Matthew 22:15

Arabic 2018 (الترجمة الكاثوليكيّة (اليسوعيّة))

فذَهبَ الفِرِّيسيُّونَ وعَقَدوا مَجلِسَ شَورى لِيَصطادوه بِكَلِمَة.

What Does This Mean?

In this verse from Matthew 22:15, the Pharisees are planning to trap Jesus with his words. They want to find a way to make him say something that could get him in trouble.

Explained for Children

Imagine you're playing hide-and-seek and some kids plan to trick you into saying where you’re hiding so they can catch you. That’s what the Pharisees are doing here; they want to trick Jesus with his words to cause problems for him.

Historical Background

Matthew wrote this verse around 80-90 AD, likely in a predominantly Jewish-Christian community. The audience was familiar with Jewish customs and laws. This scene takes place during the time of Jesus' ministry when religious leaders were challenging him.

Living It Out Today

In our daily lives, we might encounter people who try to manipulate us into saying things that could harm us or others. It's important to stay wise and true to what is right, much like how Jesus handled tricky situations without being entangled.

Topics

• traps and temptations
• wisdom
• truthfulness
• religious leaders
• Jesus' responses
• integrity

Related Verses

• Mark 12:13
• Luke 20:20
• Matthew 19:3
• John 8:6
• Deuteronomy 13:14

Frequently Asked Questions

Why were the Pharisees trying to trap Jesus?

The Pharisees were trying to trap Jesus because they disagreed with his teachings and wanted to discredit him by making it seem as though he was saying something wrong.

How do we know this verse is part of Matthew's gospel?

Scholars attribute the Gospel of Matthew, which includes this verse, to a source close to Jesus' ministry and early Christian communities who knew well about Jewish customs and laws.

Can you give an example from today where someone might try to entrap others with words?

In everyday life, someone might ask a loaded question on social media or in a conversation to provoke a reaction that could make the other person look bad.

What can we learn about Jesus' character from this verse and its context?

We see that Jesus was wise and tactful, able to navigate complex situations without losing his integrity or getting trapped into saying something wrong.