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Jesus came to “bear witness to the truth.”
Standing on trial
before the Roman Governor Pontius Pilate,
Jesus boldly stated,
as recorded at John 18:37:
“For this I have come into the world,
“that I should bear witness to the truth.
“Everyone who is
on the side of the truth
listens to my voice.”
Jesus used his
three-and-a-half year ministry on earth
to teach people the truth
about Jehovah God and His purpose.
Those who were
“on the side of the truth”
responded favorably
and wanted to learn more.
Others, however,
by their response to the good news,
revealed themselves
to be enemies of the truth.
As Jesus neared the end
of his earthly ministry,
he ‘bore witness
to the truth’ during a series
of dramatic confrontations
in the temple.
What lessons can we learn
from the exciting events recorded
in Matthew chapters 21 and 22?
As we will see,
these two chapters of Matthew
highlight Jesus’ courage,
his masterful teaching ability,
and his persistence in bearing
thorough witness to the truth.
Studying these chapters
will help us to imitate
Jesus’ fine qualities.
Let us begin with Matthew chapter 21.
Verses 12 to 14 relate how Jesus
threw out those selling
and buying animals in the temple
and overturned the tables
of the money changers.
These events took place
on Nisan 10, 33 C.E.
The next day,
the chief priests
directly challenged Jesus’ authority
to disrupt their business.
How would he respond?
Let us start the reading at verse 23:
In challenging Jesus
with the words in verse 23,
“By what authority
do you do these things?
And who gave you this authority?”
the chief priests and elders
showed gross disrespect for Jehovah,
his temple,
and his inspired Word of truth.
Jesus boldly countered their challenge
with a question
that left them speechless,
for it exposed them
as treacherous and calculating.
Before they could recover,
Jesus followed up with two illustrations.
First, he compared the religious leaders
to a rebellious son.
They had made a promise
to do God’s will
but had not kept it.
Next, Jesus denounced them
as wicked caretakers
of Jehovah’s “vineyard”
who would be held responsible
for their failure
to cultivate the “fruitage” of faith
in God’s Son.
Jesus’ illustrations were so masterful
that the chief priests and elders
unwittingly pronounced judgment
on themselves.
The religious leaders were furious,
and they would have tried to kill Jesus
but they feared the crowds.
So they took the indirect approach
and conspired to trap Jesus
in his speech.
How would Jesus handle
this new challenge?
Please turn your attention
to Matthew 22:15-33:
Jesus was approached first
by party followers of Herod
and disciples of the Pharisees.
Although these two groups
held conflicting
political and social views,
they were united
in their hatred for Jesus.
Flattering words prefaced
a dangerous question:
“Is it lawful to pay head tax
to Caesar or not?”
Had Jesus answered,
“Yes, it is lawful,”
he could have enraged the crowd,
for many would have felt
that he was condoning the injustices
they suffered at the hands
of the Romans.
On the other hand,
a response such as,
“It is not lawful,”
could have sparked a revolt,
resulting in Jesus’ immediate
arrest for sedition.
Jesus did not fall into either trap.
Instead, using a coin,
he responded with an object lesson
that amazed his questioners.
Next, the Sadducees,
intending to discredit Jesus,
proposed a scenario
that they thought would expose
belief in the resurrection
as foolishness.
In response,
Jesus used flawless reasoning
to highlight Scriptural evidence
that the Sadducees had apparently
never considered before.
They professed to believe the words
of Jehovah recorded at Exodus 3:6:
“I am . . . the God of Abraham,
the God of Isaac,
and the God of Jacob.”
When Jehovah spoke those words,
Abraham, Isaac,
and Jacob had long since died.
Yet, Jehovah said “I am” their God,
not “I was” their God.
By speaking
of these long-dead patriarchs
as though they were still alive,
Jehovah showed that his purpose
to resurrect his faithful servants
is sure of fulfillment.
Additionally,
Jesus told the Sadducees
that “in the resurrection
neither do men marry
nor are women given in marriage,
but they are as angels in heaven.”
He may have been using
the opportunity
to reveal truths
about the heavenly resurrection
for the benefit of sincere disciples
who would one day
be in line to receive
such a resurrection.
The crowds were astounded
at Jesus’ authoritative teaching
from the Scriptures.
Finally, the Pharisees
and Sadducees joined forces
to test Jesus one last time.
A scribe from among them,
“versed in the Law,”
presented a deceptively
simple question,
namely: “Which is
the greatest commandment?”
In Jesus’ day,
this was a hotly debated question.
Would Jesus say something in answer
that would damage his credibility?
Let us listen
to Matthew 22:34-46
to learn from Jesus’ response.
That’s Matthew 22,
beginning with verse 34:
Quoting from God’s Word,
Jesus captured the essence
of true worship—love.
The Mosaic Law consisted
of more than 600 individual laws
and regulations,
yet Jesus
—without hesitation—
selected the two commandments
on which “the whole Law hangs.”
The clear truth of his answer
cut through human tradition
and empty debate.
Jesus then turned the tables
on his opposers with this question:
‘If the Christ is to be a “son of David,”
then why does David refer to him
in the psalms as “my Lord”?’
More than a mere riddle,
this question uncovered
the spiritual ignorance
of Jesus’ enemies.
Exposed as spiritually blind,
his opposers
never dared
to question Jesus again.
How can we follow Jesus’ example
in bearing witness to the truth?
First, by imitating his courage.
Jesus’ courage
was based on faith in God.
We grow in faith
by praying for holy spirit,
by meditating
on Bible accounts that highlight
the courageous acts of God’s servants,
and by allowing what we learn
at Christian meetings
to sink into our hearts.
Doing this enables us
to build strong faith
on the foundation of truth.
Another way
that we can follow Jesus’ example
in bearing witness to the truth
is by imitating his masterful teaching.
We can reach the hearts
of sincere listeners with the truth
by imitating Jesus’ use of questions,
illustrations, and object lessons
as well as his reasoning
and skillful use of God’s written Word.
Third,
we are following Jesus’ example
when we persevere in our efforts
to bear thorough witness.
Never give up in preaching
and teaching the good news;
those who reject the truth at first
may respond later.
The inspired record
in Acts of Apostles tells us
that in time
thousands of Jews
began paying attention
to the good news
that had been preached by Jesus,
including “a large crowd of priests”
and some who had been Pharisees.
These no longer acted in ignorance.
Rather, they repented
and gained Jehovah’s favor.
So whether you are facing
direct challenges
or indirect ones,
be determined
to bear witness to the truth,
as Jesus did.

"For This I Have Come Into the World" (Matthew 21:23-46; 22:15-46)