Matthew 3:7-12 - John the B let it rip against the P's.
In what way was the S's statement evil?
Matthew 9:32-34 - Jesus healed mute, demon-possessed man. P's said that Jesus did it through the power of Satan.
Why did they respond this way?
Satan would have loved their response, because it would give him the glory instead of Jesus - on several levels the P's were acting as agents of satan.
Question - did their undermining contribute to the final mass rejection in front of Pilate?
It was a rebuke and a question?
A predestination inference that God plants good plants in selected hearts …..?
Jesus gives Peter a slight rebuke "don't you understand"?
Why is this a test?
To see what He says?
To see what He does?
To see if He somehow implicates Himself in "blaspheming" (in their view) God through what He says and does?
To see if He actually can exert power at will? And if so, whether the power is of God or satan?
So, maybe the test is to get a better idea of what they were dealing with?
An implied, inferred, implicit, indirect rebuke?
21 From that time Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day.
How was this a test?
(Check out - did Moses really "command" it, or was it an "accomodation instruction"?) - if Moses did not really command it, the Pharisees were exaggerating the statement (twisting the truth = lying) to win the argument. Jesus had drawn a line that they did not agree with, and they were twisting things to win the point.
How to do this in real life?
24 Jesus said to them, "I will also ask you one [d]thing, which if you tell Me, I will also tell you by what authority I do these things. 25 The baptism of John was from what source, from heaven or from men?
Jesus' response - Jesus *said to them, "Truly I say to you that the tax collectors and prostitutes [h]will get into the kingdom of God before you. 32 For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him; but the tax collectors and prostitutes did believe him; and you, seeing this, did not even feel remorse afterward so as to believe him.
The parable - 33 "Listen to another parable. There was a [i]landowner who planted a vineyard and put a wall around it and dug a wine press in it, and built a tower, and rented it out to [j]vine-growers and went on a journey. 34 When the [k]harvest time approached, he sent his slaves to the vine-growers to receive his produce. 35 The vine-growers took his slaves and beat one, and killed another, and stoned a third. 36 Again he sent another group of slaves larger than the first; and they did the same thing to them. 37 But afterward he sent his son to them, saying, 'They will respect my son.' 38 But when the vine-growers saw the son, they said among themselves, 'This is the heir; come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.' 39 They took him, and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.
How would that apply in everyday life with an N?
"You should have known this, because it's in the Scriptures, if in fact you have read it" (Would they have read it?) It could be that they were "teachers of the law" but were so focused on man's tradition that they didn't even know what the scriptures said. Jesus said this line several times - could it be that He was challenging them more than once to look in the Book?
Pharisees' response - 45 When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard His parables, they understood that He was speaking about them. 46 When they sought to seize Him, they feared the [n]people, because they considered Him to be a prophet.
Emotional response - they did not necessarily have a plan on what to do with Him - probably just beat Him to death and deal with the consequences later?
They were trying to get Him to say something that they could accuse Him of, but it does not say what they would do if they caught Him in something.
Maybe something to soil His reputation and knock Him down a peg?
Jesus' response - 18 But Jesus perceived their [k]malice, and said, "Why are you testing Me, you hypocrites? 19 Show Me the coin used for the poll-tax." And they brought Him a [l]denarius. 20 And He *said to them, "Whose likeness and inscription is this?" 21 They *said to Him, "Caesar's." Then He *said to them, "Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's; and to God the things that are God's." 22 And hearing this, they were amazed, and leaving Him, they went away.
Why are you trying to pull this stunt?
Their response - 22 And hearing this, they were amazed, and leaving Him, they went away.
3985 peirázō (from 3984 /peíra, "test, trial") – "originally to test, to try which was its usual meaning in the ancient Greek and in the LXX" (WP, 1, 30). "The word means either test or tempt" (WP, 1, 348). Context alone determines which sense is intended, or if both apply simultaneously.
Pharisees response - 46 No one was able to answer Him a word, nor did anyone dare from that day on to ask Him [r]another question.
Judas's Bargain 14 Then one of the twelve, named Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests 15 and said, "What are you willing to give me [a]to [b]betray Him to you?" And they weighed out thirty [c]pieces of silver to him. 16 From then on he began looking for a good opportunity to [d]betray [e]Jesus.
47 While He was still speaking, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, came up [l]accompanied by a large crowd with swords and clubs, who came from the chief priests and elders of the people. 48 Now he who was betraying Him gave them a sign, saying, "Whomever I kiss, He is the one; seize Him." 49 Immediately Judas went to Jesus and said, "Hail, Rabbi!" and kissed Him. 50 And Jesus said to him, "Friend, do what you have come for." Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and seized Him. 51 And behold, one of those who were with Jesus [m]reached and drew out his sword, and struck the slave of the high priest and [n]cut off his ear. And 55 At that time Jesus said to the crowds, "Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest Me as you would against a robber? Every day I used to sit in the temple teaching and you did not seize Me. 56 But all this has taken place to fulfill the Scriptures of the prophets." Then all the disciples left Him and fled. 57 Those who had seized Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas, the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were gathered together.
The mob somehow included Romans?
As part of the rent-a-mob?
As a reporter back to the high priest?
Did they know at the time that they had to go to Pilate for the approval of death?
A few details not clear ?
A curse without cause does not alight ?
Jesus - 63 But Jesus kept silent. Why?
It was up to God to defend Him.
This was His formulation of what He thought Jesus' position was. Jews did not think the Messiah was the Son of God ??
"You have said it" = 3004 légō (originally, "lay down to sleep," used later of "laying an argument to rest," i.e. bringing a message to closure; see Curtius, Thayer) – properly, to say (speak), moving to a conclusion (bringing it to closure, "laying it to rest").
The P's had failed to take out Jesus, so the Chief Priest led the straight up confrontation to get Jesus to incriminate Himself so that they could kill Him.
Jesus did not answer any but the real charge, which was that He was the Messiah. But He at the same time gave them all one final warning. He was faithful in presenting God's case to them until the very end - in spite of their treachery and evil intent.