The religious leaders in the Temple on Tuesday of Passion Week deliberately ignored the pointedness of Jesus’ comments about the marriage feast, changing the subject (probably to change the ‘temperature’!) by asking Him a series of three questions.

Matthew 22:15 reveals their motive: The Pharisees “took counsel [discussed among themselves] how to entangle [Jesus] in his talk.”

What followed must certainly have enlightened them to the reality that even several heads aren’t always better than one, for their actions reflect a growing hesitancy to ‘tangle’ with Jesus directly for fear of losing the encounter, thus losing face in front of ‘ordinary’ Jews. It is Luke, not Matthew, who most clearly sizes up the situation: “So...they sent spies [Matthew identifies them as “their disciples, along with the Herodians”], who pretended to be sincere, that they might take hold of what he said [Mark: “entrap him in his talk”], so as to deliver him up to the authority and jurisdiction of the governor.” (Mt. 22:16; Mk.12:13; Lk. 20:20)

Even this much of the story reminds us that things never change, that we ‘religious types’ of today are still too often following their lead, trying to twist Jesus’ teachings, rather than obey them.

We do all manner of ‘religious’ things to ‘look good,’ avoiding at all costs—even at the expense of Truth, sometimes—getting involved in situations or discussions that might cost us ‘face.’ Thus, we who bear/bare His Name, but little resemblance to His heart or character, still ‘betray’ Him, “deliver[ing] him up to the [world] for ridicule, to be further ignored by the unbelieving. And truth be told, what person ‘of the world’ wouldn’t ignore a ‘God’ whose most verbally ardent followers are so often so little different from themselves? (Hypocritical Christians are Jesus’ most dangerous enemies; only we can undermine Him by lives that mirror His so inaccurately.)

Their introduction to the first question is ironic in its utter accuracy, for they assert five observations about Jesus which are totally on target...and totally unbelieved by those saying them: 1) You are “Master”....2) “You are true”....3) “You speak and teach [“the way of God”] rightly {“truthfully”]....4) You “care for no man”/”show no partiality”....5) “You do not regard the position of men” [are not impressed by power or prestige].... (Mt.22:16; Mk. 12:14; Lk. 20:21) Like them, we can get it so right and live so dead wrong, can’t we, church folk, by our continuous criticism of everyone else (especially the preacher, Sunday School teacher, etc.) for failing to “live like a Christian should,” by our judging everyone else by Jesus’ standards, but ourselves by our own, etc., ad nauseum.

Then they get to the nitty gritty of their trap: “Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful [for a professing Jew] to pay taxes to Caesar?”

That’s Matthew’s version; Mark adds, “Should we pay them [taxes] or should we not?”

They really must have been salivating, at this point! They really thought they had Him for sure, this time, “hung by His tongue” either way He answered! If He said, “It is not religiously lawful for a Jew to financially support at pagan government,” He’d please Jews, but be arrested by the Romans for sedition.

If He said, “Yes, Jews should pay tribute to Caesar,” He’d be OK with the Romans, but infuriate the Jews, who would then ask the Romans to arrest Him on charges of heresy, which they eventually succeeded in doing, anyway.

Just as with us, so often, they were prepared for everything but His answer. Jesus, as “aware of their malice” (Matthew) as He is ours; “knowing their hypocrisy” (Mark) just as He does ours; “perceive[ing] their craftiness” (Luke) as surely as He does ours, Jesus called for a coin, and asked them whose image or “likeness) it bore (Caesar’s, of course).

One quick question, Christian...Whose likeness do you bear/bare?

Have a good week!