A Diagnosis of the Christ-Rejecters B

Verse 19 of the scribes and the chief priest tried to lay hands on him that very hour if they had their way, they would've taken them right there right then, on the spot. So what you've got here is a kind of impotent range they want him dead but they must there position.

Divide churches friendships even families. But you must confront false teaching, especially when it's coming from your own church. What's the most effective way to do that.

How did Jesus do it.

John MacArthur examines the why and how of dealing with doctrinal error as he continues his study titled how to talk to a heretic.

If you have your Bible turn to the book of Daniel and here's John and other waterways that you could break this text down to understand it, but I think what perhaps is most direct is to look at it is a complex of sins and call it a diagnosis of the Christ projectors do a little bit of spiritual pathology looking into those specific sins that characterized their efforts. Let's begin with the sin of hatred in verse 19. That was the dominant reality they hated Jesus.

Verse 19 of the scribes and the chief priest tried to lay hands on him that very hour if they had their way, they would've taken them right there right then, on the spot. So what you've got here is a kind of impotent rage. They hate him so much. Their hatred is that the fever pitch.

They want him dead but they must protect their own positions because they fear the people. This describes their hatred, and a second sin, their pride, their pride in that statement in verse 19. They feared the people because the people understood that he was telling a parable about them, but they were the ones he said were killers of the son of God.

They feared the people what you mean, they feared the people they feared that they would lose the People's esteem trust so they have to turn the attitude of the people that leads them to 1/3 sin in this complex of sins hypocrisy they have to play their game at the game in which they were so adept the game of hypocrisy. All false religious leaders are hypocrites then and now and always. And they are masters at their disguise. So verse 20 says they watch and surveillance were they looking for. They sent spies who pretended to be righteous in order that they might catch him in some statement so as to deliver him up to the rule and authority of the governor the end of the whole plan was to get him to Pilate, the Roman governor who represented Caesar looking for the moment leads us to the fourth sin, flattery. Finally they find their moment. Verse 21 and they questioned him, saying, notice how they set them up with flattery teacher. That word was reserved for only the highest of rabbis there elevating him. That must've been painful for them to do this, they hate him, but they say what they think they need to say in their two reasons they talk the way they talk.

One they want to elevate Jesus in his own mind to make them feel proud so that he'll try to act in a way that's consistent with what they said secondly want to show that they agree with people because this is how the people thought about teacher people thought he was a teacher and an astute wanted that we know you speak and teach correctly. That was the popular view getting the popular view right here. There are telling us what conventional wisdom was what the people thought you speak and teach correctly, you're not partial to anyone but teach the way of God in truth, this is absolute flattery.

This is intended to destroy. This is also true right everything you said is true. He is the teacher. He does speak and teach correctly. He is not partial to anyone and he does teach the way of God in truth and nothing else. That is true.

That was also the way people were viewing him. You speak and teach correctly. That's orthosis in Greek ortho's I mentioned that word because from that word, we get orthopedic, it simply means straight or upright.

We also get the word Orthodox, which really comes into words ortho's and doxology or docs giving right honor to God, you speak Orthodox truth. You are not partial to anyone. Matthew's text little variant literally says in the Greek you look not into the face of men.

In other words, you don't adjust your message by the kind of response you're getting for who you're talking to you don't equivocate because of human opinion or consequence. All this is absolutely true. They don't believe it. This is the popular idea, but it's also the truth and then a come to their high point you teach the way of God in truth, you teach the way of God in truth, hypocritical haters proud all they want to do is flatter Jesus elevate his ego so that he will be forced to do something consistent with the way they've portrayed them openly and publicly so he doesn't lose face doesn't lose the reputation they just established for him, having been publicly flattered and publicly pumped up in his ego so high, he's not going to want to contradict that exalted commendation so the putting in a place where he is going to be forced to give a straight answer a straight answer that they think is consistent with God, and they know that that straight answer is what the people would all say and that if he wants to win the people he's going to have to say to connected to the sin of hypocrisy in flattery is the sin of deception. That's the fifth one verse 22. Here comes the question, I wonder how long it took him to come up with this question is really brilliant from their viewpoint, the best they could've done. Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not. I remember became pretending to be righteous.

