What does "testing Him with a question" reveal about the Pharisees' intentions? Verse at a Glance “Then one of them, a lawyer, tested Him with a question,” (Matthew 22:35). Key Word: “tested” • Greek peirazō — to put to the proof, try to trap, tempt, or entice into error (cf. Matthew 4:1). • The word carries a hostile edge; it is not used for honest, good-faith inquiry. What Their Testing Reveals • Pre-planned hostility – The Pharisees “plotted how they might trap Jesus in His words” (Matthew 22:15). • Desire to discredit Christ publicly – By drawing Him into a legal argument, they hoped to show Him as ignorant or contradictory (Luke 11:54). • Protection of their religious power – His growing influence threatened their authority (John 11:48). • Spiritual blindness and unbelief – They had “seen” His works yet still demanded further proof (Mark 8:11). • Alignment with Satan’s tactics – The devil also “tested” Jesus (Luke 4:2); the Pharisees unknowingly mirrored that opposition. • Rejection of God’s command not to test Him – “You shall not put the LORD your God to the test” (Deuteronomy 6:16). Supporting Snapshots from Other Encounters • Taxes to Caesar: “Why are you testing Me? Bring Me a denarius” (Mark 12:15). • Divorce question: “Pharisees came up and in order to test Him asked…” (Mark 10:2). • Demand for a sign: “They began to argue with Him, demanding from Him a sign from heaven to test Him” (Mark 8:11). Contrast: Genuine Versus Hostile Questions • Nicodemus approached Jesus by night with sincere curiosity (John 3:2). • The rich young ruler “ran up” and “knelt before Him” (Mark 10:17) — an honest seeker. • The Pharisees came with stealth, subterfuge, and malice (Luke 20:20). Spiritual Lessons Today • God sees the heart behind our questions (1 Samuel 16:7). • Intellectual inquiry is welcomed; malicious testing is sin. • Attempting to trap Christ or His Word only hardens unbelief (Hebrews 3:12-13). • The faithful posture is humble submission, not skeptical provocation (James 4:6-8). |
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