COMPETING QUESTIONERS

INTRODUCTION-- The most provocative questions asked of Jesus came from the rulers and sectarians of the Jews. Pharisees, Sadducees, Scribes and Priests, who saw Jesus as a threat to their earthly ambitions, had as their common goal to rid themselves of His competition. Their questions, however, reflect their various dogmas, as well as their prejudices.

1. The Pharisees (called the "strictest sect" in Acts 26:5) emphasized strict obedience to the Law, and often discussed various opinions of famous Rabbis concerning the fine points of the law. This is revealed in their question about marriage and divorce in Matthew 19:1-9, which we will discuss in the future.
   
2. The Sadducees said "that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit; but the Pharisees confess both," Acts 23:8. (Paul could exploit this division in his trial. Vs. 6-7) Most of the chief priests of Jesus time were Sadducees.
   
3. The Priests, whether Sadducees or not, had concerns about losing their place as rulers of the Jews, if Jesus prevailed. When the disturbing report of the resurrection of Lazarus reached them, the High Priest said, "Ye know nothing at all, nor do ye take account that it is expedient for you that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not." John the Apostle then comments, "Now this he said not of himself: but, being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for the nation; and not for the nation only, but that he might also gather together into one the children of God that are scattered abroad. So from that day forth they took counsel that they might put him to death." John 11:49b-52
   
4. The Scribes prided themselves on their knowledge of the Law of Moses, which they copied as their vocation. Their questions of Jesus were tests of wit.

LESSON-- This lesson deals with questions all asked on the same day in the last week of the ministry of Christ.

1. The Pharisees first sent some disciples, along with others, to ask a trick question. Matthew 22:15-22 "Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might ensnare him in his talk. And they send to him their disciples, with the Herodians, saying, Teacher, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, and carest not for any one: for thou regardest not the person of men. Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not? But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why make ye trial of me, ye hypocrites? Show me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a denarius. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? They say unto him, Caesar's. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's. And when they heard it, they marvelled, and left him, and went away."
   
   1. Robertson, in his Word Studies of the New Testament, says that the denarius "was the principal silver coin of the Roman empire in NT times. From the parable of the labourers in the vineyard, it would seem that a denarius was then the ordinary pay for a day's wages (Matthew 20:2-13)."
      
   2. This question was on a political question.
      
      1. The Zealots were a radical political force opposed to the rule of Rome.
         
      2. The sentiment of most of the Jews about their rulers was probably based on Deuteronomy 17:14-15. "When thou art come unto the land which Jehovah thy God giveth thee, and shalt possess it, and shalt dwell therein, and shalt say, I will set a king over me, like all the nations that are round about me; thou shalt surely set him king over thee, whom Jehovah thy God shall choose: one from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee; thou mayest not put a foreigner over thee, who is not thy brother."
         
   3. Jesus exposed their hypocrisy, when they showed him the "tribute money." Since it was a Roman coin, it belonged to Caesar. But due service must also be given to God.
      
   4. The Christian in any nation has the duty to respect his government.
      
      1. Romans 13:7 "Render to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor."
         
      2. 1 Peter 2:17 "Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king."
         
2. The Sadducees next came forward with their question. Mark's version is found in Mark 12:18-27 "And there come unto him Sadducees, who say that there is no resurrection; and they asked him, saying, Teacher, Moses wrote unto us, If a man's brother die, and leave a wife behind him, and leave no child, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother. There were seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and dying left no seed; and the second took her, and died, leaving no seed behind him; and the third likewise: and the seven left no seed. Last of all the woman also died. In the resurrection whose wife shall she be of them? for the seven had her to wife. Jesus said unto them, Is it not for this cause that ye err, that ye know not the scriptures, nor the power of God? For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as angels in heaven. But as touching the dead, that they are raised; have ye not read in the book of Moses, in the place concerning the Bush, how God spake unto him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? He is not the God of the dead, but of the living: ye do greatly err."
   
   1. Jesus accused them of being ignorant of the Scriptures ("Ye know not the Scriptures"), and they proved it by failing to believe in Angels, Spirits, or in life after death (i.e., the resurrection).
      
      1. In the version I use most, the word angel appears 105 times in the Old Testament (all the Scripture available to the Sadducees).
         
      2. In the OT, the "Spirit of God" is mentioned 14 times, and the "Holy Spirit" is mentioned in 3 references. (If the "spirit" the Sadducees did not believe in was the eternal human spirit, they were ignorant of the many times spirits of various kinds were mentioned in the Scripture.)
         
   2. They missed learning about the existence of life after death, a key element of the concept of "resurrection," when they gave careless scrutiny to the words of God out of the burning bush. God had said, "I am (a present infinitive phrase) the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob," after these men had died a physical death. So, He was the God of the "living."
      
3. Finally, one of the Scribes came with his question. Mark 12:28-34 "And one of the scribes came, and heard them questioning together, and knowing that he had answered them well, asked him, What commandment is the first of all? Jesus answered, The first is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God, the Lord is one: and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength. The second is this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. And the scribe said unto him, Of a truth, Teacher, thou hast well said that he is one; and there is none other but he: and to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbor as himself, is much more than all whole burnt-offerings and sacrifices. And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question."
   
   1. This man came the closest to being convinced of Jesus' superior knowledge of the Word of God.
      
   2. When he said that the two great commandments were "much more than all whole burnt-offerings and sacrifices," he showed that he was aware of the spirit of the law, as well as the words.
      
      1. When Samuel rebuked Saul for his failures, he said, "Hath Jehovah as great delight in burnt-offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of Jehovah? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams" (1 Samuel 15:22).
         
      2. Solomon wrote, "To do righteousness and justice Is more acceptable to Jehovah than sacrifice" (Proverbs 21:3).
         
      3. The prophet Hosea spoke for God, when he proclaimed, "For I desire goodness, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt-offerings" (Hosea 6:6).
         
   3. Though the Scribe was not "far from the kingdom," the test of his integrity would come when the kingdom came, because Jesus said, "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father who is in heaven." Matthew 7:21

APPLICATION-- After being questioned by these various contending cliques, and answering them so skilfully, they did not dare to ask Jesus any more questions, until they revealed their ultimate animosity toward Jesus at His trial.

1. The person who approaches Jesus with questions based on the desire to discredit Him will not benefit from the great promise of eternal life that rests in His sacrifice.
   
2. The sincere questioner who merely wants to know the way to God will find it.