Verse 20 but verse 23, Luke says that he detected their trickery so we come to the fists and deception. Deception they want him to make an anti-Rome statement then they're gonna reporting them arrested and the Romans will execute them because he has such a massive following the greatest honor that you can ever pay an esteemed teacher was to ask him a question. That was the greatest honor. You could ever pay was to ask a question maybe a hard question, and particularly a question about the law of God. That's what this is. Is it lawful, not in terms of Roman law, what is it lawful in terms of the law of God, is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not.

In their minds, there's only one answer biblically know they know that the people would say no. We are being forced to pay taxes to Caesar, we should not be paying taxes of the grain and the oil and the wine and the land and the income that God gives us in God's own land. This land and all that it produces belongs to God and we should not be giving this to a Gentile idolatrous occupying power. Oppressing God's people with no right to God's land, people would uniformly rise up and say no it is not lawful, but we are forced to do it.

Jews, by the way hated paying taxes to Rome, not only because they hated the part with the money, but because they hated to give it to pagans, idolaters, occupiers, word here. Taxes plural general word for us just a general word for tax. There were lots of them. There was a land tax 1/10 of the grain. 1/5 of the oil and the wine and import tax every harbor, every border and every city gate. There was a tariff on any goods going through they hated paying taxes to Rome as Rome was a blasphemous idolatrous and godless people so that conviction about that smoldered in the hearts of the people because that was the daily routine consistent constant reminder of the reality of Roman occupation and idolatry. Jews saw genuinely taxation by Rome is treason against God, the true and only king of Israel. Now the leaders were sure that Jesus would have to give the popular view that when he's asked, should we pay taxes to Caesar, and he's just been told that you only speak the truth of God. You only speak correctly Orthodox, and you don't care what the results are. They've got them painted into a corner and as soon as he says what he has to say no. It's not right to do that it's against the law of God, they will dispatch the Herodian's to the Romans. The Romans will come in seeing the massive crowd, and assuming that he is spreading this kind of thing.

Another insurrection is about to be launched. They will arrest him and at the moment that they arrested him. Everybody will know that he is not the Messiah, for sure, because he is now the victim of the same Gentiles, so they put them into that position. He detected their trickery. Matthew says he perceived their wickedness Luke because it trickery. Matthew goes behind the trickery to the wickedness motivated. He knew what was in them how to do know their trickery because he knew what was in them.

John 225 he knew what was in the heart of man is God and he puts it on display. Verse 24 he said to them, show me a denarius probably would've had to find one somewhere in the crowd because the Jews didn't like to carry them. There were Roman coins, and it was like having a little idol in your pocket and there was no idolatry in Israel after the Babylonian captivity.

Historically, they carried copper coins in Hebrew shackles. You've heard that they didn't like to carry Roman coins denarius is basically a day's wage coin valuable coin made a silver sometimes her gold how they were used between them.

Well 300 BC to 380 about 600 years, six centuries.

They were minted by the Emperor and depending on who was the Emperor they had his image on it so all the long line of Caesar's had their faces on the coins that were minted during their own reign. They bore the engraved image of the Emperor on one side and then the inscriptions and identifying information on the other side is a said the Jews didn't carry them because they were little idols.

But Jesus said, find me one from you whose likeness and inscription.

Does it have everybody knew the answer that Caesar's I'm sure at this moment that the spies and the questioners that are there and probably the rest of managed to show up not just the spies. They're all there now are rubbing their hands thinking he's going down this path, just like we thought he would. He's identifying them as belonging to Caesar.

Therefore, blasphemous and idolatrous, and by the way Agusta's Caesar had coins minted in 17 BC identifying himself as the son of God, which made those coins particularly repulsive to the Jews, Tiberius Caesar had coins designating himself as high priest of God. Well, since Jesus claimed to be the son of God and since he claimed to be the mediator between man and God.

