Bible Commentaries
Matthew 22

Verses 1-14

Mat 22:1-14

Parable of the Royal Wedding, Matthew 22:1-14

J.W. McGarvey

1. Jesus answered.—He answered, not a question or an argument from them, but their violent purpose declared by Matthew in the preceding verse (Matthew 21:46). The parable points out, as did the parable of the laborers in the vineyard, the fate which their violence was preparing for them

3, 4. to call them that were bidden.—The guests had been invited before, but no exact time had been fixed for them to come. Now they are notified that it is time to come; that "all things are ready."

5-7. the king was wroth.—It was an insult to the king to treat his invitation with contempt by going, one to his farm and another to his merchandise; but to seize the servants who had brought the kind invitation, and to mistreat and slay them, was an act of the most malignant hostility, justifying, according to the usages of kings, the most fearful retribution.

8-10. into the highways.—The first invitations had been extended only to those of suitable rank to be guests of the king; but now all persons found on the highways, "both bad and good," are invited, and they, appreciating the honor conferred on them, accept the invitation, and the king triumphs in reference to the number, if not in reference to the rank of his guests. The conduct of those first invited brought ruin on themselves without defeating the purpose of the king.

11, 12. a wedding garment.—There is much difference of opinion among the commentators (see Lange in loco) as to whether kings and men of wealth were in the habit of furnishing the proper garment for their guests on such occasions; but whatever may be the truth on this point, this guest, when called on to say why he had not on the wedding garment, was "speechless," which shows that he had no excuse.

13. there shall be weeping.—In this verse there is a transition from the symbol to the thing symbolized, beginning with the binding of the insolent guest, and ending with the weeping and gnashing of teeth in outer darkness which are to befall those represented by the guest.

14. many called... few chosen.—This is the subject illustrated by the preceding parable. The parties first called, who slighted the invitation and mistreated the king, are the Jews. The words, "He sent forth his armies and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city," would answer for a description of the destruction of Jerusalem. The persons called in from the highways are the Gentiles; and the fact that the wedding was supplied with guests from this source, after those first invited had been slain and their city burned, answers to the fact that after the destruction of Jerusalem the Church was filled up almost exclusively from the Gentiles, The entrance of the king to see his guests (Matthew 22:11) clearly represents the final judgment; and the man without a wedding garment, those who will be found in the Church without a suitable character. All such, together with all who reject the gospel invitation, are among the many who are called but not chosen; while the few who are chosen are those who shall be found at their posts clothed in the garments of righteousness. These will be few, not absolutely but relatively; that is, few as compared with the number that should be chosen.

Such is the leading train of thought in the parable, but incidentally it contains other valuable suggestions. The parties who slighted the invitation were moved, a part of them by indifference born of business cares (Matthew 22:5), and a part of them by malice (Matthew 22:6). The enemies of the gospel, and those indifferent to its claims, are both represented. Again, the man without the wedding garment was guilty of insolence as well as neglect, and so it is with him who holds a place in the Church without the character of a Christian.

The Parable of the Wedding Banquet - Matthew 22:1-14

Open It

1. What do you like or dislike about weddings?

2. What tips might you give to someone planning a big wedding?

3. What is your funniest wedding story?

4. How do you tend to react when long-awaited plans fail to materialize?

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5. What preparations were being made in this parable? (Matthew 22:2)

6. What did the king send his servants to do? (Matthew 22:3)

7. How did people respond to the king’s invitation? (Matthew 22:3)

8. Upon hearing that no one would come to the wedding, what did the king do? (Matthew 22:4)

9. How did the invited guests react to the king’s second appeal? (Matthew 22:5)

10. To what shocking acts did some of the people who were invited resort? (Matthew 22:6)

11. How did the king deal with the lawbreakers? (Matthew 22:7)

12. The king went to a "Plan B" that included what changes? (Matthew 22:8-9)

13. How did the king’s alternative plan work out? (Matthew 22:10)

14. What did the king say when he spotted an improperly dressed wedding guest? (Matthew 22:11)

15. What did the king order his servants to do with the man who was improperly dressed? (Matthew 22:11-13)

16. Why did the king throw out the unwelcome wedding guest? (Matthew 22:13-14)

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15. What keeps people from accepting Jesus’ offer of eternal life?

16. The wedding clothes in the parable that were needed for admittance to the banquet are meant to symbolize what quality that is necessary for entry into the kingdom of heaven?

