Matthew 22:34-46

A Clash of Kingdoms

Just as with the lectionary passage next week, our text takes place in the temple courts during Holy Week. Jesus’ Kingdom of God is now clashing head on with the religious authorities of his day (Sadducees, Pharisees, and Scribes) as Jesus goes head to head with the religious experts of his time. Our passage provides the opportunity for Jesus to teach the two-fold summation of the law (torah): loving God and loving one's neighbor.

Muzzling the Sadducees and Arguing with the Pharisees

Our text begins with a pronouncement that Jesus has already “silenced” (NIV) the Sadducees. The actual word used here by Matthew is phimos (Greek) which means to “muzzle.” In other words, Jesus had little…