Certainly, he if he is the true Messiah and a true prophet of God sees these blasphemous idle coins for what they really are really a clever plan but they didn't expect his answer verse 25 and he said then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's and to God the things that are God's folks of the profundity of that should not be lost in its simplicity. Somebody so will assist me and pay her taxes. It is way beyond that. But the answer is yes it is way beyond that render the Greek verb… Tape meaning to give back because it is owed because it belongs return restorer.

There are some things in this world that belong to this world, there are some things in this world that belong to the earth that are earthly. There are some things that belong in the providence of God to the temporal realm due to your temporal duty under God's providence in history, the divine God himself had brought Israel under Roman rule. God had brought them there.

Caesar is there earthly king. Caesar is their earthly ruler, and they must support his rule because all government is ordained by God. Romans 13 powers to be ordained by God, and they don't care the sword for nothing government is ordained to protect the innocent punish the evil and the Romans did that they were powerful militarily and they produce peace and security and protection, and great roads and shipping channels and added to the prosperity of life. This had value and you paid for that. We understand that we live in two realms. As Christians we live in a worldly realm and we are obligated and we owe to that worldly realm.

What belongs to the federal worldly realm. And in the providence of God. We happen to be the United States of America and if they want my tax money to provide the highways and fix the bridges and do the rest. Then that's their right. This is a world that I live in is it Christ honoring God exalting no, but it's not supposed to be payment of our tax set by earthly government, even idolatrous blasphemous communist oppressive autocratic kinds of governments, even those that are pagan, even those that are about to execute the son of God, are still government established by God and we owe them the debt that belongs to them. First Peter one of the king submit to everybody was in authority over you care whether it's a democracy in the Congress or local authorities, police or communist dictator or Caesar. Caesar has his sphere by God's design and we owe what we owe in the providence of God. What that government requires is what we pay. Jesus affirms the role of government the right of government to collect taxes for its support because it is ordained by God for man's well-being and protection. Without it, you have anarchy, chaos and destruction. The civil what about when the government asked you to do what God forbids, or when the government forbid you to do what God asks. Then you come to acts 529 issue. You say you judge whether we obey God or man. If they tell me to stop preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. Then I say I'm sorry. I have a higher command than that. That's where the two intersect.

I obey God do with me what you will.

Since the end of the Old Testament theocratic kingdom and until the establishment of the future theocratic kingdom of Christ when he returns to set up his kingdom on earth. There is no sacral society. There is no sacred society we live in two worlds. We are citizens of this temporal world and a human government, while at the same time, citizens of the kingdom of God under the rule of God himself in Christ. The church is not to take over civil government.

The church is not to rebel against civil government. The church is not to become the critic of civil government, neither by war by civil disobedience or by political power are we supposed to control civil government.

This is not a sacral society. This is not a theocratic kingdom Americas not, neither is any other earthly nation to Caesar what Caesar's and thank God that providentially you are under a government that you are under because there are some far far worse in places of the world and through history than this, but whatever it is we are known as good citizens. That is the message of the apostle Paul to Timothy and Titus. If you remember, more importantly the net. However, though, and this is the message she's directing at them one more gracious, kind and merciful invitation and to God the things that are God's.

Why would you not give to God what his sins what is his your soul right your soul, your eternal being just like you owe certain things to the government, you are certain things to God. You owe the government what the government owns and they will tell you what they own. By by the laws that they impose. You owe to God what God owns and what is God alone. God owes you got owns you.

He saying to them why don't you bow your knee to the greater more important ultimate throne. Give honor to God. God's old worship praise and adoration, glory, obedience, love, trust, given my life.

Everything they were not given, God would God commanded their hearts and souls their lives. The coin belongs to Caesar you belong to God.

The coin has Caesar's image you have God's image. The coin is Caesar's you are God's. I was his invitation, it's an invitation today extended to you that led to a final sin, hate, pride, hypocrisy, flattery, deception, number six, stubbornness verse 26 they were unable to catch him in a saying in the presence of the people and marveling at his answer. They became silent. I wish it said they repented for so stubborn this is that this is an error redeemable here remedial situation, they go away only frustrated because they failed to catch him in a saying in front of the people that would have caused him to be arrested and executed set of going away and marveling and saying his wisdom is staggering and stunning and we do have obligations to God when you take a look at our obligation to God, they are so stubborn this is.

