Sermon Tone Analysis

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Please turn in your Bibles to Matt 22.

We are finishing Chapter 22 today, picking up in V23.

Starting in Matthew 21, Jesus entered Jerusalem for… not the typical Passover week.

Jesus entered the city on the colt of a donkey (symbolic of peace), and the people shouted “Hosanna to the Son of David”… welcoming Him as royalty and as Messiah.

The religious leaders did not like this.

John 11 stated they feared all the people would believe in Jesus and Rome would destroy their Temple and city.

So, they plotted to put Jesus to death.

The Sadducees were further enraged when Jesus disrupted their business… overturning the tables of the money changers and driving everyone out of the Temple courts.

After these events in particular… the religious and political parties (Pharisees, Sadducees, and Herodians)… began questioning Jesus about His authority to do these things.

Questions designed to entrap Jesus.

It was strange to see these Jewish groups allied, but they found themselves with a common enemy and goal… ‘Let’s get Jesus out of our lives.’

Very much a satanic mantra that still rings true for much of the world today.

Last week we closed with the disciples of the Pharisees, and the Herodians asking Jesus, “Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?”

If Jesus sided with taxes, the Pharisees would turn the people against Jesus, for they were oppressed by Roman taxes.

If Jesus sided against taxes, the Herodians would turn Rome against Jesus for committing treason.

But, in divine wisdom, Jesus responded, “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”

Money had Caesar’s image on it, so give it to him.

But, you bear God’s image, so give your life to God.

And, sadly… instead of giving their life to God, we read, V22 “When they had heard these words, they marveled, and left Him and went their way...”

Today, we finish this four-part mini-series called, “The Examination of the King” as we observe the religious leaders continuing to question Jesus… examining Him… just as they would examine a Passover Lamb for spot or blemish, but they would find no “spot or blemish”… no error in His ways… they would be astonished… and left speechless.

Let’s Pray and then pick up in V23.

Matt 22:23-24 “The same day [The same day Jesus is questioned by the Pharisees and the Herodians about paying taxes to Caesar… quite a day] the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Him and asked Him, 24 saying: “Teacher, [surface level respect, but less flattery then the last group] Moses said that if a man dies, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife and raise up offspring for his brother.”

[Pause right there]

For background on the Sadducees… listen to our message from last week (on our website) where I talked in detail about the Pharisees, Sadducees and Herodians, and their origins during the Intertestamental period.

In VSS 23-24, two important notes to understand before we look at the question the Sadducees pose to Jesus and His response.

First, note Matthew’s commentary in V23 “…the Sadducees… say there is no resurrection...”, yet they will ask a hypothetical question about resurrection… even though they don’t believe in the resurrection.

I’m not sure what they did with Lazarus because he was hanging out… kind of bad theology for the Sadducees.

Second, in V24 the Sadducees referenced Moses… or Mosaic Law.

So, let’s look at these two notes.

V23… The Sadducees “say there is no resurrection”… an important note to help us understand the hypocrisy behind their question.

Another passage that confirms this belief of the Pharisees is found in Acts 23 [go ahead and turn to Acts 23].

In Acts 23… Paul addressed a Jewish mob…which went south, and the Sanhedrin was ordered to assemble by a Roman Commander to question Paul.

This didn’t go well either… Paul begins to talk… the high priest Ananias strikes him in the mouth… Paul calls him a white-washed tomb…

...and then in Act 23:6-9 we read, “But when Paul perceived that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, “Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee; concerning the hope and resurrection of the dead I am being judged!” 7 And when he had said this, a dissension [a heated dispute] arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees; and the assembly was divided.

8 For Sadducees say that there is no resurrection—and no angel or spirit; but the Pharisees confess both.

9 Then there arose a loud outcry.”

Ultimately, the dissension between the Pharisees and Sadducees is so great that the Roman Commander orders for Paul to be taken from them for fear that Paul would be “pulled to pieces by them.”

It’s a pretty humorous scene.

The Roman Commander thinks he'll gain some insight on Paul and the riot, but only sees more Jewish arguing… a definite, “Well that didn’t go as planned” moment.

And, a big reason for the dissension is because the Pharisees and Sadducees were passionate about their beliefs… when it suited them.

Because of their passion (or perhaps pride), they begin shouting at one another… v10 states ‘a great dissension.’

So, there the Sadducees drew a hard line in the sand against resurrection.

But, in Matthew, they have no problem using resurrection in a hypothetical question.

Their question is full of hypocrisy.

