Honor

Series: Matthew

Title: Honor

Scripture: Matt 22:15-22, 34-40

Subject: Honor

Central Theme:  Honoring God

Resource: Lifeway’s ETB Winter 25 Lesson #10

Objective Statement:

Every believer should make honoring God their highest priority for these 2 reasons.

Reason #1 – We were created to honor Him. (v. 15-22)

Reason #2 – We are commanded to honor Him. (v. 34-40)

Introduction

FIRST THOUGHTS

For years in schools across America, the day began with the Pledge of Allegiance. As children, we were taught to honor and respect the American flag and the nation that it represented. That is one of many allegiances in life. We give honor and loyalty to any number of causes and people. The critical issue is how we select what we give honor to. Allegiance to wrong things leads to potential disaster. Allegiance to honorable things can result in more joy and fulfillment in life. Choose wisely.

What is your highest allegiance in life? 

We don’t use the word “allegiance” in everyday speech, but we should carefully consider who or what holds our allegiance as believers.

UNDERSTAND THE CONTEXT (MATTHEW 22:1–23:39)

On Sunday, known as “Palm Sunday,” Jesus entered Jerusalem riding on a donkey in fulfillment of Zechariah 9:9.

Zechariah 9:9 KJV 1900

9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: Behold, thy King cometh unto thee: He is just, and having salvation; Lowly, and riding upon an ass, And upon a colt the foal of an ass.

On Monday, He cleared out those who bought and sold in the temple.

Tuesday was a day of controversy, as Jesus taught in the temple courtyard (Luke 20:1). 5 Controversies came up in one day.

First, the chief priests and elders challenged Jesus’s authority (Matt. 21:23-27). After Jesus avoided their trap, He told three parables to drive home His judgment of them (21:28–22:14).

The next challenge came from the Pharisees and Herodians over the issue of paying taxes to Caesar (22:15-22). Once again, Jesus avoided their attempts to discredit Him and His teaching.

A third challenge came when the Sadducees confronted Jesus with a question about marriage in the afterlife. Since the Sadducees didn’t believe in the resurrection, they thought their question would make Jesus look ridiculous no matter how He answered (22:23-33).

When the Pharisees saw that the Sadducees had failed, they came up with another plan, sending an expert in the law to question Jesus about the greatest commandment (22:34-40). Jesus identified both the greatest commandment and a second commandment, emphasizing the vertical and horizontal nature of faith.

In the fifth and final controversy, the Pharisees questioned Jesus about the nature of the Messiah (22:41-46).

The second and fourth of these debates provide the focus of this session. In the second debate (22:15-22), the Pharisees were joined by the Herodians (22:16). Not much is known about the Herodians; but, as their name implies, they were supporters of the Herods (specifically of Herod Antipas, who ruled Galilee and Perea from 4 BC to AD 39). As a result, they also supported Rome since the Herods owed their positions and power to the Empire.

Possibly those who came to question Jesus were officials attached to Antipas’s court. The mention of Herodians in Jerusalem is surprising since Judea was not under Antipas’s control. In fact, the last Herodian ruler of Judea had been deposed in AD 6. Perhaps the movement of many Galileans to Jerusalem for the festival, including Herod Antipas himself (Luke 23:7), accounts for their presence.

Nevertheless, their presence as it related to their political question was important in case Jesus spoke against the taxation of the Roman government. If He did so, they could witness that He promoted sedition. Indeed, Luke expressly stated this was their intention (Luke 20:20). While the Herodians’ focus may have been more political than spiritual, they were just as eager to see Jesus humiliated as the Pharisees were.

Identify: Point out that, beginning in Matthew 21, Jesus entered Jerusalem and essentially stayed there until His crucifixion. Share that today’s passage in Matthew 22 took place on the Tuesday after His “triumphal entry” and examines the balance between our allegiance to God and human authorities, including the government.

Context: Share the following content from Understand the Context to provide more background for the session: 

The conflict between Jesus and the Jewish religious leaders had been brewing for months. With the cleansing of the temple (Matt. 21:12-13), it had reached a boiling point. What followed would be several more days of confrontation with the chief priests and elders. The thrust of the confrontation centered around Jesus’s authority and the rejection of His authority by the religious elite.

