Part 656 (1/2)
22:15. Then the Pharisees going, consulted among themselves how to insnare him in his speech.
22:16. And they sent to him their disciples with the Herodians, saying: Master, we know that thou art a true speaker and teachest the way of G.o.d in truth. Neither carest thou for any man: for thou dost not regard the person of men.
The Herodians... That is, some that belonged to Herod, and that joined with him in standing up for the necessity of paying tribute to Caesar, that is, to the Roman emperor. Some are of opinion that there was a sect among the Jews called Herodians, from their maintaining that Herod was the Messias.
22:17. Tell us therefore what dost thou think? Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not?
22:18. But Jesus knowing their wickedness, said: Why do you tempt me, ye hypocrites?
22:19. Shew me the coin of the tribute. And they offered him a penny.
22:20. And Jesus saith to them: Whose image and inscription is this?
22:21. They say to him: Caesar's. Then he saith to them: Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's; and to G.o.d, the things that are G.o.d's.
22:22. And hearing this, they wondered and, leaving him, went their ways.
22:23. That day there came to him the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection; and asked him,
22:24. Saying: Master, Moses said: If a man die having no son, his brother shall marry his wife and raise up issue to his brother.
22:25. Now there were with us seven brethren: and the first having married a wife, died; and not having issue, left his wife to his brother.
22:26. In like manner the second and the third and so on, to the seventh.
22:27. And last of all the woman died also.
22:28. At the resurrection therefore, whose wife of the seven shall she be? For they all had her.
22:29. And Jesus answering, said to them: You err, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of G.o.d.
22:30. For in the resurrection they shall neither marry nor be married, but shall be as the angels of G.o.d in heaven.
22:31. And concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you not read that which was spoken by G.o.d, saying to you:
22:32. I am the G.o.d of Abraham and the G.o.d of Isaac and the G.o.d of Jacob? He is not the G.o.d of the dead but of the living.
22:33. And the mult.i.tudes hearing it were in admiration at his doctrine.
22:34. But the Pharisees, hearing that he had silenced the Sadducees, came together.
22:35. And one of them, a doctor of the law, asked him, tempting him:
22:36. Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
22:37. Jesus said to him: Thou shalt love the Lord thy G.o.d with thy whole heart and with thy whole soul and with thy whole mind.
22:38. This is the greatest and the first commandment.
22:39. And the second is like to this: Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.