Render to Caesar & the Greatest Command – Matthew 22 reveals one of the most intense moments of Passion Week. Religious leaders attempt to trap Jesus with questions about paying taxes to Caesar, the resurrection, and the greatest commandment. Instead of falling into their trap, Jesus exposes their hearts and teaches eternal truth. In this passage, He declares, Render to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God, and then establishes that loving God and loving your neighbor stand at the center of all Scripture.
In Matthew 22 Verses 15-40, we see more than a debate about taxes or theology. We see a warning about religious pride, spiritual blindness, and not knowing the Scriptures or the power of God. Jesus confronts error and calls His people to wholehearted devotion. The chapter moves from political pressure to resurrection truth and finally to the greatest commandment. Everything hangs on love – love for God with all your heart, soul, and mind, and love for others as yourself.
GOSPEL OF MATTHEW BIBLE STUDY SERIES
This study of Matthew: Render to Caesar & the Greatest Command – Matthew 22 is part of a verse-by-verse teaching series through the Gospel of Matthew.
Previous: Matthew 21 Verses 33-22:14 – Wicked Tenants, Wedding Feast
Next: Matthew 23: How to Recognize Modern-Day Pharisee Attitudes
What Does “Render to Caesar” Mean?
Jesus teaches that paying taxes does not equal worship. We fulfill civil duty while giving ultimate allegiance to God.
Matthew 22 Verses 15-40: Taxes, Resurrection, and the Greatest Commandment
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Scriptures used in this lesson on Matthew 22 Verses 15-40
- Matthew 22:15–22, Daniel 7:3-7, Revelation 13:16–18, Ezekiel 8:7–12, Ezekiel 9:1–4, Hebrews 12:22–23, Revelation 22:4, Exodus 28:36–38, Acts 5:29, Romans 13:6–7, Matthew 22:23-28, Matthew 22:29-30, Job 19:25–26, 1 John 3:2–3, Acts 1:8, Matthew 22:31–32, Matthew 22:34-38, Deuteronomy 6:5, 1 John 4:20–21, John 13:35,
Setting the Context for the Three Questions –Matthew 22 Verses 15-40
We are in Matthew 22:15-40. I thought I would only get through verse 33, but we are going all the way to verse 40. The Pharisees did not like to pay taxes. Who does? They could find scriptural reasons not to pay, but the real issue was not Scripture – it was stinginess. That is the principle I want us to see. We can always find verses to support what we want. That is why we must use the whole canon of Scripture. We cannot build doctrine from one verse. Our belief must come from all sixty-six books.
Why We Must Use the Whole Canon
The Sadducees mocked Jesus’ doctrine. They thought it was absurd. People still mock biblical doctrine today. They mock His Word, and they mock ours. It does not change the fact that it is still the Word. Then the question becomes – how are we to love God? What does obedience to the greatest commandment require? How are we to love one another under the second commandment? I want to be under that law. I want to love the Lord with all my heart, all my strength, and all my might, and I want to love you as I love myself. No one is taking me out from under that law.
I want that commandment fulfilled not only in Christ, but in me. I want to love Him with every faculty He has given me. He said with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind. Everything must be centered in love for Him. In this passage, they come to entangle Jesus. First, the Pharisees. Then the Sadducees. Then a lawyer. Each one asks a question. The Pharisees ask about taxes. The Sadducees ask about the resurrection. The lawyer asks about the greatest commandment.
Tuesday of Passion Week – Why Scripture Slows Down
We are still in Tuesday of the Passion Week. This Tuesday runs from Matthew 21:20 through Matthew 26:5. Nearly five chapters are devoted to this one day. Scripture slows down here because these final teachings are crucial. Everything Jesus says during this week prepares the next generations. In this one day, He teaches about the fig tree, His authority, the parables of the two sons, the wicked husbandmen, and the wedding feast.
He answers questions about taxes and resurrection. He declares the greatest commandment. The Lord pronounces woes in chapter 23. He gives the signs of the end in chapter 24. He teaches the parables of chapter 25. Then, in chapter 26, the plot to kill Him is formed. All of this happens in one day.