I guess the old word per tenacity, stubbornness, this is a complex of sins that is beyond hope, beyond or by the way, turn the chapter 23 verse two.

Verse one finally to get Jesus to Pilate. Verse one. They brought in before Pilate, and they began to accuse him saying we found this man miss leading our nation and forbidding to pay taxes to Caesar outright lie boldface lie. They knew that that was the way they were going to get him arrested and executed, and if you wouldn't say something they would fabricated that stubbornness you become a self-righteous liar in an effort to reject Christ such hatred.

In some ways is incomprehensible, but it is a complex of sin without remedy that eventually will, in the plan of God bring them to success and they'll have him arrested and executed in the crowd screamed his blood we embrace them as their spiritual heroes. I hope no one here today will walk away from Jesus Christ.

Pick a side, you're either with him or with them. That's John MacArthur, Chancellor of the Masters University in seminary in the Los Angeles area, the title of his current study here on grace to you how to talk to a heretic. Well John, as I'm listening to you talk about how Jesus dealt with error, how he confronted it occurs to me that it's fair to say that in your more than 50 years of ministry you've engaged in some pretty visible debates and disputes over biblical issues both in your preaching and in your writing and I'm wondering if our listeners might be thinking that maybe you're energized by confrontation and controversy are there positive results that come from that one on energized by confrontation and controversy. I don't particularly like that men who would who would want to do that.

Just as a hobby.

Why would you want to be in conflict all the time but I take my cue from Jesus right who his whole life long functioned on two different fronts on the one hand, compassion, love, kindness, care, healing, deliverance to the people who were ill and sick and even dead in and it is no coming to me all ye that labor and heavily not give you rest. And there's that compassionate part of ministry but on the other hand this on ending fight with the purveyors of false teaching. The Pharisees, the Sadducees describes the whole gang of them all the way up the ladder to the people who ran the temple to the high priest himself. In fact, it was a high priest that sentenced Jesus to death at the end of his life so that's the nature of ministry, and I follow that up. Not only was saying. Following Christ is going to take you there. But following Paul look Paul would go into a town and it didn't take very long before he started some kind of hostile reaction town after town after town they they plotted to kill him. He had to escape for his life. Why is this because he was kind and compassionate and tenderhearted know because he was confrontive.

If you're in lies and deception you're headed for eternal hell that has to be confronted you take your model from the other apostles look the apostles all basically died either as martyrs or exiles.

They were rejected, Jesus was rejected, the prophets of the Old Testament. What did Jesus say the people of Israel did to the prophets. You killed the prophets. They been killing the prophets for millennia and they killed Jesus. That's the parable he told and then they killed the apostles. Why because they were preaching kindness and mercy know because they were confronting lies and deception in errors and Satan's kingdom of darkness, which was their calling and it still are calling today as it is. Thank you, John, and friend. If you want to fulfill that calling.

If you want to make sure your confronting error like Jesus did. Reviewing John's current study can be a big help to download the MP3s from the series called how to talk to a heretic. Contact us today. How to talk to a heretic is available also in an eight CD album you might want to donate a copy to your church's library to get the CDs call our toll-free number 855 grace or go to our website TTY.org or as I said, you can download every message from how to talk to heretic for free at our website. All of our MP3s are free of charge. In fact, all John sermons more than 3500 of them are free to download@tty.org and while you're online. I would encourage you to pick up John's newest book, Jesus unleashed this book makes a great complement to John's current radio series. It shows you the dangers of the mindset that says Christians should be less preachy, less sure of our convictions, and more tolerant of error. Again, John's newest book is titled Jesus unleashed pick up your copy, call 855 grace or go to TTY.now for John MacArthur on Phil Johnson.

Thanks for tuning in today and be back tomorrow when John looks at how you can protect yourself against two very different but very dangerous kinds of false teaching. It's another 30 minutes of unleashing God's truth one verse at a time wasting