Matthew 21:45-46: Now when the chief priests and Pharisees heard His parables, they perceived that He was speaking against them. But when they sought to lay hands on Him, they feared the multitudes, because they took Him for a prophet.
Question #1 = A Political Question (about Taxes)
Question #2 = A Theological Question (about the Resurrection)
Question #3 = An Ethical Question (about the Greatest Commandment)
Exodus 12:5: 5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year.
Question #1: A Political Question What about the Taxes?
Romans 13:1: Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.
Acts 5:28: 29 But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: “We ought to obey God rather than men.
1 Peter 3:13-14: 13 Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, 14 or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right.
John 18:36-37: 36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.”
37 Pilate therefore said to Him, “Are You a king then?”
Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”
John 19:10-11: 10 Then Pilate said to Him, “Are You not speaking to me? Do You not know that I have power to crucify You, and power to release You?”
11 Jesus answered, “You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above.
Question #2: A Theological Question What about the Resurrection?
Acts 23:8: For Sadducees say that there is no resurrection—and no angel or spirit; but the Pharisees confess both.
Daniel 12:2: And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, Some to everlasting life, Some to shame and everlasting contempt.
Exodus 3:6: 6 Moreover He said, I am the God of your father—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.
Question #3: An Ethical Question What is the Greatest Commandment?
Mark 12:32-34: 32 So the scribe said to Him, “Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth, for there is one God, and there is no other but He. 33 And to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul,[h]and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” 34 Now when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, He said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.”