Why did they ask Jesus about Paying Taxes? – A Trap, Not a Search for Truth – Matthew 22 Verses 15-40
The first question is simple and dangerous. Is it lawful to pay taxes?
Matthew 22:15–22
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?
18 But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites?
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.
22 When they had heard these words, they marvelled, and left him, and went their way.
No one enjoys paying taxes. If it is scriptural, then it is spiritual. The Pharisees were not seeking truth. They were seeking a trap. Then went the Pharisees and took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk (Matthew 22:15).
After the three parables, especially the wicked husbandmen and the wedding feast, they were determined to get Jesus. Their strategy was simple – turn the people against Him. That is how religious opposition works. They do not attack openly at first. They work to separate people from leadership. These people try to turn hearts. They manipulate and motivate to draw followers to themselves. It is not the ignorant who scheme against Christ. It is those who think they know Scripture and think they know God.
Religious Pride, Flattery, and the Trap of Taxes – Matthew 22 Verses 15-40
Jesus did not have His greatest trouble with sinners. His greatest conflict was with religious people. They believed they had all the answers. They were not teachable. If we are not teachable, we will not change. The Lord wants to change us from glory to glory (2 Corinthians 3:18). When we refuse correction, we become rigid. Those who believe they already know everything are the ones who resist the anointed.
Their goal was to trap Him. They wanted Jesus to stumble. They wanted Him to say something that would anger the crowd. So they came with the question about taxes. They flattered Him first. They called Him Master, praised His integrity, and said He taught the way of God in truth and was not swayed by men. Then they asked if it was lawful to give tribute to Caesar (Matthew 22:16–17). The compliments were bait.
I asked myself if I could respond as Jesus did. If someone praised me like that, would I have the courage to say what He said? Jesus saw through it. He perceived their wickedness and called them hypocrites (Matthew 22:18). That is discernment. We are often swayed by praise. A pat on the back can soften our edge and move us toward compromise. We must guard our hearts and examine motives.
Love is commanded. Discernment marks maturity. We must ask what a person is really after. The Pharisees did not want the truth. They did not want to pay taxes and trap Jesus. They searched the Scriptures to justify their position. Their problem was not theology. It was the heart.
Who were the Herodians?
The Herodians were a governmental party. They were tied to politics and taxation. They wanted to tax everything because that is where income came from. The Pharisees did not want to pay taxes at all. So the Pharisees went and joined with the Herodians to trap Jesus. The Herodians also disliked Jesus because people were proclaiming Him as king, and they wanted their own king to remain in place.
They asked Him if paying taxes was lawful, meaning scriptural. If Jesus said no, they could accuse Him of treason to Caesar and use the Herodians as witnesses. If He said yes, the Pharisees could use it to turn the people against Him. They knew they had put Him into a hard place, and that was the whole plan. They wanted the crowd to turn on Him.
Jesus perceived their wickedness. He told them to bring the tribute money. They brought what the King James calls a penny, but it was a denarius. He asked whose image and superscription were on it. They said Caesar’s. Then He answered with a line they did not expect. He told them to render to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and to God what belongs to God. They marveled and left. (Matthew 22:19–22)
What Did Jesus Mean by “Render to Caesar”? – The Issue of Identity
They thought paying taxes meant worship. Jesus showed that paying what is due does not define your relationship with God. Your relationship with God does not cancel what is due to civil authority either. Yet there is depth here. What we are stamped with shows what we will yield ourselves to. That leads to the question of marks.
Marks, Kingdom Allegiance, and the Call to Be Marked by God – Matthew 22 Verses 15-40
In this setting, it is Caesar’s government. In type, Caesar points to Satan. That connects with the prophetic pictures of beasts and empires. The imagery reaches into Revelation and back into Daniel as well. (Daniel 7:3–7)
Daniel 7:3–7
3 And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another.
4 The first was like a lion, and had eagle’s wings: I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon the feet as a man, and a man’s heart was given to it.
5 And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised up itself on one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it: and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh.
6 After this I beheld, and lo another, like a leopard, which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl; the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it.
7 After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns.
At the end of Revelation 13, it talks about the mark of the beast.
Revelation 13:16–18
16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
18 Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.