17. What events led to your acceptance of Jesus’ offer of forgiveness and heaven?

18. For what reason are there impostors in the church?

19. Why would a non-Christian want to be around Christians?

20. How does God demonstrate His patience to unbelievers?

21. What will happen to those who either reject Christ or try to enter His kingdom on their own terms?

22. In what area(s) of your life have you been putting off a response to what God has asked you to do?

Apply It

23. What response should you give to God this week?

24. To what individuals this week can you extend Jesus’ offer of forgiveness and eternal life?

Verses 15-22

Mat 22:15-22

Question about Tribute to Cæsar, Matthew 22:15-22.
(Mark 12:13-17; Luke 20:20-26)

J.W. McGarvey

15. how they might entangle him.—The task of a detective who seeks to entangle a bad man in his talk for the sake of exposing him, is not an enviable one; but to lay such snares for a good man is truly diabolical. Yet this is what the Pharisees deliberately took counsel to do, and the wonder is that they could look each other in the face while taking counsel for such a purpose.

16. their disciples with the Herodians.—The leading Pharisees did not themselves go on this detestable mission, for fear that Jesus would suspect their design; but they sent their "disciples," or pupils, young men acquiring an education like Paul under Gamaliel; and with them some Herodians. The Herodians were political partisans of Herod—men who defended his administration against the opposition of the chief part of his subjects, and whose services were engaged on thin occasion in order that they might report promptly to Herod or to Pontius Pilate any disloyal utterances which might be extorted from Jesus.

16, 17. Master, we know.—Though the plot does great discredit to the hearts of the Pharisees, it does none to their shrewdness and their knowledge of human nature; its malice is equaled by its cunning. They would try him in a way which they had never before attempted; they would compliment him until they induced him to speak words which they would almost put into his mouth. Their compliments would be based on characteristics which were in themselves most admirable, and would be spoken by persons who came in the guise of honest inquirers. They say, "Master we know that you are true, and that you teach the way of God in truth, neither do you care for any man; for you regard not the person of men. Tell us, therefore, what think you? Is it lawful to give tribute to Cæsar, or not?" Thus, his unimpeachable veracity, his truthful exhibition of the "way of God," his disregard of human opposition and of the distinctions of rank and power, traits of character which should have excited their admiration, they endeavored to employ as instruments for his destruction.

Is it lawful.—That is, in accordance with the law of Moses. It was said in the law, "When thou comest into the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, and shalt possess it, and shalt dwell therein, and shalt say, I will sec a king over me like as all the nations that are about me; thou shalt in any wise set him king over thee whom the Lord thy God shall choose: one from among thine own brethren shalt thou set king over thee; thou mayest not set a stranger over thee who is not thy brother." (Deuteronomy 17:14-15.) This passage furnished at least plausible ground for refusing to pay tribute to any foreign potentate, and the idea was popular with the Jews. The Pharisees supposed that Jesus was in sympathy with the people on this subject, and that the kingdom which he intended to set up would be in opposition to Cæsar’s; consequently they expected him to say that the tribute was unlawful, and the Herodians were present to report the fact. On the other hand, if they should fail in pressing him to this answer, the alternative which they left him was to say that the tribute was lawful, and this would be calculated to impair his popularity.

18. Why tempt ye me.—Deeply as they had laid their plot, and cunningly as they had approached him, they knew, from the first word of his answer, that he saw through it—that he detected their design and their hypocrisy.

19-21. Render therefore.—After showing them that he detected their design, he proceeds to answer their question, first asking them to show him a piece of the tribute money, or the coin in which the tribute was paid. The image and superscription were indicative of the sovereignty under which the tribute was exacted, and the fact that this coin was the tribute money showed that this sovereignty was here established. As these were Cæsar’s, the answer logically followed, "Render to Cæsar the things which are Cæsar’s." The answer is general, and in teaching that tribute must be rendered to those to whom tribute is due, it teaches that other obligations to civil rulers are to be discharged as well. While thus pronouncing unmistakably in favor of paying the tribute, he saves himself from popular prejudice by adding, "and unto God the things that are God’s," asserting, in a manner which carried conviction with it, that the payment of enforced tribute was not inconsistent with maintaining complete allegiance to God. The answer was not inconsistent with the statute in Deuteronomy, for this had reference, not to enforced subjection by a foreign power, but to the voluntary choice of a king.

22. they marveled and left him.—They had several causes for astonishment: his instantaneous discovery of their plot, his skillful escape from their dilemma, his loyalty to Cæsar while proposing himself to establish a kingdom, and his insusceptibility to flattery. Amazed and baffled, they left him and went their way.

