew 1:1-16 for Jesus' genealogy. "How then doth David in spirit call him Lord." (22:43) - "Then why did David, by the power of the Holy Spirit, call Him Lord?" "The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool?" (22:44) - Jesus is quoting Psalms 110:1, where King David called Jesus "my Lord." By calling Jesus "my Lord," King David acknowledged that He is the Son of God. "Neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions." (22:46) - After this encounter, the Pharisees, Sadducees, and scribes gave up trying to catch Jesus in a verbal trap. |