The beast that John saw in Revelation 13 emerges from the sea, which represents a world in turmoil (Revelation 13:1–2). It looks like a leopard, a bear, and a lion. That speaks of nations and empires. It represents governmental systems. At the end of that chapter we read about the mark of the beast (Revelation 13:16–18). That mark is connected to the government stamping people.
The mark of the beast is mentioned again in Revelation 13, 14, and 15 (Revelation 13:16–18; Revelation 14:9–11; Revelation 15:2). It appears again in Revelation 20 (Revelation 20:4). Most believers know about the mark of the beast. What many do not understand is that there is also a mark of the Lord.
When Jesus said to render to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, the deeper issue is identity. If a person is stamped with the mark of the beast and impressed by that system, then that is who they are rendering themselves to. They are yielding to the beast, to Satan, to the world. Yet there is another mark. That is what we must understand.
Ezekiel’s Vision – God Reveals What Is Hidden
Because of that, I want to look at Ezekiel chapter 8 (Ezekiel 8:1–3). This is not new, but it helps us see that God also marks His people.
Ezekiel 8:7–12
7 And he brought me to the door of the court; and when I looked, behold a hole in the wall.
8 Then said he unto me, Son of man, dig now in the wall: and when I had digged in the wall, behold a door.
9 And he said unto me, Go in, and behold the wicked abominations that they do here.
10 So I went in and saw; and behold every form of creeping things, and abominable beasts, and all the idols of the house of Israel, pourtrayed upon the wall round about.
11 And there stood before them seventy men of the ancients of the house of Israel, and in the midst of them stood Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan, with every man his censer in his hand; and a thick cloud of incense went up.
12 Then said he unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen what the ancients of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man in the chambers of his imagery? for they say, The LORD seeth us not; the LORD hath forsaken the earth.
In Ezekiel chapters 8 and 9, Ezekiel is told by the Spirit to dig through a wall (Ezekiel 8:7–12). He enters the sanctuary in a vision. God shows him what is happening inside the religious system. He sees abominations, false worship, idolatry, and corruption. The Lord reveals what is truly going on in the religious world.
The Mark in Ezekiel 9 – God Distinguishes His Own – Matthew 22 Verses 15-40
Then in chapter 9 we see the next step (Ezekiel 9:1–4). Judgment is announced. Men with weapons are called to the city. Yet before destruction falls, God gives an instruction. A mark is to be set on the foreheads of those who sigh and cry over the abominations. God distinguishes His people. He marks those who grieve over sin.
Ezekiel 9:1–4
1 He cried also in mine ears with a loud voice, saying, Cause them that have charge over the city to draw near, even every man with his destroying weapon in his hand.
2 And, behold, six men came from the way of the higher gate, which lieth toward the north, and every man a slaughter weapon in his hand; and one man among them was clothed with linen, with a writer’s inkhorn by his side: and they went in, and stood beside the brasen altar.
3 And the glory of the God of Israel was gone up from the cherub, whereupon he was, to the threshold of the house. And he called to the man clothed with linen, which had the writer’s inkhorn by his side;
4 And the LORD said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof.
The 144,000 – A Marked and Complete People
Here in Ezekiel, the people of God are marked and preserved, while those without the mark face destruction. That same pattern carries into Revelation. In Revelation, we see that God also marks His people. In Revelation chapter 12 – and specifically in Revelation 7 and Revelation 14 – we read about the 144,000 (Revelation 7:4; Revelation 14:1). That number represents the twelve tribes, the perfect Israel, the church. Twelve times twelve speaks of completeness. Multiply that by one thousand, and you see fullness.
Scripture says that God owns the cattle on a thousand hills (Psalm 50:10). The number one thousand points to fullness and completeness. So when we see 144,000, we are seeing a marked and complete people belonging to God.
What about the cattle on hill 1,001? Does he own those cattle? The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, and all that dwell therein (Psalm 24:1).
What I am saying is that twelve times twelve represents perfect Israel. Multiply that by one thousand, and you see fullness at its highest expression. That gives us 144,000, and those people are marked. The church is a marked people. We are being brought into maturity and fullness.