Paying Taxes to Caesar - Matthew 22:15-22

Open It

1. What could governments do to make their citizens less opposed to paying taxes?

2. What qualities mark a person of integrity?

3. What individuals would you like to see pictured on our money?

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4. What group sought to trap Jesus? How? (Matthew 22:15)

5. What two groups were sent to Jesus? Why? (Matthew 22:16)

6. How did the Pharisees address Jesus? (Matthew 22:16)

7. How did the Pharisees describe Jesus’ character? (Matthew 22:16)

8. How did the Pharisees describe Jesus’ manner of teaching? (Matthew 22:16)

9. After all the flattery, what question did the Pharisees’ disciples and the Herodians finally ask Jesus? (Matthew 22:17)

10. How did Jesus respond to all the false adulation He received in this incident? (Matthew 22:18)

11. What did Jesus say to the men who questioned Him? (Matthew 22:18)

12. What object did Jesus use to illustrate His answer? How? (Matthew 22:19-20)

13. How did Jesus answer the question without getting Himself in political hot water? (Matthew 22:21)

14. How did Jesus’ opponents respond to Jesus’ words? (Matthew 22:22)

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15. In what situations are you guilty of flattery?

16. Why do we resort to flattery?

17. How does it make you feel to realize that Jesus can see right into your heart and tell when your motives are insincere?

18. What do you think Jesus called us to do when He said, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and give to God what is God’s"?

19. How can you be careful and wise in what you say to unbelievers?

20. What responsibilities do you have to the government?

Apply It

21. What neglected civic responsibilities do you need to begin fulfilling today?

22. What might be the first step in better living up to your obligations as a citizen of God’s kingdom?

Verses 23-46

Mat 22:23-46

Question about the Resurrection, Matthew 22:23-33.
(Mark 12:18-27; Luke 20:27-40)

J.W. McGarvey

23. The same day.—Only on one previous occasion have we found the Sadducees engaged in active opposition to Jesus. (See Matthew 16:1.) Although, as a party, they were unbelievers, they had participated but little in the controversy with Jesus and his friends; but now that all Jerusalem and the multitudes who had come to the passover were in a fever of excitement over his pretensions, they too come forward and try him with their favorite argument against the resurrection of the dead.

which say... no resurrection.—They denied not only a resurrection, but also the existence of angels and of spirits. (See Acts 23:8.) All of their errors sprang from the last: for if there are no spirits, then there are no such beings as angels, who are spirits, and there is no need of a resurrection of the body, seeing that there is no spirit awaiting such a resurrection. On the other hand, if spirits exist, then there may be such an order of spirits as are called angels, and there is a demand for the resurrection of the human body in order that the disembodied spirit may again dwell in it, and make use of its organs of communication and enjoyment.

24. Master, Moses said.—The saying is found in Deuteronomy 25:5. The custom of taking a deceased brother’s wife when he died childless, and raising up seed to the brother, was much older than the law which gave it divine sanction. It was observed in the family of Jacob long before the giving of the law. (See Genesis 38:6-11.)

25-28. whose wife shall she be.—The force of the question depended on the assumption that the marital relation would still exist in the resurrected state, and this assumption could be denied only by one competent to speak authoritatively of that state. On this account the Pharisees could not answer the objection satisfactorily. The case was strongly put; for not only were seven men supposed who would have equal claims on the same woman, but these seven men were brothers, between whom a wife in common, or a strife for possession of her, would appear more incongruous than if the seven were strangers to each other.

29, 30. Ye do err.—Jesus strikes their argument in its weak point—its assumption that marriage would exist after the resurrection. He declares on his own authority, that "in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage," but that they will be "as the angels," among whom there is no marriage. He also traces their false assumption to its source in their ignorance of the Scriptures and of the power of God. Had they known the Scripture doctrine of the resurrection, they would have known that it did not involve the continuance of marriage; and had they known the power of God, they would have known that he could raise the saints without those carnal propensities on which marriage is based.

