Matthew 22:15 - Then the Pharisees went and took counsel how they might entrap him in his talk.

Generated Verse: Matthew 22:15

What does "Matthew 22:15" mean?


This verse, Matthew 22:15, means that the Pharisees, who were religious leaders opposed to Jesus, met and plotted a strategy to trick him into saying something that could be used against him. They were looking for a way to incriminate him, either by making him look bad to the people or by giving them grounds to arrest him under Roman law.

Let's break it down:

"Then the Pharisees went...": This indicates that the Pharisees, a well-known Jewish sect often in opposition to Jesus, took deliberate action.
"...and took counsel...": This signifies they consulted each other, planned, and devised a scheme.
"...how they might entrap him...": This is the core of the verse. "Entrap" means to trick or deceive someone into doing or saying something that leads to their downfall or puts them in a compromising situation.
"...in his talk.": This specifies that their plan was to use Jesus' own words against him. They wanted to provoke him into making a statement that was either heretical (contrary to Jewish religious beliefs), seditious (opposing the Roman government), or otherwise objectionable.

Essentially, the Pharisees were trying to bait Jesus into a trap, hoping he would say something that would either discredit him in the eyes of the public or give them a legal basis to arrest him. They were seeking to use his own words to bring about his downfall.

This verse sets the stage for the series of questions and challenges posed to Jesus in the subsequent verses of Matthew 22, including the famous question about paying taxes to Caesar. The Pharisees hoped to force Jesus into a no-win situation, no matter how he answered.