Subject Sixty-six

THE QUESTION OF QUESTIONS

Scripture: Matt. 21:23-27; 22:15-22, 23-33, 34-40, 41-46
In the first passage, the chief priests and elders came to ask Jesus, “By what authority are you doing these things?” In return, Jesus asked them this question: “The baptism of John, whence was it? From heaven or from men?” In the second passage, the Pharisees and Herodians asked the Lord, “Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not?” But Jesus asked, “Whose is this image and inscription?” In the third passage, the Sadducees asked about the resurrection. Jesus said, “In the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage.” In the fourth passage, the lawyer asked, “Which is the great commandment in the law?” The Lord Jesus said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind...You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” In the last passage, the Lord Jesus asked, “What do you think concerning the Christ? Whose Son is He?” Eventually they were not able to answer Him. Matthew 21 and 22 record how Jesus, the last week in Jerusalem, was questioned by different classes of society, and how He answered all four of their questions. At the end, Jesus asked them a question. The question Jesus asked is the question of questions.

1. The question of religion
   1. The chief priests and the elders were religious people asking a religious question.
   2. They asked about the source of authority. This is a matter of the ultimate authority of religion. It is also a matter of the orthodoxy or unorthodoxy of the religion.
   3. In return the Lord asked where the baptism of John came from. During that time, the multitude acknowledged that John’s baptism came from God. The Lord was very wise: if they admitted that John was sent from God, they should also admit that the Lord Jesus was from God.
   4. This forced them to lie. They said that they did not know. The Lord Jesus said, “Neither tell I you.” You should stress this point heavily, and place the blame on many religious people: pastors, elders, monks, priests, and nuns for telling lies to cover their consciences. Although they knew clearly, yet they said that they did not know. Although they studied religion daily, yet they told lies. Therefore do not believe what such ones say and do not be cheated by them.
2. The political question
   1. The question of taxation asked by the Pharisees and Herodians was a political question. The Pharisees were the patriotic ones. The Herodians were the Jewish rebels who helped the Romans rule the Jews. Ordinarily, these two groups were opposed to each other and would never cooperate. Yet surprisingly, on that day they united together to oppose the Lord Jesus.
   2. If the Lord Jesus said to pay the tax, the whole Jewish people would all be stirred up to oppose Him as a Jewish rebel. If the Lord said not to pay the tax, the Herodians would surely say that the Lord was against the Romans. Therefore, no matter what the Lord would say—to pay the tax or not to pay the tax—neither answer would be right.
   3. The Lord Jesus answered by asking them to show Him a coin from their pocket. Note that they had money to pay the tax; yet the Lord Jesus had no money in His pocket. Then He asked them, “Whose is this image and inscription?” They said, “Caesar’s.” The Lord said, “Pay then what is Caesar’s to Caesar, and what is God’s to God.” Thus the Lord Jesus solved their political problem.
3. The question of faith, or of believing
   1. The Sadducees, the unbelieving ones, said that there were no angels, no demons, and no resurrection. They were just like the modernists of today.
   2. Their question was about the resurrection.
   3. But Jesus answered and said unto them, “God is the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.” This proved that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob will all be resurrected from death. Therefore, there must be a resurrection.
4. The question of Bible interpretation
   1. The lawyers were not like the lawyers of today. All they did was to interpret the Old Testament. What they asked was related to Bible interpretation.
   2. They asked which commandment of the law is the greatest and most important.
   3. The Lord’s answer concerning the law was love toward God, love with three all’s.
   4. These four classes of people surrounded the Lord Jesus. The Lord Jesus was troubled from four directions. These were the leaders of all classes attacking Him, but the Lord Jesus solved all their questions completely.
5. The question of questions
   In return, the Lord asked them the question of questions.
   1. These four questions represent the questions of all human society. The questions of all the friends among the listeners are not beyond the scope of these four questions. The first two questions were asked by unbelievers. The last two questions were asked by the seeking ones.
   2. What do you think of Christ?
      The previous four questions of religion, politics, faith and Bible interpretation cannot save people. Only by knowing Christ is man able to be saved. What do you think of Christ?
   3. Who is Christ?
      Outwardly, He was the son of David. In reality, He is the Lord of David. Outwardly, He seems to be only a man; in reality He is both God and man.
   4. In the day that the four questions were raised up, everyone was clear about the questions. But the question of Christ was neglected; therefore, they could not answer this question. Who is Christ? They did not know. Today among the listeners there may be some who are like them. They do not know who Christ is. Here strongly emphasize that Christ is God as well as man.
6. What should you do with Christ?
   1. Confess that He is God incarnated to become man, to be man’s Savior.
   2. With a humble heart, receive Him to be your Savior.