Jesus lives!

These men waited for Jesus to answer. They
were thinking that they had Him in their power
at last.

Jesus saw their slyness at once, and exposed
them saying, "Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrates?
Bring me the tribute money." It took only a
moment to get a shekel from the money-changer.

While this was happening
a crowd gathered to
see what answer Jesus
was going to give them.

The Herodians question looked honest, but it
really was a trick. They thought one way and
the Pharisees another.

The Pharisees thought Jesus would speak out
against paying the taxes and expose Himself
to the Romans.

On the other hand, if Jesus spoke for payment,
He would make the people angry because they
felt the tax was a heavy burden.

Either way their trick looked like a perfect plot.

They had a clever approach but it was filled with
deceit.

The Jewish people were weighted down with the
tax burden. And the Israelites were grieved by
the fact that they were the chosen nation but
had to pay taxes to a heathen.

Coming to Jesus the Herodians said, "We know
that thou art true, and teachest the way of God
in truth, neither carest thou for an man; for
thou regardest not the person of men."
Matthew 22:16

They were trying to get Jesus to give them His
opinion (like they were looking for guidance) on
if they should or shouldn't pay their tribute.

The Herodians came to Jesus without raising
suspicion and appeared before Him, pretending
to be earnest and giving the impression that a
question had come up between them and the
Pharisees.

They brought their question to Him for a
decision.

Because they didn't dare to face Jesus in person,
the Pharisees sent a delegation of several
Herodians to ask Him a question about taxes.

The Pharisees and Herodians had been bitter
enemies
but had
set it
aside to
join
together
against
Jesus.


The Herodians were unfaithful Jews who had
outraged the Pharisees. But that these two
groups would band together to plot against Jesus,
shows to what extent their bitter hatred of the
Lord had brought them.

Jesus stayed in the temple, teaching parables
that the religious leaders knew were for them,
but regardless of their anger they were unable
to stop Him. Matthew 21:45-46

Their humiliation in front of the people in the
temple made them gather together to discuss
what they should do next.

They wanted to arrest Him then and there but
because of how the crowd felt about Him they
didn't dare touch Him.

The Jewish leaders couldn't tell whether a man
of John's influence and power was a man from
God, or an imposter.

They sat where Moses sat; they were keepers of
the traditions of the nation; they were the teachers
of the people, but they couldn't answer His question.

They fell into their own trap. The curse they
intended for another come upon themselves.

Jesus told the Jewish religious leaders that He
was willing to answer their question on one
condition. That was that they answer His first.

"The baptism of John, whence was it? from
heaven, or of men?" Matthew 21:25

These men began whispering among them
selves, while the people watched. They were
embarrassed, John had testified of Jesus and
proclaimed Him as the Messiah.

Jesus had a right to their answer before He
gave them His. If they said that John was a
true prophet, then Jesus would ask why they
didn't believe Him. But if they said his baptism
was of men, then they would be shown up in
front of the people because they believed that
John was a prophet.

The Jewish leaders were in a spot where they
felt they didn't dare to answer Him. They were
forced to reply "we cannot say".

These leaders had more than one purpose in
mind. They wanted to impress all the people
by maintaining there authority.

They wanted to bait Jesus into making some
kind of statement that would cause Him to lose
the people's favor.

Jesus, of course, knew what they were trying
to do and answered them in a way that confused
them. He always had a way to dodge and put to
shame the tricks they used to try and trap Him.

Jesus
and
His
disciples
went to Jerusalem and they entered
the temple where He began to teach.

The rulers of the temple appeared and were
annoyed that He was there.

The chief priests, the elders, the scribes and
the Rabbis came to question Him. They made
a demand that He tell them by what authority
He did these things. Who gave Him the
authority to assume the office of a prophet?
Who gave Him the right to purge the temple?

"The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came,
and tempting desired him that he would shew
them a sign from heaven" Matthew 16:1














"He answered and said unto them, When it is
evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the
sky is red, And in the morning, It will be foul
weather today: for the sky is red and lowring.
O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the
sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the

times?"

Matthew 16:2-3