Summary
Would you open your bios please to Matthew the 22nd chapter if you're using a Pew edition of God's Word you're going to find that on page 21 for our time of study today Matthew chapter 21 the trap the trap you ever noticed how many times when Jesus was asked a question it was a it was a trap question it wasn't a question that was generated out of wanting to know more or having something clarified or gaining more knowledge it was a question that was a trap for him for example take a look as we're in Matthew chapter 22 go down to verse 35 five please there we read this in one of them a lawyer asked him a question to test him teacher which commandment in the law is the greatest what was the motive test him was a trap or turn over please to chapter 19 of Matthew verse three Matthew 19 verse three some Pharisees came to him and to test him they asked is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any cause or back in Matthew chapter 22 picking up in verse 23 the same day some sadgesies came to him saying there is no resurrection and they asked him a question saying teacher Moses said if a man dies childless his brother shall marry the widow and raise up children for his brother now there were seven brothers among us the first married and died childless leaving the widow to his brother the second did the same so also the third down to the seventh last of all the woman herself died in the resurrection then whose wife of seven will she be for all of them had married her let's a convoluted test question isn't it a trap question we see in Scripture that when we are in heaven we are not married and interestingly the question is coming from the sadgesies who didn't believe in the resurrection the trap questions trap questions soul also in our text for today the trap look please adverse 15 then the Pharisees went and plotted to and trap him in what he said so they sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians so there's two groups here the Herodians was a group of Jews they had allegiance to wrong who is the people in power so the Herodians Jewish group they had their allegiance with wrong the Pharisees another Jewish group they hated wrong hated wrong they wrong rule over them so you've got the Pharisees and the Herodians interestingly in mark the third chapter it says the Pharisees went out and immediately conspired with the Herodians against him that being Jesus how to destroy him but typically typically you don't see this this alliance between the Herodians and the Pharisees because they saw things differently going on the very next verse verse 16 so they sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians saying teacher we know that you are sincere and teach the way of God in accordance with truth and show difference to know what for you do not regard people with parciality all of the things of the Herodians and the Pharisees were saying is absolutely true isn't it it is absolutely true that Jesus is sincere and teaches the way of God in accordance with the truth that he shows difference to no one that he didn't regard people with parciality but all of this flattery here for Jesus is absolutely laughable is there was no greater critics of the Lord Jesus than the Pharisees this is all simply a setup for the trap verse 17 tell us then what you think is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor or not the tax here that they're getting after it was called the whole tax it was the most hated tax of the Jews in ancient day it was literally a tax on every single head and the Jews they hated it just a little aside here remember when Mary and Joseph had to go to Bethlehem because a census was taken the purpose of the census being taken was to get an accurate count of the heads for what purpose the poll tax the poll tax they hated it now if Jesus answers no to this question then the Herodians will say not he's being disloyal to Rome he wants to overthrow Rome if he answers yes to the question then the Pharisees will say he's in love with Rome how could he possibly be in love with Rome you see it's a trap it's a trap question of two different groups that already have their answer to the question it's a trap and Jesus sees right through it verse 18 but Jesus aware of their malice said why are you putting me to the test you hypocrites show me the coin used for the tax and they brought him a the Narius memorandonarius is equivalent to a day's worth of wages for a common labor so Jesus turns and says your bunch of hypocrites here show me the coin used for the tax they brought him a denarius the coin would have been silver on one side of the coin it would have had the image of the emperor tibirius Caesar and on the other side of the coin there would be an inscription and the inscription on the coin that was given to Jesus it read tibirius Caesar son of the divine Augustus pretty heavy stuff for the seizures of all to guard themselves as God and you understand here what tibirius Caesar is saying on the coin right that he is the son of God very next verse verse 20 then he Jesus said to them who's head or you translated image who's image is this and who's title they answered the empers everybody would know that then he said to them give therefore to the emperor the things that are the empers give there in the Greek it it's a word that means you owe something pay the debt Jesus says will who's those images on the coin well let's see's as well then pay the debt you have a debt you owe pay it pay the tax hold picks up on this in Romans 13 chapter Paul writing on the inspiration of the spirit writes this let every person be subject to the governing authorities for there's no authority except from God and those authorities that exist have been instituted by God he goes on to say therefore one must be subject not only because of wrath but also because of conscience for the same reason you also pay taxes for the authorities our gods servants busy with this very thing pay to all what's do them taxes to whom taxes are due revenue to whom revenue is due respect to whom respect is due honor to whom honor is due it's the same thought of Jesus isn't it okay then back in chapter 22 of Matthew verse 20 Jesus says he said to them who's head is this and whose title they answered the empers then he said to them give their fork to the emperor the things that are the empers you need to pay the Jesus says you need to pay the tax whose image is on the coin but notice where Jesus goes next in Colossians the very first chapter Paul writes that this speaking of Jesus he says he is the image of the invisible God you want to know what God is like you look at Jesus he is Paul says the image of the invisible God he goes on to say the first born of all creation that's a word that doesn't mean that Jesus was created it's a word that means preeminence for him all things in heaven and on earth were created that's the first chapter of the gospel of John right that through Christ everything was that is was made through Christ for in him all things in heaven on earth were created things visible and invisible with a thrones or dominions or rulers or powers all things have been created through him and for him he owns it all he himself is before all things and in him all things hold together what is Scripture tell us that all of God's promises have their yes in Jesus Paul saying everything holds together through Christ verse 18 he's the head the source the origin he's the origin of the body the church he's the beginning the first born from the dead Jesus was raised out of the tomb he is the cause for the resurrection so that he might come to have first place in everything for in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things whether on earth or in heaven by making peace through the blood of his cross it is a glorious and rich section and how does it all begin he is the image of the invisible God the Pharisees and the Herodians they recognized the image on the coin but they didn't recognize the image of the one who was standing before them the son of God they recognized the image on the coin but not the image of the these son of God standing right before and the son of God says verse 21 give therefore to the emperor the things that are the empowers and that he sets and to God the things that are God's he turns to them and says pay the debt to Caesar pay the debt pay the taxes and the very one that tells them to do that the very one is the one who paid the debt of our sin all of those thoughts all of those words all of those deeds all of the things done and all of the things left undone he paid our debt of our sin on the cross to win for us the absolute the word of forgiveness Jesus said give therefore to the emperor the things that are the empowers and to God the things that are God's and the father sent his son the Lord Jesus Christ to the cross to win salvation and that victory of the cross and the empty tomb is put with the water and we are washed in the victory we are washed in the declaration we are washed in that promise and what does God say in the waters of baptism to us but your mind your mind for all of the turn it your mind give therefore to the emperor the things that are the empowers and to God the things that are God's and may we buy his grace yield absolutely everything in our life every area in our life may we yield it by his grace yield it all to the one to whom we belong first twenty two when they heard this they were amazed and they left him and went away there were amazed for the word means marveled see only time the only time in the entire new testament that this word for amazement is used it's the only time Jesus has schooled them he's schooled them it is concise it is clear it is absolute truth and they are marveling at what they have just heard but what did they do they walked away they walked away from the Lord Jesus Christ they walked away by God's grace let us continue to walk each and every day amazed and marveling at the love of God for us by his grace let us be amazed and marvel at the Lord Jesus Christ the image of the invisible God and by God's grace may we yield everything and free to the one who owns all to the one to whom we belong
Video citations
- "Image" 9-24-23 — Would you open your bios please to Matthew the 22nd chapter if you're using a Pew edition of God's Word you're going to find that on page 21 for our time of study today Matthew chapter 21 the trap…