31, 32. as touching the resurrection.—Having refuted the objection of the Sadducees, Jesus next furnished a proof of the resurrection. The major premise of his argument is the proposition that "God is not the God of the dead, but of the living." Here the term dead is used in the sense attached to it by the Sadducees. If he had been disputing with Pharisees, they could have answered, He is the God of the dead; for Abraham and Isaac and Jacob were dead when he said "I am their God." But to the Sadducees a dead man was non est—he had ceased to exist, he was nothing; and to say, in their sense of the term, that God is the God of the dead, is to say he is the God of nothing. It would be nonsense. But God did say, hundreds of years after the death of the three patriarchs, "I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." (Exodus 3:6.) The conclusion follows, that these patriarchs were not dead in the Sadducean sense of the term; and as the conclusion applies only to their spirits, it proves that spirits continue to be alive after the bodies which they inhabited are dead.

The thoughtful reader may have observed that the conclusion of this argument falls short, in its terms, of the demands of the subject. The subject is the resurrection of the dead, while the conclusion affects only the question whether the spirits of the dead are still alive. We can not escape the difficulty by supposing, as some have done, that the resurrection spoken of is that of the spirit, not that of the body; for there is no such thing as a resurrection of the spirit. The spirit does not die, and therefore it does not rise from the dead. It leaves the body as the latter dies, its departure is the immediate cause of death, and it departs in the full possession of life. Resurrection is always spoken of in the Scriptures with reference to the body. How, then, does the Savior’s proof that spirits continue to live apart from the body, include proof of a resurrection? It seems quite certain that the argument appeared conclusive to the Sadducees; for Jesus assumed that it was so, and they tacitly admitted the fact, while the bystanders who knew the views of the party "were astonished at his doctrine." (Matthew 22:33.) In other words, the Sadducees admitted that if the existence of human spirits apart from the body were proved, the necessity for a resurrection would follow. The argument, then, was conclusive at least to them; but was It no more than an ad hominem argument? We think not; for human spirits, having been originally created for the exercise of their powers through the organs of a body, must, unless their original nature be changed, which is an inadmissible supposition because unsupported by evidence, be dependent for their highest enjoyment on the possession of a body. This being so, the continued existence of spirits after the death of the body creates a demand for the resurrection of the body, and the Sadducees were philosophical enough to see this.

33. they were astonished.—The astonishment of the multitude arose from two circumstances: first, that Jesus was at all able to answer the boasted objection of the Sadducees; and second, that he found the answer in the writings of Moses, where it was supposed then, and has been supposed since, that the doctrine of a future life is not taught.

Marriage at the Resurrection - Matthew 22:23-33

Open It

1. What topics often spark arguments among people?

2. What ideals do many people have about marriage?

3. What are some secrets to a long and healthy marriage?

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4. What group confronted or opposed Jesus? How? (Matthew 22:23)

5. What distinctive belief did the Sadducees hold? (Matthew 22:23)

6. To what authority did the Sadducees appeal in asking their question? (Matthew 22:24)

7. To what kind of law did the Sadducees defer? (Matthew 22:24)

8. What rare, unlikely scenario did the Sadducees describe for Jesus? (Matthew 22:25-27)

9. What question did the Sadducees finally put to Jesus? (Matthew 22:28)

10. What two important facts did Jesus charge the Sadducees with not knowing? (Matthew 22:29)

11. What did Jesus say about the institution of marriage in eternity? (Matthew 22:30)

12. What did Jesus say about angels and marriage? (Matthew 22:30)

13. How did Jesus prove that people will be raised from the dead? (Matthew 22:31-32)

14. How did the crowd react to this exchange? (Matthew 22:33)

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15. What makes you think the Sadducees were not really interested in knowing the truth?

16. What do you think their purpose was in confronting Jesus?

17. How does it make you feel to realize that marriage as we know it will not exist in eternity?

18. In what ways do all these groups questioning Jesus remind you of today’s talk-show circuit?

19. How well do you know the Scriptures and the power of God?

20. In what ways can our doctrinal beliefs blind us to the truth?

21. How do you typically respond when you are attacked because of your faith?

22. What questions asked by unbelievers do you have the most difficult time answering?

Apply It

23. What area of Bible doctrine will you read about and study this week?

24. To whom do you need to apologize for arguing about your faith or for browbeating with the Bible?

25. What needs to change in your life today to reflect the fact that you serve a living God?

Question about the Great Commandment,
Matthew 22:34-40. (Mark 12:28-34.)

34. when the Pharisees had heard.—The rivalry which existed between the Pharisees and the Sadducees caused each to rejoice at the discomfiture of the other. When the Pharisees, therefore, heard that Jesus had "put the Sadducees to silence," they were not only "gathered together," but they came with a better spirit and purpose than before. This will appear as we proceed.

