Matthew 22:15–45

A Question about Taxes—Mark 12:13–17; Luke 20:20–26

¹⁵Then the Pharisees went away and planned to trap Jesus into saying the wrong thing. ¹⁶They sent their disciples to him along with Herod’s followers. They said to him, “Teacher, we know that you tell the truth and that you teach the truth about the way of God. You don’t favor individuals because of who they are. ¹⁷So tell us what you think. Is it right to pay taxes to the emperor or not?” 

¹⁸Jesus recognized their evil plan, so he asked, “Why do you test me, you hypocrites? ¹⁹Show me a coin used to pay taxes.” 

They brought him a coin. ²⁰He said to them, “Whose face and name is this?” 

²¹They replied, “The emperor’s.” 

Then he said to them, “Very well, give the emperor what belongs to the emperor, and give God what belongs to God.” 

²²They were surprised to hear this. Then they left him alone and went away. 

The Dead Come Back to Life—Mark 12:18–27; Luke 20:27–40

²³On that day some Sadducees, who say that people will never come back to life, came to Jesus. They asked him, ²⁴“Teacher, Moses said, ‘If a man dies childless, his brother should marry his widow and have children for his brother.’ ²⁵There were seven brothers among us. The first married and died. Since he had no children, he left his widow to his brother. ²⁶The second brother also died, as well as the third, and the rest of the seven brothers. ²⁷At last the woman died. ²⁸Now, when the dead come back to life, whose wife will she be? All seven brothers had been married to her.” 

²⁹Jesus answered, “You’re mistaken because you don’t know the Scriptures or God’s power. ³⁰When people come back to life, they don’t marry. Rather, they are like the angels in heaven. ³¹Haven’t you read what God told you about the dead coming back to life? He said, ³²‘I am the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.’ He’s not the God of the dead but of the living.” 

³³He amazed the crowds who heard his teaching. 

Love God and Your Neighbor—Mark 12:28–34

³⁴When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. ³⁵One of them, an expert in Moses’ Teachings, tested Jesus by asking, ³⁶“Teacher, which commandment is the greatest in Moses’ Teachings?” 

³⁷Jesus answered him, “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ ³⁸This is the greatest and most important commandment. ³⁹The second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as you love yourself.’ ⁴⁰All of Moses’ Teachings and the Prophets depend on these two commandments.” 

How Can David’s Son Be David’s Lord?—Mark 12:35–37a; Luke 20:41–44

⁴¹While the Pharisees were still gathered, Jesus asked them, ⁴²“What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is he?” 

They answered him, “David’s.” 

⁴³He said to them, “Then how can David, guided by the Spirit, call him Lord? David says, 

⁴⁴‘The Lord said to my Lord, 

“Take the honored position—the one next to me [and the Father] on the heavenly throne 

until I put your enemies under your control.^b” ’ 

⁴⁵If David calls him Lord, how can he be his son?”