Monday, July 10, 2006
THE TRAP
V38. Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered Him, saying, "Teacher, we want to see a sign from You."
Some of the scribes and Pharisees likely refers to a special committee appointed from Jerusalem to set Jesus up so that He could be publicly discounted by those who were of the highest moral fiber. The scribes were the lawyers of authority in interpretation of God’s Law. The Sadducees had their scribes in their party but they were the aristocracy who cared little about the little people who Jesus identified with. The Pharisees were regular folks who swore an oath to uphold the law as interpreted by the scribes. This is why the scribes and Pharisees are so closely related. Paul was a Pharisee and also a blue collar tent maker: Acts 18:1-3 After these things he left Athens and went to Corinth. 2. And he found a certain Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, having recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. He came to them, 3. and because he was of the same trade, he stayed with them and they were working; for by trade they were tent-makers. 23:6 But perceiving that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, Paul began crying out in the Council, "Brethren, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees; I am on trial for the hope and resurrection of the dead!"
Jesus was drawing large crowds to His attention by explaining God’s truth and proclaiming the arrival of His kingdom. The scribes and their student Pharisees were at odds with the teachings of Jesus and sought to put Him down once ad for all.
Dripping with sarcasm these religious charlatans address Jesus as “Teacher.” This is the same group that He has just called a brood of vipers who would be so assured of their own interpretations of God’s Law that they never would condescend to asking His interpretation or advice within their own field of expertise. The scene is set and the public would surely side with the exalted orthodox religious leadership. They are certain that they have Jesus backed into their trap.
Some of the scribes and Pharisees likely refers to a special committee appointed from Jerusalem to set Jesus up so that He could be publicly discounted by those who were of the highest moral fiber. The scribes were the lawyers of authority in interpretation of God’s Law. The Sadducees had their scribes in their party but they were the aristocracy who cared little about the little people who Jesus identified with. The Pharisees were regular folks who swore an oath to uphold the law as interpreted by the scribes. This is why the scribes and Pharisees are so closely related. Paul was a Pharisee and also a blue collar tent maker: Acts 18:1-3 After these things he left Athens and went to Corinth. 2. And he found a certain Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, having recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. He came to them, 3. and because he was of the same trade, he stayed with them and they were working; for by trade they were tent-makers. 23:6 But perceiving that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, Paul began crying out in the Council, "Brethren, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees; I am on trial for the hope and resurrection of the dead!"
Jesus was drawing large crowds to His attention by explaining God’s truth and proclaiming the arrival of His kingdom. The scribes and their student Pharisees were at odds with the teachings of Jesus and sought to put Him down once ad for all.
Dripping with sarcasm these religious charlatans address Jesus as “Teacher.” This is the same group that He has just called a brood of vipers who would be so assured of their own interpretations of God’s Law that they never would condescend to asking His interpretation or advice within their own field of expertise. The scene is set and the public would surely side with the exalted orthodox religious leadership. They are certain that they have Jesus backed into their trap.
# posted by Castusfumus : 5:33 PM