35. a lawyer.—Lawyers among the Jews were not attorneys as with us, but simply men well versed in the law of Moses. He was a suitable person to propound the question which follows, for he was qualified to judge of the answer.

tempting him.—The purpose of the lawyer, as the nature of his question implies, was not to incite Jesus to evil, but to test his knowledge of the law. The Pharisees had given up the contest in regard to his miracles, and now they hoped to defeat him in a trial of his knowledge.

36. the great commandment.—The one preeminently great. Here is exhibited the same conception with which the rich young man had inquired, "What good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?" (Matthew 19:16.) The Pharisees themselves had fallen into the mistake of supposing that there was preeminent merit in fasting and paying tithes. (See Matthew 23:23; Luke 18:12.)

37, 38. first and great commandment.—The commandment cited was not, as the lawyer might have expected, taken from the decalogue, but from a comparatively obscure place in the Pentateuch. (See Deuteronomy 6:5.) It is called the first and great, as the sequel shows (Matthew 22:40), not because, apart from all others it is great, but because in observing it all others are observed.

39. second is like.—The second was also selected from an obscure passage (Leviticus 19:18), and was as little expected as the first. The best explanation of its meaning is that given by Jesus when another lawyer, conversing on the same subject, inquired, "Who is my neighbor?" Jesus showed him by the parable of the good Samaritan that every man, even an enemy, is our neighbor, and that to love him as the commandment requires is to entertain toward him such feeling as will cause us to relieve him when in distress. (See Luke 10:25-37.) The love enjoined is a benevolent goodwill toward all persons.

40. On these two... hang all.—There is a tacit comparison of these two commandments to a hook in the wall on which are hung all the books of the law and the prophets. As the hook supports all, so to keep these two commandments is to do all that is required by the Scriptures. He who loves God as required will keep all of God’s commandments, and he who loves his neighbor will fulfill every obligation to his neighbor. The lawyer went away with the idea not that one specific commandment of God is more important than another, but that the great thing is to have a heart for doing all that God commands.

The Greatest Commandment - Matthew 22:34-40

Open It

1. What is the best advice your mother or father ever gave you?

2. If you could give a four-sentence speech on worldwide television, what would you say in order to have the greatest possible impact?

3. If you had to summarize this past week, how would you describe it?

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4. Who heard that the Sadducees had been embarrassed by Jesus? How did they respond? (Matthew 22:34)

5. What did the Pharisees do? Why? (Matthew 22:34)

6. What sort of person was selected to address Jesus? (Matthew 22:35)

7. What was the Pharisee’s purpose in asking Jesus a question? (Matthew 22:35)

8. What specific question did the man ask Jesus? (Matthew 22:36)

9. How did Jesus answer the Pharisee’s question? (Matthew 22:37)

10. What kind of love did Jesus describe? (Matthew 22:37)

11. What important footnote did Jesus add to His answer? (Matthew 22:39)

12. What kind of love for one’s neighbor did Jesus require? (Matthew 22:39)

13. How important did Jesus say these two principles were? (Matthew 22:40)

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14. How do you feel when people ask you a question which you’re pretty sure they already know the answer to?

15. In what ways do we sometimes try to sidestep our responsibility to obey God?

16. How do you think some of the Pharisees who opposed Christ feel now—knowing that they were face to face with the Truth and they rejected Him?

17. How do we measure the magnitude of our love for Jesus?

18. What does it mean to "love your neighbor as yourself"?

19. How often do you argue just for the sake of arguing?

20. Why do you think we like to debate what the Bible means, yet often resist changing our lives based on what it says?

21. How can we keep our focus on what really matters?

22. What does God want you to do more than anything else in your job, family, church, and neighborhood?

Apply It

23. What can you do today to love Christ with all your heart, soul, and mind?

24. What loving act will you plan to do soon for a neighbor in need?

Question about the Lordship of the Christ,
Matthew 22:41-46. (Mark 12:35-37; Luke 20:41-44)

42. What think ye of Christ?—It should be, of the Christ. Waiving, for the time, his own claim to be the Christ, he inquires of them, "What think ye of the Christ?" And to give a specific aim to his question he adds, "Whose son is he?" It is not, then, a general question about their opinion concerning the Christ, nor is it at all a question concerning their opinion of Jesus; but he inquires whose son the true Christ must be. Their answer was his own answer —he was to be the son of David.

43-45. How then.—The argument is this: If David in the spirit—that is, by inspiration—called the Christ his Lord, as he does in the passage quoted (Psalms 110:1), how could the Christ be at the same time the son of David. The two are inconsistent if the Christ is not divine as well as human.

