28 Aug 2015
Matthew 22:15-18
Matthew 22:15: “Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk.”
The Pharisees were not looking for wisdom, nor were they interested in the truth of what Christ was saying. They just wanted to trip Him up so that they could kill Him. Of course, Jesus was far too smart for that – it is impossible to trip up God. As you can see, though, their heart was not in the right place. They had no concern for truth or righteousness; they were thoroughly corrupt and entirely evil.
Matthew 22:17: “Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?
18 But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites?”
If you’ll notice, Jesus was not nice, kind, or understanding when it came to dealing with the religious leaders of His day. He knew that they were hypocrites and He called them out on it. He condemned them time and time again, and took them to task for their egregious behavior.
Many Christians today would never dream of doing such a thing, but Jesus did. The people needed to know that their leaders were a bunch of liars, and that listening to them would damn their souls, so He told them loud and clear. In our day there are also many religious leaders who are both heretics and hypocrites, but sadly we don’t have the courage to call them out and warn people about it. That isn’t a good thing, folks.