Matthew 22:15Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

When is the moment referred to as "Then"? It is the time when the heart must be profoundly broken, when one must marvel at the incarnation of God, when fear of the impending judgment may arise, and when, reflecting on what has already been fulfilled, one learns to trust in what is yet to be realized. The words of the Redeemer were evidently substantiated by the occurrences themselves. Indeed, tax collectors and sinners were transformed by faith, while prophets and the righteous faced persecution and death. Aware of this, the Pharisees ought to have recognized the truth of their foretold demise and engaged in belief and contemplation. Yet, their animosity persisted, causing them continued anguish, which only intensified. Unable to apprehend Jesus due to their fear of the crowds, they opted for a different tactic, seeking to endanger Him by falsely accusing Him of violating public laws.

Given the deceitful motives of the Pharisees, Luke refers to those dispatched by the evangelist as ‘evil individuals,’ a term that literally translates from Greek as those lying in wait, because they were sent to ensnare Christ.

Not long before that period, during the reign of Augustus Caesar, the Romans had taken control of Judea, and as a census was conducted throughout the empire, the people of Judea were subjected to taxation. This incited significant outrage among the populace, as some argued that taxes should be paid for the sake of security and peace, claiming that the Romans were acting in defense of all. However, the Pharisees, who viewed themselves as the keepers of justice, contended that the people of God—those who honored their tithes, presented their firstfruits, and adhered to all the commandments of the law—should not be obligated to abide by human regulations.

The Pharisees gathered together and plotted, proposing, “Let us ensnare Him with a clever remark!” Nothing that had been communicated had impacted their hearts; consumed by jealousy, they resorted to cunning strategies. Unable to apprehend Jesus because of the crowd, as previously noted, they sought to entrap Him with a challenging question.

Truth often disrupts malevolent designs but does not amend them. This principle notably applies to individuals who sin deliberately rather than out of ignorance. For instance, the chief priests were unable to intimidate the Lord when they inquired, "By what authority do you do these things, and who gave you this authority?" (Matthew 21:28). However, when the significance of His parables baffled them, they rendered their own condemnation by declaring, "These wicked men will be put to an evil death" (Matthew 21:41). The absence of testimonies against them suggests that their own consciences drove them to make such a statement. Yet, it was not the dread of sin that gripped their hearts, nor was it the prospect of liberation from sin that restrained them. So what was it?

From the moment the high priest Caiaphas made his unintentional prophecy that it was preferable for one to perish for the people, it seems that not a single day has gone by without the members of the Sanhedrin convening to deliberate on how to ensnare and eliminate Jesus by any means possible. The Pharisees did not shy away from forming an alliance even with the Herodians, the supporters of King Herod, whom they despised; their animosity towards our Lord ran that deep! THEN, as St. Matthew notes, "when it was most essential to be broken in heart, to be astonished at the humanity of God, to be terrified at the future judgment, and, looking at what had already been accomplished, to believe what was yet to come" (St.

The entire dialogue, rich in parables, offered not merely doctrine but a profound understanding that remains hidden to all but the Lord. It served as a vivid illustration of the curse placed upon the fig tree and arose from the very encounter of the Lord in Jerusalem. The conversation was initiated by the provocative inquiry from the Sanhedrin, "By what authority do You do this?" Unable to elicit a favorable response concerning the Lord's reprimand from a religious perspective, the Pharisees shifted their focus to different inquiries—this time from a political angle.

The high priests and Pharisees, embarrassed by the Lord's teachings, sought to apprehend Jesus Christ and put Him on trial, yet they feared the very crowds that supported Him, who anticipated His role as the Messiah. Therefore, the adversaries of Christ attempted to entrap Him with His words in front of the people, aiming to undermine their reverence for Him and find grounds to accuse Him as a criminal (Luke 20:26).

The disgraced members of the Sanhedrin appeared to exit the temple, yet as they distanced themselves from Jesus and the surrounding crowd, they paused to deliberate: What course of action should they take in this scenario? Resorting to overt force was unthinkable, as the people would defend Him; however, inaction was also not an option. Thus, they resolved to enlist unscrupulous individuals who, while feigning righteousness, would attempt to ensnare Him with a careless statement against the authorities, so they could swiftly hand Him over to Pilate, the representative of Caesar's authority.

This parable, straightforward in its significance and intent, incited increasing anger among the Jewish leaders and Pharisees. Their rage became so intense that they were on the verge of seizing Him immediately. However, their reluctance was tempered by fear of the crowds, allowing Him to retreat safely to a place of refuge. That very night, or perhaps the following morning, His adversaries convened once more—now seemingly meeting almost every day—to deliberate on how to entrap Him in His words. Their goal was to extract a statement from Him that would provide grounds to charge Him with insurrection and hand Him over to Roman authorities.

When their hearts should be most contrite, marveling at God's mercy and fearing the impending judgment, they should reflect on what has been achieved and trust in what is yet to come. Nevertheless, this awareness does not quell the malice of the Pharisees; instead, it torments them even more. Unable to seize Jesus due to their fear of the crowd, they resorted to a different strategy. They met to conspire, seeking to ensnare Him in His words, looking for some statement that they could use to accuse Him and bring about His ruin.

Throughout history, many recognized Christ as the Messiah, for no one before Him had carried out such miraculous deeds: He walked upon the waters, expelled evil spirits, restored sight to the blind and mobility to the lame, and even brought the dead back to life. Yet, the Jewish elders and members of the Sanhedrin, steeped in resentment, denied Jesus Christ as the Savior of humanity and in their malice, resolved to have Him executed, despite finding no fault in Him. Avoiding violent confrontation with the Savior due to fears of stirring public unrest, His adversaries devised a cunning scheme to ensnare Him with words to hand Him over to the authorities and the governor’s power. At the core of this plot were the Pharisees, who meticulously upheld the Mosaic Law.