Mount Zion and the Church of the Firstborn – Matthew 22 Verses 15-40
When you move from Revelation 7 to Revelation 14, you see the 144,000 standing on Mount Zion (Revelation 14:1). Hebrews tells us that Mount Zion is the church (Hebrews 12:22). That means the marked and perfected people are identified with the church.
Hebrews 12:22–23
22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,
23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect.
We have not come to a mountain that burns with fire and trembles like Sinai. We have come to Mount Zion, the city of the living God, the church of the firstborn (Hebrews 12:18–23). That is our position. The 144,000 stand on Zion, and Zion is the church.
His Name in Their Foreheads – God Also Seals
When you move to Revelation 22, you see that those who see God are sealed. His name is written in their foreheads (Revelation 22:4). The devil is not the only one who marks people. God marks His own. When Jesus said to render to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, there is a deeper truth. Those who belong to the beast bear that mark. Those who belong to God bear His mark.
God has a people who are marked, stamped, and sealed. Revelation 22:4 shows that they see His face and His name is in their foreheads (Revelation 22:4).
Revelation 22:4
4 And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.
Holiness to the Lord – The Priest’s Forehead Mark – Matthew 22 Verses 15-40
When Jesus said to render to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God, there is a deeper connection. It reaches back to the Old Testament. In Exodus, we see the high priest clothed in his garments. On his forehead was inscribed holiness to the Lord (Exodus 28:36–38).
That marking showed ownership and identity. The high priest belonged to God. In the same way, there are those who belong to Caesar and those who belong to God. The mark reveals who we are and who we serve.
Exodus 28:36–38
36 And thou shalt make a plate of pure gold, and grave upon it, like the engravings of a signet, HOLINESS TO THE LORD.
37 And thou shalt put it on a blue lace, that it may be upon the mitre; upon the forefront of the mitre it shall be.
38 And it shall be upon Aaron’s forehead, that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things, which the children of Israel shall hallow in all their holy gifts; and it shall be always upon his forehead, that they may be accepted before the LORD.
I belong to God. He has marked me as His. There are two marks. One belongs to Caesar, and one belongs to God. When Jesus said to render to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God, He revealed that distinction. I want the mark that belongs to God.
What did Jesus say about Taxes?
Does Jesus teach that paying taxes is right? Yes, He does. Paying taxes is correct. We pay what is due. Yet the state is not God. Caesar is not God. He may think he is, but he is not. The government has authority, but it is limited. Divine honor belongs to God alone.
The government’s will is acceptable only as long as it does not conflict with the Lord’s will. If there is a clash, then the higher authority prevails. When obedience to the state requires disobedience to God, I must obey God. That is the principle we see in Acts (Acts 5:29).
Acts 5:29
29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.
There comes a point in our walk when we cannot obey man. In Acts, we see Peter and the others arrested and brought before the Sanhedrin. They were commanded not to preach in the name of Jesus. Their response was clear. They said it is better to obey God than man (Acts 4:18–20; Acts 5:27–29).
That moment will come again. The church will have to stand and choose obedience to God. It may cost stripes, imprisonment, and even cost life. Still, we render to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.
Christianity is not as easy as we sometimes pretend. Jesus answered the tax question directly. Yes, pay taxes. It is scriptural.
Romans 13 and the Simple Rule – If You Owe It, Pay It
Scriptures instruct us to render tribute where tribute is due (Romans 13:6–7).
Romans 13:6–7
6 For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God’s ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.
7 Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.
If you owe it, pay it. If you owe taxes, pay your taxes.
Why did they Ask Jesus about the Resurrection? – Sadducees Mock and Test – Matthew 22 Verses 15-40
The second question is, in the resurrection, whose wife shall she be?
Matthew 22:23-28
23 The same day came to him the Sadducees, which say that there is no resurrection, and asked him,
24 Saying, Master, Moses said, If a man die, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.
25 Now there were with us seven brethren: and the first, when he had married a wife, deceased, and, having no issue, left his wife unto his brother:
26 Likewise the second also, and the third, unto the seventh.
27 And last of all the woman died also.
28 Therefore in the resurrection whose wife shall she be of the seven? for they all had her.
The Sadducees came to Him. They say there is no resurrection. No wonder they were sad-you-see. They referred to what Moses said about a man dying without children and his brother raising up seed for him (Deuteronomy 25:5-6). Then they gave the example of seven brothers and one woman. Each married her in turn, and each died without children. Last of all, the woman died. They asked, in the resurrection, whose wife shall she be (Matthew 22:23-28)?
