Sunday: Pharisees & Herodians — Matthew 22:15-22; Mark 12:13-17; Luke 20:20-26
Because Rome empowered King Herod, the Herodians supported paying taxes to Caesar. Because the Romans were a paganistic Gentile nation, the Pharisees abhorred the taxation. But to trap Jesus, these two enemies join together. If Jesus had answered their question on taxes either way, He would have been ensnared. By Jesus’ astonishing answer, He avoided the trap and taught important truths: (1) rulers must be honored and obeyed (Romans 13; 1 Peter 2:13-17; 1 Timothy 2:1-4); (2) God must be honored and obeyed (Acts 5:27-32); (3) man bears God’s image and owes God everything (Genesis 1:26-27).
Monday: Questioned by the Sadducees — Matthew 22:23-28; Mark 12:18-23; Luke 20:27-33
The Sadducees accepted only the Pentateuch (the 5 books of Moses), and didn’t believe in any resurrection. They tried to trap Jesus using a hypothetical situation of preserving a man’s name lest he die with no male heir, a brother in the family would marry his brother’s widow (see Deuteronomy 25:5-10). But could a woman end up with seven husbands in an eternal kingdom? It was entirely by this concept that the Sadducees felt they discredited any resurrection.
Tuesday: Answering the Sadducees — Matthew 22:29-33; Mark 12:24-27; Luke 20:34-40
Imagine the looks on their faces when Jesus told the Sadducees they were ignorant of the Scriptures, and ignorant of God’s power! Referring back to Moses’ writings, Jesus reminds them that God is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (not was the God…), meaning that these men would one day live again!
Wednesday: Questioned by a Lawyer — Matthew 22:34-36; Mark 12:28
Now, a lawyer tests Jesus by asking, “What is the greatest commandment?” This had been debated for centuries, and the scribes had listed 248 positive and 365 negative commands in the Law. Who could hope to know and keep them all perfectly? So the experts had separated them into “heavy” (important) and “light” (trivial) commandments, and encouraged an emphasis upon the “heavier” ones. But this thinking was in error: for you need break only one law to be guilty of all! (James 2:10).
Thursday: Answering the Lawyer — Matthew 22:37-40; Mark 12:29-34
Jesus quoted the Shema (Deuteronomy 6:4), a verse recited daily by every orthodox Jew, identifying that the core of serving God is in loving Him: it is a matter of the heart. Surprisingly, Jesus also quoted Leviticus 19:18—love for one’s neighbor—and made it equal with the Shema! Love is the foundation for all obedience, for all of the Law is summed up by the command to love (Romans 13:8-10). If we love God, we’ll strive to please Him; if we love our neighbor we won’t do anything to harm him. Take note that Jesus only partially commended the lawyer’s response.
Friday: Jesus Asks a Question — Matthew 22:41-46; Mark 12:35-37; Luke 20:41-44
Jesus put an end to the tricky questions being posed by asking the ultimate doctrinal question: How could Christ be the Son of David when David called Him Lord? This inspired question from Psalm 110:1 points to the divine status of the Messiah. For David to call Christ, “Lord,” Messiah would have to be much more than mere man. (See note at the end of Lesson Questions)
Saturday: Beware the Lawyers? — Mark 12:38-40; Luke 20:45-47
It is character that makes a person valuable, not his uniform, not his title, nor the office he holds. All that derives from the carnal is superficial and artificial, and leads to carnal pride. Real character