46. no man was able to answer.—They were not able to answer because they believed not in the divinity of the Christ. They supposed that he would be only a man: they were Unitarians. By propounding the question, Jesus gained two important points: he showed that the promised Christ was to be divine, and he showed that his own claim to be the Son of God was in perfect harmony with his claim to be the Christ. If he is the Christ, then he is David’s Lord.

neither durst any man.—Ever since his arrival in the city his opponents of every party had plied him with questions, taxing their ingenuity "to entangle him in his talk;" but all their questions had been answered successfully, and some of them had been turned to his own advantage. Finally, he had propounded to them one question which they could not answer, and which carried with it an unanswerable argument for his own divinity. They were so completely discomfited that they feared to ask him any more questions.

Argument of Section 3

The disputations of the preceding section contain two distinct arguments in favor of Jesus—one based on the conduct of his enemies, and the other on his own words. In all of these disputations except the last two, the wickedness of his enemies is made to appear. In their answer concerning the source of John’s mission, their hypocrisy appears (Matthew 21:23-27); in the parable of the two sons it appears again in unfavorable contrast with the open wickedness and subsequent repentance of the publicans and harlots (Matthew 22:28-32); in that of the wicked husbandmen, their wanton cruelty, demanding their final destruction, is made prominent (Matthew 22:33-46); in that of the royal wedding, the indifference of some and the malice of others (Matthew 22:1-14); and, finally, the wickedness of the Pharisees and the ignorance of the Sadducees are exhibited in their attempts to "entangle him in his talk. Now, if the enemies of Jesus had been the candid and the honest-hearted of his generation, it would have puzzled his friends to reconcile this circumstance with the character which is ascribed to him, and with the evidence which he is said to have placed before them. But seeing that it was the dishonest and the hypocritical who were his enemies, their characters furnish an argument in his favor.

The other argument of the section is more direct. In answer to the demand for his authority, the latter was proved to be divine; in the two parables, that of the husbandmen and that of the royal wedding, his prophetic powers are displayed by his very clear prediction of the destruction of Jerusalem and of the predominance of the Gentiles in the kingdom of God; while his transcendent wisdom is displayed in his answers to the questions concerning tribute, the resurrection, and the great commandment.

The reader should observe that in this part of Matthew’s narrative, including all from the public entry of Jesus into the city until his arrest, Jesus is presented, not as a miracle-worker and a fulfiller of prophecy, but as himself a prophet. His miracles of power were chiefly, though not exclusively, wrought in Galilee and Perea, while his miracles of knowledge were wrought chiefly in the intellectual center of the nation. Even here, however, as John’s narrative abundantly shows, had occurred some of the most signal miracles of the former class. (See John 5:1-5; John 9:1-7; John 11:43-46.)

Whose Son Is the Christ? - Matthew 22:41-46

Open It

1. What is the most ingenious trick or prank you have ever played on anyone?

2. If you could ask anyone any question at all, what would you want to know?

3. What is satisfying about "stumping the expert" or seeing a pro make a mistake?

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4. In what setting did this conversation take place? (Matthew 22:41)

5. What religious group had gathered? Why? (Matthew 22:41)

6. Who did the interrogation of Jesus? When? (Matthew 22:41)

7. What questions did Jesus ask? (Matthew 22:42)

8. What important fact did the Pharisees admit about Christ? (Matthew 22:42)

9. How did Jesus enlighten the Pharisees? (Matthew 22:43-44)

10. According to Jesus, under what special condition did David write? (Matthew 22:43)

11. What was important about the way David referred to Christ? (Matthew 22:43-44)

12. What final question did Jesus use to make His point? (Matthew 22:45)

13. What happened after Jesus silenced the Pharisees? (Matthew 22:46)

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14. What objections to Jesus’ identity do people raise today?

15. What are good ways to respond to people who doubt Jesus’ identity?

16. How would you answer a friend who says, "Prove to me that Jesus is God"?

17. In telling people about Christ today, what are some of the more important details to include?

18. Why is the question, "Who is Jesus?" far more significant than any other issue?

19. To what issues do you tend to get sidetracked when you try to witness for Christ?

20. What emotions or thoughts prompt people to stop talking about their relationship with God?

Apply It

21. What area(s) of your life do you need to surrender to the lordship of Christ today?

22. What can you do (or stop doing) this week to become more effective in introducing your non-Christian friends to Christ?