Transition: The Jewish leaders already had tried to trap Jesus and failed. In today’s passage, we’ll see how Jesus taught the Jews—and us—to honor both God and human leaders properly.

Every believer should make honoring God their highest priority for these 2 reasons.

Reason #1 – We were created to honor Him. (15-22)

Matthew 22:15–17 KJV 1900

15 Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk. 16 And they sent out unto him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any man: for thou regardest not the person of men. 17 Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?

(vv. 15-17) Once again, the Pharisees opposed Jesus (see also Matt. 21:45). And, again, they planned how they might entangle him (as in 12:14). But instead of confronting Jesus themselves, they sent out unto him their disciples. This is also the only place Matthew mentioned the Herodians (see “Understand the Context”).

They addressed Jesus as Master, a term used in Matthew by outsiders (8:19; 12:38; 19:16; 22:16,24,36). Then they made four truthful statements about Him. They affirmed that He was true, which referred to His integrity. Next, they said He taught the way of God in truth, highlighting the ethical lifestyle God demands. Third, they acknowledged that Jesus wasn’t worried about what any man thought. While Jesus was interested in people, He did not alter His message for them. Finally, they noted that He regardest not any individual by showing favoritism.

Then these opponents moved to their question: Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar? Every adult Jew paid a poll tax (tributum capitis), including women and slaves. However, Roman citizens were exempt, emphasizing Israel’s subjugation. If Jesus said “yes,” He would lose favor with the crowd. If He said “no,” the Herodians would accuse Him of insurrection.

Matthew 22:18 KJV 1900

18 But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites?

(v. 18) Jesus perceived their wickedness. He knew they were trying to tempt Him (see also 9:4). Tempt is used of testing people in hopes that they will fail. Jesus called them hypocritesfor hiding their true motives.

Matthew 22:19–21 KJV 1900

19 Shew me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny. 20 And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? 21 They say unto him, Caesar’s. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.

(vv. 19-21) The tribute moneyJesus requested was a penny (or denarius). The Jews hated this coin and the accompanying tax because of its image and superscription. Minted by Rome, it carried Caesar’s likeness, which Jews considered idolatrous. Further, the inscription referred to the emperor as “Son of the Divine” and “High Priest” of the state religion. While Rome did allow Jews to mint imageless copper coins for other purposes, the poll tax required the denarius (20:2).

Since the coin carried Caesar’s image, it “belonged” to him. So Jesus stated, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s. The Greek word Jesus used (apodote) means to “return” or “restore” what rightfully belongs to Caesar. But Jesus also reminded them of their greater obligation—giving to God the things that are God’s.

Jesus’s listeners needed to give themselves fully to God since they bore His image (Gen. 1:27-28) and belonged to Him (Ps. 24:1). Caesar could claim the money, but God held a higher claim on their lives. 

Matthew 22:22 KJV 1900

22 When they had heard these words, they marvelled, and left him, and went their way.

(v. 22) Jesus’s listeners marvelled at His words. For their part, Jesus’s opponents likely were taken aback because He successfully avoided their clever trap. They also may have recognized the profound theological insight He had provided. When all was said and done, they simply left him, and went their way.

Application Point: We are called to submit to government officials and laws.

Ask: What does it look like to honor our government in today’s culture?

Recap: To summarize a Christian response to government, enlist a volunteer to read the Key Doctrine. Highlight this content to provide more background:

Jesus recognized the legitimate responsibility of His followers to be obedient to the government, which includes paying lawful taxes. . . . [But] we must not forget the second part of Jesus’s response: we are to give unto God the things that are God’s. While believers are to give the government taxes that are due, their ultimate duty is to honor God, the Creator and Giver of all things.

Group Activity Option

Object Lesson: Quarter

Invite all adults to look at a quarter. Explain that every quarter has some symbol of allegiance to the United States government, but quarters also carry the words “In God we trust.” Challenge adults to let the quarter serve as a reminder that Jesus’s people are called to honor God and honor our government. 

