And Jesus, knowing their crafty intent, said, “Why are you testing me, hypocrites?”
Jesus, knowing the intention of the Pharisees and the Herodians, spoke out clearly and exposed the depth of their hearts. They had not come to understand the truth, but to test him with a treacherous question. Jesus’ words, “Why are you testing me,” show his divine all-knowingness and spiritual watchfulness; no one could deceive him. By calling them “hypocrites,” he reveals the nature of human double-mindedness. These people outwardly pretended faith and piety, but inwardly they were driven by self-interest and evil intent. This verse reminds us that before God not only words are examined, but also the mind, and that testing God is equal to not trusting him.