Matthew 22:41

Saturday, 19 September 2026

While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, Matthew 22:41

“Having been gathered, also, the Pharisees, He queried them, the ‘Jesus’.” (CG)

In the previous verse, Jesus summed up the thought being discussed about the greatest commandment, saying that all the law and the prophets, they hang upon the premise that one is to love the Lord above all else and his neighbor as himself. It next says, “Having been gathered.”

It is a perfect participle, signifying that they were gathered and their gathering continued at the present time. Those who were gathered were “also, the Pharisees.”

This, then, may be the same gathering just mentioned concerning the Pharisees in verse 34. If so, it is a chronological development that logically fits the ongoing narrative. It also may be a categorical presentation of another time the Pharisees had gathered together. Either way, Matthew presents it after the question about the discussion of the greatest commands. As for this gathering, it says, “He queried them, the ‘Jesus’.”

Rather than them questioning Jesus, as was frequently the case, He questions them. Whether or not the words here are still on the same day as the questioning of Jesus’ authority in Matthew 21:23-27, they fit well together. They asked Him about His authority. In turn, He asked them about where John’s authority came from.

The implication was that if John’s authority was from heaven, and because John pointed to Jesus, Jesus’ authority was from heaven as well. What Jesus will ask them about next will fit into a similar thought concerning who the Christ is and where His authority is derived from.

Life application: Having just been asked about the greatest command, Matthew now presents a question about the Christ that is raised by Jesus to those who have not accepted Him as their Messiah. These thoughts may seem disconnected, but are they?

If the concept of a coming Messiah was rightly understood from a proper reading of their Scriptures, having a proper understanding of who He would be and what He would do was essential to having right doctrine.

In turn, having right doctrine is essential to accurately understanding who God is, what He is doing, and how it affects the relationship between Himself and His creatures. Ultimately, one cannot be loving towards his Creator if his doctrine is wrong.

The intent of pleasing God may be there, but the ability to rightly please Him is not. As such, Jesus presenting information that will lead these men to think through who the Christ is, and thus who He is, is vital for them to have a rightly loving relationship with God. Jesus says this explicitly in John –

“Jesus answered and said to him, ‘If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. 24 He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me.’” John 14:23, 24

What may seem like a debate among people based on their one-sided evaluation of Scripture is actually deeper and more important than who gets the most points in the debate. Getting wrong who the Son is can lead to an eternity-changing mistake. Therefore, Jesus’ words about the nature of the Christ are intended to help these men have that all-loving relationship with their God as demanded in the greatest commandment.

As was seen in the discussion about loving God with all one’s heart, soul, mind, and strength, it is actually impossible for fallen man to do. Therefore, we need God’s Christ. It is He who has accomplished that for us. That is why getting right who Jesus is becomes the most important thing we can ever do. To get Jesus wrong is to be forever separated from God.

Jesus’ actions towards His neighbors reveal that He is loving them as Himself. He wanted the best for these men, whether they chose to accept it or not.

Lord God, the Bible is filled with wonder and delight. It leads us to think through our state before You and to conclude that we need Jesus. What a precious word. It tells us of how much You love us, having sent Him so that the bridge back to You could be made. Thank You for the giving of Your Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus! Amen.