In V24, the Sadducees give a nod to Mosaic Law… specifically Deut 25… what is called the “Leverate Marriage”… highlighted in Ruth 4, and origins in Gen 38 when Judah told his son Onan to marry his deceased brother’s wife, Tamar, and produce an heir.

The expression, “Wait a minute, what?!?” applies quite well to this account.

Just read Gen 38 for further details… lot’s of weird stuff, an appearance of Jerry Springer, and several great applications…

What I love about Gen 38 is… it testifies of the truth of the Bible because powerful people don’t like to air out their dirty laundry… and there are several embarrassing things aired out in Judah’s family in Gen 38.

The Bible doesn’t shy away from the truth of the flaws of the Patriarchs, kings, the Apostles, and so forth.

It’s an honest and impartial book.

And, it’s a book of grace… since God used those people… with all their flaws… then He can use you and I as well.

God loves to use broken people and impossible situations and move through them… because then God gets all the glory… miracles testify of God.

Well, enough of that miracle stuff, let’s get back to something really encouraging… Leverate Law… turn to Deut 25… 5th book of the OT.

Deut 25: 5-10… this is where the Leverate Law is spelled out… and I want to read this because I’m not sure if you would believe me if I just summarized it.

Deut 25:5-10 “If brothers dwell together, and one of them dies and has no son, the widow of the dead man shall not be married to a stranger outside the family; her husband’s brother shall go in to her, take her as his wife, and perform the duty of a husband’s brother to her. 6 And it shall be that the firstborn son which she bears will succeed to the name of his dead brother, that his name may not be blotted out of Israel.

[So, the brother and the deceased brother’s wife have a child… and any inheritance, including land, will go to the son to preserve the line of the deceased brother.]

7 But if the man does not want to take his brother’s wife, [And, here’s where things get wild...] then let his brother’s wife go up to the gate to the elders [where legal matters were discussed], and say, ‘My husband’s brother refuses to raise up a name to his brother in Israel; he will not perform the duty of my husband’s brother.’

8 Then the elders of his city shall call him and speak to him.

But if he stands firm and says, ‘I do not want to take her,’ 9 then his brother’s wife shall come to him in the presence of the elders, remove his sandal from his foot, spit in his face, and answer and say, ‘So shall it be done to the man who will not build up his brother’s house.’ 10 And his name shall be called in Israel, ‘The house of him who had his sandal removed.’”

You can’t make this stuff up.

I understand how spitting in his face shows shame and disapproval, but why does she take his sandal?

What’s that about?

And, then the nickname… “whisper, whisper, whisper… gossip, gossip… look… that’s... “The Family of the Unsandaled.”

It’s all perspective though… our culture has plenty of weird customs as well… I’m not sure they quite compare with this, but still…

So, with those two things established, let’s look at the hypothetical question posed by the Sadducees…

Matt 22:25-28 “Now there were with us seven brothers.

The first died after he had married, and having no offspring, left his wife to his brother.

26 Likewise the second also, and the third, even to the seventh.

[Ok, so at this point, I’m not sure if I should think “poor woman” having to be with all those guys; or “poor guys”… I mean, what is she putting in the soup?

Poison?

By the 4th or 5th brother, you would think they’d wise up.

If I were one of the brothers, I’d say...“Just take my sandal, spit in my face…I don’t care!

I’m don’t want anything to do with her!”] 27 Last of all the woman died also.

[So, there’s some justice in the story.]

28 Therefore, in the resurrection, whose wife of the seven will she be?

For they all had her.”

The hypothetical situation here is not only ridiculous because they don’t believe in the resurrection, but it’s also a highly unlikely, exaggerated situation.

Can you imagine the response of the seven brothers when they get to heaven and see the woman?

“First, they’re going to question if they’re in heaven… and then argue about who’s wife she is… I don’t want her, you take her… no I don’t want her, you take her!”

Jesus had been speaking about resurrection quite a bit, so their question also seems to intentionally poke fun at the resurrection, but the situation is riddled with erroneous assumptions which Jesus points out...

Matt 22:29-33 “Jesus answered and said to them, “You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God.

[So, two errors] 30 For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels of God in heaven.

[Sadducees didn’t believe in angels, so perhaps Jesus is giving them a jab right back] 31 But concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you not read [Exo 3:6… something they did believe] what was spoken to you by God, saying, 32 ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’?

God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.”

33 And when the multitudes heard this, they were astonished at His teaching.”

First, Jesus addresses the power of God… God has power to resurrect the dead.