Join Jared Street for Class 10 of the "Who is Jesus?" series at the Oak Hollow church of Christ. This session dives deep into Matthew 21 and 22 to analyze Jesus' teaching style, His righteous authority, and how He answered the traps of the Pharisees and Sadducees. Discover how Jesus simplified the complex web of religious rules down to the core heart-level motivation: loving God and loving others.

In this lesson, Jared Street continues exploring the teachings of Jesus, focusing on how He fulfilled the Old Testament law rather than abolishing it. Building on previous discussions about the Sermon on the Mount, Jared examines passages from Matthew 21 and 22 where religious leaders (Pharisees, Sadducees, and Herodians) attempt to trap Jesus with complex questions and tests.

Jesus responds by cutting through the legalistic layers and traditions added by religious sects, emphasizing that true obedience stems from the heart. The lesson highlights key moments such as Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, His righteous cleansing of the temple, His brilliant handling of the coin tax question, and ultimately, His profound summary of all God's commands in **The Greatest Commandment**: to love God with all your heart, soul, and mind, and to love your neighbor as yourself.

1. **Introduction and Review**
* Announcements regarding upcoming classes and substitute teaching.
* Review of last week’s lesson on the Sermon on the Mount and how Jesus came to **fulfill the law, not abolish it**.
* Discussion on the true purpose of the Old Testament law as a guardian pointing toward faith in Christ.

2. **The Heart of Jesus' Teaching**
* Shifting focus from rigid legalism and checklists to internal heart transformation.
* Reviewing Jesus' teaching methods: open-ended questions, parables, and real-world experiences.

3. **Key Events in Matthew 21**
* **The Triumphal Entry:** Jesus enters Jerusalem on a donkey, fulfilling prophecy and signifying the arrival of God's spiritual kingdom.
* **Cleansing the Temple:** Jesus drives out the merchants and money changers in a display of righteous anger and zeal for His Father's house.

4. **Testing Jesus: Paying Taxes to Caesar**
* The Pharisees and Herodians attempt to trap Jesus regarding the poll tax.
* Jesus' wise response: *"Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's"*.

5. **The Greatest Commandment (Matthew 22:34–40)**
* An expert in the law asks Jesus which commandment is the greatest.
* Jesus summarizes the entire law and prophets into two foundational principles:
* **Love the Lord your God** with all your heart, soul, and mind.
* **Love your neighbor as yourself**.

* Explaining how all biblical commands flow naturally from these two heart-level commitments.

6. **Conclusion and Preview**
* Summary of how Jesus brought a new covenant built on love and heart-level devotion.
* Preview of next week's lesson on Jesus' death, burial, resurrection, and the legacy of the church.
* Closing prayer.