GOTCHA

How do you put a giraffe into a refrigerator?

            Open the refrigerator, put the giraffe in, and close the door.

How do you put an elephant into a refrigerator?

            Open the refrigerator, take out the giraffe, put in the elephant, and close the door.

So begins a series of questions.  According to the results, 90% of professionals got all questions wrong, but many preschoolers got several correct answers.  Why?  Pre-schoolers still use their natural creativity while the business professionals have “learned” to think logically, to over complicate issues and see problems using previously learned mental models. 

This quiz would be considered a “gotcha” quiz.

GOTCHA:  An instance of accomplishing a tricky idea or overcoming a difficult obstacle.

The Herodians, Pharisees, and the Sadducees had a problem.  Jesus was a difficult obstacle to their agenda and they tried to remove this obstacle with tricky ideas.  They would ask Jesus questions to discredit him.  They wanted to have a gotcha moment and do high fives.  There was only one problem with their plan.  Jesus did not cooperate.

GOTCHA

Matthew 22:15-45

The Herodians, who supported Herod, tried to trap Jesus by asking if it was right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not.  Then he said to them, “So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”

When they heard this, they were amazed.  So they left him and went away.

Herodians 0  ---   Jesus 1

The Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, thought for sure their question would stop Jesus.  “Teacher,” they said, “Moses told us that if a man dies without having children, his brother must marry the widow and raise up offspring for him. ……”  Their question became a series of what if this and what if that and ended with, “Finally, the woman died.  Now then, at the resurrection, whose wife will she be of the seven, since all of them were married to her?”

Before answering, I can see Jesus shaking his head and giving an eye roll.  “You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God. …..  He is not the God of the dead but of the living.”

When the crowds heard this, they were astonished at his teaching.

Sadducees 0   ---   Jesus 1

If you look in the shadows, you will find the Pharisees.  They are in shock that the difficult obstacle is still there, but their ego is really big.  They knew they had the perfect question for Jesus.  After all, they had an expert in the law.  Stepping up, the expert tested Jesus:  “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

Can you see the expert giving Jesus a smug smile?  Can you see Jesus looking the expert in the eye and then glancing at each Pharisee?  Jesus replied:  “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’  This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Pharisees 0  ---   Jesus 1

By now, everyone would be looking at the Pharisees and I bet they wanted to escape.  But, slipping away did not happen.  While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, “What do you think about the Messiah?  Whose son is he?” ………..

No one could say a word in reply, and from that day on no one dared to ask him any more questions.

Pharisees 0   ---  Jesus 1

I wonder if Jesus’ disciples were standing around giving high fives.  Even though tricky questions were used to overcome a difficult obstacle, there was no “gotcha” moment. 

Questions asked --- Questions answered

Herodians, Sadducees, Pharisees 0  ---   Jesus 4

Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples.

Then he went to the home of Simon the Leper.