That is one woman I would not want to marry. She had a bad record. Earlier, the Pharisees came with a different question about taxes (Matthew 22:15-22). They tried to twist Scripture for personal benefit. They did not want to pay taxes. In this case, the Sadducees were poking fun at the doctrine of the resurrection.
Mocking Doctrine Today – Shouting, Clapping, Dancing
People still poke fun at biblical doctrines today. The Bible says to shout unto God with a voice of triumph (Psalm 47:1). It says to clap your hands and shout (Psalm 47:1). It shows David dancing before the Lord (2 Samuel 6:14). These are scriptural teachings, yet people ridicule them.
That is the spirit of the Sadducees. They do not understand the Scriptures. Many believers hesitate to move into biblical truth because of ridicule. Some twist Scripture to suit themselves. Others mock those who press into God with zeal. Think about tongues, baptism in the Holy Spirit, spiritual gifts, prophecy, and demons. Are these sound biblical doctrines? That is the question we must settle. Most people have only listened to modern Pharisees and Sadducees. They have not read the Word for themselves.
The Sadducees based their argument on the law meant to preserve lineage and inheritance (Deuteronomy 25:5-6). The land was divided by inheritance. Every fifty years, it reverted back as God ordained (Leviticus 25:10). The purpose of that command was to protect inheritance, not to deny resurrection. They used it to mock life after death. Many doctrines seem absurd to people today. They do not understand them because they have been taught against them. They also do not understand because there is little teaching about the power of God. We talk about many kinds of power, but rarely about His power.
When you see an ear healed, you begin to grasp what God can do. He can do anything. So they asked whose wife she would be in the resurrection. Jesus answered them plainly.
Matthew 22:29-30
29 Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.
30 For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.
What Does “You Do Err Not Knowing the Scriptures” Mean?
You Do Err – Two Reasons for Error – Matthew 22 Verses 15-40
He said, You do err (Matthew 22:29). Why do we err? He tells us. You do err not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God (Matthew 22:29). That is the root of error. We lack knowledge of the Word and the power of God. I read about His power. I talk about it. But I want to know it. I want to see it.
I want to see Sally walk and run and leap and praise God, and I want to see Cindy Tucker run, leap, and praise God. Yes! I want to see the power of God. If I serve the same God, walk in the same covenant, and have the same Spirit as the book of Acts, then I should manifest that same power. We must have the same power of God.
He says there are two reasons we err – we do not know the Scriptures, and we do not know the power of God. You do err. Other translations say you are wrong, you are deceiving yourselves, and your error is caused by ignorance. When we do not know the Scriptures, we deceive ourselves.
I want to see God’s Power
Most of you know what happened to the Tuckers. Three weeks ago, his wife ran off the road. They do not know exactly what happened. She struck something and is now paraplegic. Something in her spinal system was damaged. LaRue wanted us to pray. Plans were made, and she was moved to Atlanta. He came by and talked with me for a couple of hours. We spoke about Cindy and about where he is spiritually. He has insight into the Word of God. Tony is hungry for the things of God. He wants to know the Lord and the power of God.
We talked about the structure of this church. He was sincerely interested. He said this is the only church he knows in this area that is close to a first-century church. That encouraged me. He said we have bridged the society gap. There are wealthy people here and people on social security. He said he does not know another church that has done that. I told him we are not there yet. We may have bridged a society gap, but I want to see the racial gap bridged.
The Bible shows all tongues, tribes, and nations worshiping together (Revelation 7:9).
One Church in a City – Breaking the Middle Wall – Matthew 22 Verses 15-40
I told him the cry of my heart is not to see many churches in this area, but one church. Some may worship quietly. Others may clap and praise. Those in between can find their place. We should be able to put up with each other. Jesus broke down the middle wall of partition (Ephesians 2:14). The divisions are in our imaginations.
