Matthew 22:34

 Matthew 22:34

But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together.

a. NASB 1995:  But when the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered themselves together. [NASB95 New American Standard Bible. Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation; All Rights Reserved]

b. NKJV: But when the Pharisees heard that He had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. [Scripture quotations marked "NKJV" are taken from the New King James Version®, Copyright© 1982, Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.]

c. Classic Amplified: Now when the Pharisees heard that He had silenced ([d]muzzled) the Sadducees, they gathered together. [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

d. Peshitta Eastern Text: But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. [HOLY BIBLE FROM THE ANCIENT EASTERN TEXT. Copyright  Ⓒ 1933 by A.J. Holmon Co.; copyright  Ⓒ renewed 1968 by A.J. Holmon Co.; All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. HarperCollins Publishers, 195 Broadway, New York, NY 10007.]

e. ESV: But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. [Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001, 2007, 2011, 2016 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved."]

f. Unless otherwise stated, all Greek and Hebrew definitions are from Blue Letter Bible

1. “But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together.”

a. [Strong: 3588. [Hoi] ὁ ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.] [Thayer: [Hoi] ὁ, ἡ, τό, originally τος, τῇ, τό (as is evident from the forms τοι, ται for οἱ, αἱ in Homer and the Ionic writings), corresponds to our definite article the (German der, die, das), which is properly a demonstrative pronoun, which we see in its full force in Homer, and of which we find certain indubitable traces also in all kinds of Greek prose, and hence also in the N. T.] [Additional variants: tē, hoi, oi, tēn, ta, tēs, tois, tais, tō, tōn, tou, hé, Hē, hē, hai, tas.]

b. But [Strong: 1161 dé, deh; a primary particle (adversative or continuative); but, and, etc.:—also, and, but, moreover, now (often unexpressed in English).]

c. [when the] Pharisees [Strong: 5330 Pharisaîos, far-is-ah'-yos; of Hebrew origin (compare H6567); a separatist, i.e. exclusively religious; a Pharisean, i.e. Jewish sectary:—Pharisee.]

1). The Outline of Biblical Usage was created by Larry Pierce, creator of the Online Bible, and is used with permission: A sect that seems to have started after the Jewish exile. In addition to OT books the Pharisees recognised in oral tradition a standard of belief and life. They sought for distinction and praise by outward observance of external rites and by outward forms of piety, and such as ceremonial washings, fastings, prayers, and alms giving; and, comparatively negligent of genuine piety, they prided themselves on their fancied good works. They held strenuously to a belief in the existence of good and evil angels, and to the expectation of a Messiah; and they cherished the hope that the dead, after a preliminary experience either of reward or of penalty in Hades, would be recalled to life by him, and be requited each according to his individual deeds. In opposition to the usurped dominion of the Herods and the rule of the Romans, they stoutly upheld the theocracy and their country's cause, and possessed great influence with the common people. According to Josephus they numbered more than 6000. They were bitter enemies of Jesus and his cause; and were in turn severely rebuked by him for their avarice, ambition, hollow reliance on outward works, and affection of piety in order to gain popularity.

d. [had] heard [Strong: 191 akoúō, ak-oo'-o; a primary verb; to hear (in various senses):—give (in the) audience (of), come (to the ears), (shall) hear(-er, -ken), be noised, be reported, understand.]

e. that [Strong: 3754 hóti, hot'-ee; neuter of G3748 as conjunction; demonstrative, that (sometimes redundant); causative, because:—as concerning that, as though, because (that), for (that), how (that), (in) that, though, why.]

f. [he had put] the [Strong: 3588. [tous] ὁ ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.] [Thayer: [tous] ὁ, ἡ, τό, originally τος, τῇ, τό (as is evident from the forms τοι, ται for οἱ, αἱ in Homer and the Ionic writings), corresponds to our definite article the (German der, die, das), which is properly a demonstrative pronoun, which we see in its full force in Homer, and of which we find certain indubitable traces also in all kinds of Greek prose, and hence also in the N. T.] [Additional variants: tē, hoi, oi, tēn, ta, tēs, tois, tais, tō, tōn, tou, hé, Hē, hē, hai, tas.]

g. Sadducees [Strong: 4523 Saddoukaîos, sad-doo-kah'-yos; probably from G4524; a Sadducæan (i.e. Tsadokian), or follower of a certain heretical Israelite:—Sadducee.]

1). AI Overview: The Sadducees generally did not believe in the prophets in the same way other groups did; they primarily believed in and accepted only the Torah (the first five books of the Bible) as authoritative scripture. They rejected the later Jewish writings, including the Prophets and the Writings, and did not believe in doctrines found in them, such as the resurrection of the dead or the existence of angels.

2). In Matthew 23:35 some scholars teach that Jesus set the bounds of the Old Testament Canon. The Hebrew Bible begins in Genesis and ends in 2 Chronicles.  

a). Matthew 23:35 That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.

b). The martyrdom of Abel takes place in Genesis 4:8,  and the martyrdom of Zacharias occurs in 2 Chronicles 24:20-22. This would be similar to us saying “from Genesis to Revelation.” 

