Matthew 22:35 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him.

NIV: One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question:

NASB: And one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him:

CSB: And one of them, an expert in the law, asked a question to test him:

NLT: One of them, an expert in religious law, tried to trap him with this question:

KJV: Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying,

NKJV: Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying,

A group of Pharisees heard that Jesus' brilliant response to a challenge silenced the group known as Sadducees. This more secular, political wing of Judaism was a rival to the Pharisees. Despite their best efforts, they had no response to Jesus' profound and insightful answer (Matthew 22:23–33). Now the Pharisees appear to want another chance to test Jesus. They pick one of the brightest and most educated of their number to ask Him a hard question. This man is unnamed, but he is a Pharisee and described as a lawyer. In this context, a "lawyer" is someone well versed in Scripture and the traditions built around it.

The "test" here is subtly different than the earlier ones. Those were explicitly designed to trip Jesus up: to trick Jesus into saying something that could be used against Him. The "test" contained in this question seems more aimed at wanting to know how Jesus will answer a hotly debated issue among the religious leaders themselves. It's potentially controversial, but it's not a "bad" question, at all.

Matthew 22:34–40 describes a question to Jesus from a Pharisee described as a lawyer. In this context, this means someone well-versed in the Old Testament. He asks Jesus which is the great commandment in the Law. Jesus upholds Deuteronomy 6:5, indicating that loving God with everything about us is the great and first commandment. Christ then volunteers that the second greatest is closely related: to love your neighbor as yourself. Every command or law from God is distilled from those basic principles. Luke 10:25–28 and Mark 12:28–37 also describe this challenge.

Continuing a dialogue with hostile religious leaders, Jesus tells a parable comparing the kingdom of heaven to a wedding feast which ends up being attended by those not initially invited. He answers trick questions about taxes, marriage, resurrection, and the Law of Moses. These responses are the source of common English idioms such as "render to Caesar…" and "many are called but few are chosen." Finally, Jesus asks how the Messiah can be both the son of David and the Lord of David. None can answer Him, so they stop challenging Him in public.

This chapter extends an exchange between Jesus and several groups of religious leaders in the temple. The previous chapter concluded with two parables about the failures of the religious leaders. This chapter begins with a third parable, about chosen guests who refuse to attend a wedding feast. Jesus then fields questions from several religious groups, who fail in their attempts to trip Him up. His wise and profound answers silence all of them. At this point, Jesus launches into a full-throated condemnation of the Pharisees in chapter 23.

The Gospel of Matthew clearly shows the influence of its writer's background, and his effort to reach a specific audience. Matthew was one of Jesus' twelve disciples, a Jewish man, and a former tax collector. This profession would have required literacy, and Matthew may have transcribed some of Jesus' words as they were spoken. This book is filled with references to the Old Testament, demonstrating to Israel that Jesus is the Promised One. Matthew also includes many references to coins, likely due to his former profession. Matthew records extensive accounts of Jesus' teaching, more than the other three Gospels.

Accessed 4/29/2024 1:39:15 AM