I do not want Shilo Baptist, Corinth Baptist, First Baptist, First Methodist, Church of Christ, Assemblies of God, and Church of Lafayette. I want to see one church. In the first century, there was one church in a city – the elders of the church of Ephesus and the saints at Philippi (Acts 20:17; Philippians 1:1). Help us, Lord. The problem is that we err. We do not know what the Bible says. We do not know the power of God. To err means to roam from safety, truth, and virtue. It means to go astray, to be deceived, to wander out of the way.
How does this happen? The Lord says it happens by not knowing the Scriptures. The Old Testament speaks of the resurrection.
Job and the Resurrection – The Old Testament Speaks
Declaration by Job that after worms destroy this body, yet in his flesh he would see God (Job 19:25-26).
Job 19:25–26
25 For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:
26 And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:
There is a resurrection, and the Scriptures speak of it. The Sadducees limited themselves to the first five books of the Bible – Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. That is where they drew their truth.
Do Not Skip Acts, Revelation, or the Gifts – Matthew 22 Verses 15-40
It would be like us skipping the book of Acts. Why would I skip Acts when it speaks of the coming of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8; Acts 2:1-4)? If I say that was only for two thousand years ago and not for today, then I would have to ignore it.
Why skip the book of Revelation and say it only concerns the future? If the devil can push truth into the past or into the future, we will never see the power of God. Did they have the power of God in Acts? Did God reveal His power in Revelation? If we reject that, we might as well tear those pages out. We might as well forget 1 Corinthians 12 and 1 Corinthians 14. Those chapters speak of the gifts of the Spirit. They speak of prophecy, tongues, interpretation, faith, healings, miracles, discerning of spirits, word of knowledge, and word of wisdom. That is the power of God.
Some want to land on 1 Corinthians 13 because it speaks of love. Then they skip 1 Corinthians 14 because it explains how the gifts function when we come together. Others skip Ephesians 4:11, which speaks of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers. We err because we do not know the Scriptures. No wonder we are sad. It is pitiful when we pick and choose.
If we want to see the church in its power and glory, we cannot do that. Jesus spoke of a church that storms the gates of hell (Matthew 16:18). He spoke of a bride without spot or wrinkle (Ephesians 5:27). We cannot throw away Revelation or Acts. We cannot throw away 1 Corinthians 12, 1 Corinthians 14, or Ephesians 4:11. The Bible still says that when He appears, we shall be like Him (1 John 3:2-3).
1 John 3:2–3
2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
We are like the Sadducees and the Pharisees. We pick and choose. Preachers grab the Scriptures that please everyone, and we err. Jesus said the second reason we err is that we do not know the power of God. We believe in the power of the devil. We believe in the power of the IRS, the atom, the nuclear warhead, and the power of a 350 V8 engine. Yet we have little conception of the power of God.
That is the same error the Sadducees made. They believed in the power of Caesar, tax collectors, and earthly systems. They did not believe in the power of God. It is as if we think God lost His power. It is as if He grew old and tired. So we leave New Testament power in the book of Acts, where it says we shall receive power after the Holy Ghost has come upon us (Acts 1:8).
Acts 1:8
8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
We say the Holy Ghost does not come upon anyone anymore. That was for them. We push the kingdom of God somewhere else. Miracles are over. We say healing is over. We say tongues surely is over. Tongues is an absurdity to most people. I believe that is why God chose it – to confound the wise with the foolish things (1 Corinthians 1:27). It seems foolish. The question is whether we are willing to do it for God.
When you pray that way, it bypasses your mind and goes straight to the Spirit. The Sadducees believed Rome had power. They believed Caesar had power. They believed tax collectors had power. People acted as if God had lost His power and Beelzebub was running things. Much of our teaching has been that the devil owns this world and we are just hanging on. That produces defeat. We talk about escaping before tribulation.
I spoke with Tony about Matthew 24:37-41. In the days of Noah, the wicked were taken, and the righteous remained. Two were in the field – one taken and one left. He saw it. He is hungry for God and tired of error. Tony wants to see the power of God so his wife can run, leap, and praise God.