Reason #2 – We are commanded to honor Him. (34-40)

Matthew 22:34–35 KJV 1900

34 But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together. 35 Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying,

(vv. 34-35) After the Pharisees and Herodians tried to trap Jesus (vv. 15-22), He confronted the Sadduceesover the doctrine of the resurrection, which they denied (vv. 23-32). That one, too, ended with the crowds being astonished at His teaching (v. 33).

While the lawyer(an expert in the Mosaic law) here seemed to ask a legitimate question, Matthew clearly intended his readers to see this as another test of Jesus’s authority. The Pharisees took this action because they learned that Jesus had put the Sadducees to silence. The Greek word suggests that He “muzzled” His opponents, leading the Pharisees to plan their next move.

Gathered together may indicate a formal or semi-formal conclave. During this meeting, the expert in the law may have been chosen as a delegate who could do a better job questioning Jesus than others had done. Regardless, Matthew clearly identified the purpose of his question—tempting(or testing) him.

Matthew 22:36 KJV 1900

36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?

(v. 36) As in Matthew 22:16 and 22:24, Jesus’s opponent addressed Him as Master, using a generally respectful term by which Matthew indicates an outsider (see also 8:19; 12:38; 19:16). The question of which is the great commandment was hotly debated in rabbinic circles. Realizing some parts of the law were more important than others, the rabbis divided them into categories. Within the weightier group, various rabbis proposed different commandments as the greatest. Perhaps this lawyer believed he knew the answer and was prepared to debate Jesus.

Matthew 22:37–38 KJV 1900

37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment.

(vv. 37-38) The Pharisees and the crowd probably expected Jesus to quote one of the Ten Commandments. However, He pointed to the Shema (Deut. 6:4-5). Every pious Jew repeated these words twice a day—morning and evening. They also posted them on their doorposts and placed copies of them in their phylacteries (6:8).

Jesus’s answer focused on love for the Lord thy God. Such love is not mere sentimentality or emotion, but absolute devotion. Jesus named two of the three items of Deuteronomy 6:5—all thy heart . . . all thy soul—but added all thy mind in place of “strength.” In biblical terms, the heart includes both the intellect and emotions, while the soul refers to one’s essential being. The mind is the seat of the will that defines action.

These terms alluded to the entire person. This is why all is repeated with each term. To be sure, the expert understood what great meant, but Jesus added firstto emphasize this command’s priority.

Matthew 22:39–40 KJV 1900

39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

(vv. 39-40) Without being asked, Jesus offered the second. When Jesus said the second command is like unto it, He was focusing on priority, not just format. The command to love thy neighbor well is just as important as loving God well because, taken together, these two commands cover both tablets of the Mosaic law.

The Jews understood neighboras a fellow Jew. Jesus, however, clarified in the story of the Good Samaritan that a neighbor is any fellow human being (Luke 10:25-37). By adding as thyself, Jesus meant that believers’ love for their neighbor should be as great as the love they have for their own being. They should seek the benefit of others just as they would seek what’s best for themselves.

All the law and the prophetsencompasses the whole of Scripture (Matt. 5:17; 7:12; 11:13). Hangliterally is “depend on,” as a door relies on its hinges. In other words, these two commandments bear the entire weight of—the essence of—God’s expectations for His people as defined by the law of Moses. This lawyer had asked for one command, but Jesus emphasized both the vertical and the horizontal aspects of genuine faith.

Application Point: We are to honor God exclusively as the one true God and to love our neighbor as ourselves.

Ask: Why do you think Jesus gave the lawyer two commands instead of just one?

Ask: What’s at the heart of this command to love other people? What does this demonstrate?

Say: Jesus identified these two commands as the greatest because all other laws spring from them. We can’t really love God fully without loving our neighbors, and we can’t love our neighbors fully without loving God. Every aspect of a healthy Christian life can be traced to our ability to obey these two commands.

Apply: Lead adults to identify ways they can love God with their entire being and love their neighbors as themselves. Encourage the group to find ways to demonstrate these actions as they step into the “real world” this week.

CHALLENGE

Summarize:

- We are called to submit to government officials and laws.

· We are to honor God exclusively as the one true God and to love our neighbor as ourselves.

Ask: Which is more difficult to honor in your own life: God or the government? Which love is most difficult to demonstrate: love for God or love for your neighbor?