What think ye of Christ?

Pressure was mounting. Pharisees, Herodians, Sadducees, and scribes all pressed upon the Saviour seeking occasion against Him. Yet, as each attempt to trap Him failed, men were left marvelling, astonished, and ultimately silenced!

The first attack was political. The question seemed innocuous, but in truth it was barbed and baited. It was really a matter of allegiance and subjection: would the Lord risk alienating the nation by condoning the tribute paid to the hated Roman occupiers, or would he provide ammunition to be used against Himself by suggesting that payment be withheld? His response was masterly. He called for the tribute coin, not primarily because of His poverty, though the thought is appropriate, but rather, had He produced the coin bearing Caesar’s image, they would have immediately accused Him of idolatry, since the Jews used their own temple coinage. ‘Render’, He said, ‘to Caesar . . . and to God’, the thought is to give back, to each their rightful due, and it was abundantly clear that the nation’s leaders had persistently failed to honour the God of their fathers with their obedience! They hastily withdrew, defeated.

The next attempt was theological. The Sadducees came with a question about resurrection, a truth they refused to accept. Their hypothetical reasoning was based on ignorance and unbelief, the same ground from which many in our day attack the word of God. Again, the Lord dismisses their fatuous argument with challenging words, ‘Ye do err’ and, ‘have ye not read?’ vv. 29, 31.

The final approach was legal. An attempt was made to coerce the Saviour into taking sides in a rabbinical dispute which divided the scholars of the day. His reply, straight from the scriptures, condemned their behaviour both toward God and their neighbour!

The Saviour’s question in response to their scheming was in the spiritual realm, ‘What think ye of Christ? whose son is he?’ They must have thought, Ha! that’s an easy one, ‘The Son of David’. Quoting directly from Psalm 110, the Lord silenced them by pointing out that the promised One was both David’s Lord and David’s son, ‘the root and the offspring of David’. He stood before them; very soon they would cast Him out!