The Power of God Has Not Changed
I serve the same God Moses served. I serve the same God Peter and Paul served. He has not changed. We err by not knowing the Scriptures and by not knowing the power of God.
Jesus said in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven (Matthew 22:30). I see that as a perfected relationship. It is not an ownership relationship. It becomes spiritual and complete.
That does not mean we become angels. It does not mean we forget one another. The relationship is perfected, not erased. Immortal relationships will not function as they do now. They will be more like angels, yet we remain who we are.
Then Jesus spoke of the resurrection and said God declared Himself the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Exodus 3:6; Matthew 22:31-32). God is not the God of the dead but of the living (Matthew 22:32).
Matthew 22:31–32
31 But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying,
32 I am 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.
33 And when the multitude heard this, they were astonished at his doctrine.
The Pharisees came and said Moses said. They used Moses as their authority. They mediated truth through Moses. Jesus did not do that. He said, have you not read what God said? God declared He is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. If He is their God, then they must still be alive.
God Said – Not Moses Said – Matthew 22 Verses 15-40
Jesus did not say Moses said. He said God said. That is where we must stand.
Too often, we say Kenneth Copeland said, or Robert said, or my pastor said. We need to know what God said. We must be able to sit down with someone and open the Scriptures. Show them what the Bible says about the coming of the Lord. Show them what it says about the baptism of the Holy Ghost. Do not say the elder said or the pastor said. Say this is what God said. They may argue with me, but they cannot argue with what God said.
The Sadducees did not believe in immortality, angels, or spirits (Acts 23:8). Jesus used Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob from the Pentateuch, which they accepted, to prove His point. If God is their God, then they are alive and awaiting resurrection. That is how He showed them their error.
Then the Pharisees saw He had silenced the Sadducees. I imagine they were pleased. It is easy to want Jesus to straighten out everyone else. We think that if others believed as we believe, everything would be right. Yet what if He came to correct us? We do not have all revelation. We do not have a corner on doctrine. There is more to learn.
The Great Commandment – Love God and Love Neighbor
One of them, a lawyer, asked Him which is the greatest commandment (Matthew 22:35-36).
Matthew 22:34-38
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,
36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
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.
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.
Love the Lord Your God Meaning
Greatest Commandment Explained
The lawyer didn’t ask for a second. He just wanted to know which one was the first. Jesus is giving him this one. We like that first one, don’t we? We can really get along with that first one. First one’s kind of easy. “Oh, I love you, Lord, I praise you, Lord. I hate that guy, I hate him. I love you, Lord, love you, Lord, hallelujah, Lord, oh, that man made me so mad. My wife, I could just poop her in the nose. I love you, Lord, hallelujah, Lord.”
Come on. You know what I’m talking about. He didn’t ask for that second one, but the Lord gave it to him anyway.
According to their teaching, there were 613 commandments. They counted 365 negative commands and 248 positive ones. That was their system. They broke it down and categorized it.
Deuteronomy 6:5 – Heart, Soul, Might – Matthew 22 Verses 15-40
Jesus answered them from Deuteronomy 6:5. He pointed to the Scripture that says we are to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, and might (Deuteronomy 6:5). That was His answer.
Deuteronomy 6:5
5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
There are three elements in that command – heart, soul, and might (Deuteronomy 6:5). The heart is the center of my thought life. My thoughts should originate around God. I am to love the Lord with my thinking.
The soul is the center of my emotions.
I am to love Him with my emotions. Someone once said people come here because they have an emotional need. That is fine with me. God is the God of my emotions, too. I am glad I can worship Him with my feelings. I can cry, laugh, rejoice, and be thankful to be in a place where I do not have to suppress that.
We also worship Him with our might – our bodies, strength, and actions. Everything we do should express love for Him. The command does not say part of your heart or part of your soul. It says all. All our hearts, all our souls, and all our might. We worship Him with everything He has given us. David danced before the Lord with all his might (2 Samuel 6:14).
The kids come back from camp and tell me they finally understood what it means to praise the Lord until you sweat. I love that. When you sweat, you have exerted some might. I am not talking about broken air conditioning. I am talking about worshiping the Lord with all your might. That is what He commands – love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your might. It is all, all, all. Every faculty. The whole person.