3). There are 24 Hebrew Books in the Hebrew Bible, divided into three sections: The Torah, the five books of Moses; The eight Books of The Prophets: Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, the Minor Prophets; [The 12 books of the Minor Prophets are considered one book; 1 and 2 Samuel are one book; and 1 & 2 Kings are one book;]; And the eleven books of The Writings: Psalms, Proverbs, Job, Song of Songs, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, Esther, Daniel, Ezra/Nehemiah, Chronicles; [In the Writings, Ezra and Nehemiah are considered one book and 1 & 2 Chronicles is one book. These 24 Hebrew books in the Hebrew Bible are turned into 39 Old Testament Books in our English Bible. This is the cannon that was accepted by Second Temple Judaism in the time of Christ. This canon was the one accepted by second Temple Judaism 400 years before Christ Jesus was born. It is the one Christ agreed and supported. This excludes all the inter-testamental books, the Apocrypha: I & II Esdras, Tobit, Judith, Additions to Esther, Wisdom, Ecclesiasticus, Baruch, Letter of Jeremiah, Prayer of Azariah and the Song of the Three Jews, Susanna, Bel and the Dragon, Prayer of Manasseh, I, II, III, & IV Maccabees. None of these books were considered Scripture by Christ Jesus or second temple Judaism. So we shouldn’t either. Jesus also agreed with and gave testimony concerning how the three divisions the Hebrew Bible were divided. 

a). Luke 24:44 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.

h. [to] silence [Strong: 5392 phimóō, fee-mo'-o; from φιμός phimós (a muzzle); to muzzle:—muzzle.

2. “...they were gathered together.” 

a. [Strong: 3588. [to] ὁ ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.] [Thayer: [to] ὁ, ἡ, τό, originally τος, τῇ, τό (as is evident from the forms τοι, ται for οἱ, αἱ in Homer and the Ionic writings), corresponds to our definite article the (German der, die, das), which is properly a demonstrative pronoun, which we see in its full force in Homer, and of which we find certain indubitable traces also in all kinds of Greek prose, and hence also in the N. T.] [Additional variants: tē, hoi, oi, tēn, ta, tēs, tois, tais, tō, tōn, tou, hé, Hē, hē, hai, tas.]

b. they [Strong: 846 autós, ow-tos'; from the particle αὖ aû (perhaps akin to the base of G109 through the idea of a baffling wind) (backward); the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative G1438) of the third person , and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons:—her, it(-self), one, the other, (mine) own, said, (self-), the) same, ((him-, my-, thy- )self, (your-)selves, she, that, their(-s), them(-selves), there(-at, - by, -in, -into, -of, -on, -with), they, (these) things, this (man), those, together, very, which.]

c. [were] gathered [Strong: 4863  synágō, soon-ag'-o; from G4862 and G71; to lead together, i.e. collect or convene; specially, to entertain (hospitably):—+ accompany, assemble (selves, together), bestow, come together, gather (selves together, up, together), lead into, resort, take in.]

d. together [Strong: 1909 epí, ep-ee'; a primary preposition; properly, meaning superimposition (of time, place, order, etc.), as a relation of distribution (with the genitive case), i.e. over, upon, etc.; of rest (with the dative case) at, on, etc.; of direction (with the accusative case) towards, upon, etc.:—about (the times), above, after, against, among, as long as (touching), at, beside, × have charge of, (be-, (where-))fore, in (a place, as much as, the time of, -to), (because) of, (up-)on (behalf of), over, (by, for) the space of, through(-out), (un-)to(-ward), with.]

1). The enemies of Jesus were constantly trying to get him to say something that they could use against him. The whole chapter of Matthew 22 gives 3 examples, one right after another, of his enemies attempting it. But Jesus was led by the Spirit and gave inspired answers that confounded them all. Where did he get that wisdom? Was it because He was God in the flesh and Omniscient? No. When the Second Person of the Godhead became a servant in the form of a man, he emptied Himself of His Godlike abilities.

a). Philippians 2:6, 7 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

2:7  But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

b). Many translations write he emptied himself. Others say he laid aside his privileges. When Jesus became man he emptied himself or laid aside his God-like abilities, Omniscience, Omnipotence, and Omnipresence. These are all attributes of God and Jesus laid them aside when He became the form of a servant, when He became man.

c). He was certainly not all-knowing, for the Scripture says that Jesus increased in wisdom (Luke 2:52). When Jesus cast out devils it was not because he was Omnipotent or all-powerful, it was because He did it through the Spirit (Matthew 12:28; Acts 10:38; Luke 4:16-19). 

2). In the passage cited above from Matthew where Jesus outsmarted his enemies, I personally believe that it was because He meditated in the word of God.

a).  Psalm 119:97-101 O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day. 

119:98 Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: for they are ever with me. 

119:99 I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation. 

119:100 I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts. 

119:101 I have refrained my feet from every evil way, that I might keep thy word.