Matthew 22:15
Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk.
Original Language Analysis
Historical Context
This conspiracy occurred during Jesus's final week before crucifixion, likely Tuesday of Passion Week. The Pharisees had been Jesus's primary opponents throughout His Galilean ministry, challenged by His disregard for their oral traditions (Matthew 15:1-9) and His claim to forgive sins (9:3). Following the triumphal entry and temple cleansing, tensions reached crisis level. Jesus had publicly humiliated the religious establishment through parables depicting them as rebellious sons (21:28-32), murderous tenants (21:33-46), and wedding guests unworthy of the feast (22:1-14). The Pharisees recognized these parables targeted them (21:45), making their conspiracy urgent.
Questions for Reflection
- How do religious people today 'entangle' others in theological debates to avoid confronting their own hearts?
- What motivates plotting against God's truth—intellectual disagreement or threatened self-interest and power?
- How does conspiracy to trap Jesus in His words contrast with genuine truth-seeking dialogue?
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Analysis & Commentary
Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk. The verb παγιδεύσωσιν (pagideusōsin, 'to entangle' or 'ensnare') comes from παγίς (pagis), meaning trap or snare used for animals. The Pharisees deliberately plot to catch Jesus in verbal contradiction, seeking grounds for accusation. This occurs during Passion Week, Tuesday in the temple courts, following Jesus's devastating parables against the religious establishment (21:28-22:14).
Took counsel (συμβούλιον ἔλαβον/symboulion elabon) indicates formal deliberation, a calculated conspiracy rather than spontaneous opposition. Their goal is in his talk (ἐν λόγῳ/en logō)—to use Jesus's own words against Him. This mirrors Satan's strategy in Eden and the wilderness temptations, twisting words to create apparent dilemmas. The religious leaders' hostility has escalated from questioning Jesus's authority (21:23) to actively plotting His destruction.