I do not want my wife to love me with part of her mind or part of her emotions. I want all of her. You men want all of your wives. You women want all of your husbands. No one wants a divided love. How much more does Jesus want all of His bride? He wants our whole being. He wants us to love Him with everything He has given us. I want Him to love me that way, too – not part, but all.
The Second Commandment Tests the First
The second commandment is harder. It asks how we can say we love God, whom we have not seen, and hate our brother, whom we have seen (1 John 4:20-21).
1 John 4:20–21
20 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?
21 And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.
If I say I love God while my relationship with my brother is wrong, then I am lying. I cannot claim a right vertical relationship while my horizontal relationship is not right. It does not work that way. It just does not work.
If I have an ought against someone, I am to lay it down. I lay down my offering and my sacrifice, go make that wrong right with my brother, then I come back so the relationship is as it should be (Matthew 5:23-24).
I am commanded to love my neighbor as myself (Matthew 22:39).
Love Is the Peg Everything Hangs On – Matthew 22 Verses 15-40
These two commandments are the pegs on which all Scripture hangs (Matthew 22:40). If I do not love God, everything else is lost. If I do not love people, everything else is lost. Covenants, blood, prophecies, gifts – none of it stands without love.
God wants me to love Him. He also wants me to love others. The world will know I am His disciple by my love for one another (John 13:35).
John 13:35
35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
We talk about each other, bicker, and fight. We criticize denominations, and they criticize us. All of that is the ploy of the enemy. If he can keep us apart, we will never come together. God wants His bride brought together.
Stop Erring, Learn the Word, Walk in Purpose
As I prepared, one truth stood out – we err because we do not know the Scriptures, and we do not know the power of God. That is the root of it. My prayer is that we will learn the Scriptures for ourselves. We must stop only listening to Sadducees, Pharisees, pastors, and teachers. Everyone needs to get into the Word ourselves so we will stop erring.
We have the same covenant, the same Spirit, the same Lord, and the same blood they had in Acts and Revelation. All the promises of the new covenant belong to us. Everything it offers is available to us. God has called us into purpose in this life and at this time. Like Esther, we have been called into the kingdom for such a time as this (Esther 4:14). I believe that is true for our fellowship and for each of us.
Question and Answers from Matthew 22 Verses 15-40
Here are four key Question & Answer sections drawn directly from your text and emphasis:
1. What does “Render to Caesar” really mean in Matthew 22:15-22?
Jesus was not simply answering a political question about taxes. The Pharisees and Herodians were trying to trap Him. If He said no, they could accuse Him of treason to Caesar. If He said yes, they could turn the people against Him. Jesus answered with wisdom: Render to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and to God what belongs to God. Paying taxes does not equal worship to the government. Civil responsibility does not cancel spiritual allegiance. The deeper issue is identity – whose image you bear and to whom you truly belong.
2. Why did Jesus say, “You do err”?
When the Sadducees mocked the resurrection, Jesus said, You do err, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God (Matthew 22:29). Error comes from two sources – ignorance of the Word and ignorance of God’s power. The Sadducees limited Scripture and denied resurrection. Many today still pick and choose what to believe. When we ignore parts of the Bible or deny the present power of God, we drift into the same error. True doctrine requires the whole canon and confidence in God’s living power.
3. What is the greatest commandment?
A lawyer asked Jesus which commandment was greatest. Jesus answered from Deuteronomy 6:5 – love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind. Then He added a second commandment – love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:37-39). The first command calls for total devotion. The second tests whether the first is real. Love for God cannot exist alongside hatred for others. These two commands are the foundation on which all the Law and the Prophets hang.
4. What is the central message of Matthew 22:15-40?
This passage is more than a series of debates. It reveals religious pride, spiritual blindness, and the danger of building doctrine from preference instead of Scripture. Jesus exposes traps, corrects false theology, and calls His people to wholehearted love. Everything in this chapter moves toward one truth – stop erring, know the Scriptures, know the power of God, and love Him with your whole being. All authority, resurrection hope, and spiritual maturity flow from that foundation.
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