:: By Andrew Moore
Mark 12:13-34 – 3 quick questions
OT- Exodus 20.
Sermon critique- – focus on question of Pharisees in part 2… how Jesus’ answer undermines their question – in the first part, the church state thing is a huge concept. Probably best to avoid here.
This is from the Telegraph this week.
That was last Monday, in response to Peter Costello’s comments last week that migrants should accept Australian values.
…??? I don’t think he’s serious,…. If he is, it’ll back fire.
(pause)
In verse 13 of chapter 12, the religious leaders (the enemies of Jesus) are back to Jesus with a question:
-> about politics and… multiculturalism.
(the Bible is so relevant isn’t it!).
(pause)
-> Read v 13-14
The Pharisees want to trap Jesus in his words. They don’t want to give him any room to move- “We know you tell the truth, and are not like politicians who say un-trues, or half- trues in order to make people like you.
You don’t seek the praise of men, like all the rest…” …. they smile :) “
(pause)
And then they ask their question…
It’s a brilliant question because it’s relevant… there was passionate opinion on either side.
No-one likes to pay tax: — “People who complain about taxes can be divided into two classes: men and women.”
No one likes paying taxes,…AND HERE, even more so ….there was deep resentment in Israel.
The people believed for theological and religious reasons that Israel shouldn’t have foreign powers ruling over them. – and they’d had their fair share of them- the Egyptians, the Babylonians, the Persians, the Greeks and now the Romans.
They resented the humiliation of having to pay taxes to an occupying nation.
-> They didn’t’ want pay tax! They REALLY didn’t want to pay tax!
Although they had to.
“Shall we give or not give?”
To say yes, is to fly in the face of tremendous national feeling.
But to say – “not give”, well that could be worse… that would to have the Roman SS down on you like a tonne of bricks.
That could be interpreted as rebellion.
(pause)
Jesus knows their hypocrisy (v 15)- they want to put him to the test.
And so rather than a simple yes or no… he says “Bring me a coin”
(pause)
He asks them to bring a coin- a denarius.
He looks at it…
And what he would have seen, on that small silver coin would have been an image of the emperor with the writing “Tiberius Caesar Augustus, Son of the Divine Augustus” (PPT)
The inscriptions came from the imperial cult religion and were definite claims to divinity.
Caesar was regarded as a god.
Which was pagan and blasphemous,… and on top of this, it was a cruel and barbaric regime (the Romans invented crucifixion).
What is Jesus doing??
And…
Read v 17.
What’s he saying?
Is he avoiding the question??
Is it a straight answer?
He leaves them to draw the conclusion about taxes, but it’s pretty clear what that conclusion is.
Firstly- top priority- give to a God what is God’s.
Jesus doesn’t state it explicitly, but it’s probably implied…that “we are made in the image of God!…”
And so the parallel with the coin is,…that God has his image on us. Look at yourself- what do you see?
We see a picture of God on us.
And so we need to give our whole SELVES to God!
That’s the big one. And that’s where Jesus challenges their hypocrisy.
(pause)
Secondly- Jesus applies the commandment “do not steal”, to really say YES…you should pay your tax to Caesar.
It’s his money, so give it to him.
Paul spells this out in Romans.
Romans 13:1-f (PPT)
(read)
(pause)
And so we should pay our taxes! We should pay the GST on our BAS. Lodge our tax returns fully disclosing our income, … and not grumbling, but willingly and cheerfully- for God loves a cheerful giver, and they are God’s servants.
And this applies to copying CDs, and DVDs, … if it’s against the law, we are disobeying God.
(pause)
Now for the Jew this would be a big shift in their thinking.
The New Testament (unlike most of the Old Testament), teaches a separation between church and state.
For the Roman government was NOT Christian… and still Jesus said, and Paul said, to obey the government.
Just quickly something about the national anthem and the Cronulla riots, and Peter Costello.
Did you hear this week the terrible crisis… over what to sing at the Commonwealth games?
The Jews were nationalistic and still are (some fiercely so). Jesus puts a hole in it.
It doesn’t matter for our obedience to God, if the government is Greek or Babylonian or Jewish, or republican or a monarchy,..
We’re to obey the rulers,…to pray for our leaders, to pay our taxes, to stop for the policeman whether he’s yellow or black or white, or red… (pause).
Jesus is not replacing one kind of nationalism with another kind of nationalism either…
If Maroubra, or Cronulla or Bankstown is more Middle Eastern or more Asian or more African, it doesn’t matter. We have a Chinese Australian mayor in Randwick- we should be welcoming, and open and grab the opportunities for the gospel…
That is to love our neighbour…
(pause)
But, this is not to say we should be silenced.
I didn’t go on strike once because I thought I might be disobeying this passage, until a kind brother pointed out my error.
We want to influence government and policies for the good of others.
We should want Christian values to permeate and influence our laws…
And you’ll find Christians in the liberal party, in the labour party, in the Democrats, as well as the Christian parties…
In fact I think should be writing to our local leaders.
And if we have that gift, ringing the radio stations, and writing to the editor of the newspaper.
And educating ourselves on some of these issues- for the Bible has so much to say!!!!!
- the environment. – children – the family – good government. – the law. – creating community.
-> all sorts of areas that our government makes decisions about.
-> and if we don’t say something, someone else will.
And we will be worse off.
(pause)
So in summary, Jesus says – it’s okay for there to be a separation between church and state. And Paul goes further and says,… it’s God’s will. They are God’s servants. – but… this doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be interested and involved as much as we can, influencing for good.
(pause)
Well, they marvel at his answer.
Jesus is totally consistent, unlike the scribes.
(pause)
Next question
This time – the Saduccees.
The Saducees didn’t’ believe in the resurrection.
They followed a very strict interpretation of the Old Testament and denied any significant future life at all.
And they propose a situation for Jesus to answer.
Moses said in Deut 25.5, that if someone’s brother dies and that brother hasn’t had an
offspring, then he’s to marry his dead brother’s wife.
In doing this, the dead brother’s name could then continue.
It was very important that land remain in the family for whom it was originally given.
-> and this probably also had a lot to do with caring for widows… making sure that they didn’t lose the land, and therefore lose their livelihood.
Well they ask-
Read v 20-23
Actually it’s a very real question… it doesn’t have to be 7, even one.
What if you were a widow or a widower and you married again? What will happen in heaven.
(pause)
Jesus says… read v 24-27.
Jesus states the truth of the resurrection. Let’s put that peg in the ground.
God is the God of……, which the Sadducees wouldn’t argue with.
But Jesus says, he can only be God to them, (only be faithful to his promises to them and therefore GOD), if there is a resurrection from the dead. (The resurrection is the proof of God’s faithfulness. He could not be God to them unless he had kept his promises, and the proof his promise-keeping, is the resurrection).
Do you see his point?
God IS the God of… because of the resurrection.
(pause)
The second peg in the ground is that there will be no marriage in heaven… well he doesn’t say that does he?… he says no giving in marriage, and no marrying- like the angels…
Why does he put it that way?
I think the point is, we don’t die (we live forever), and we don’t have children either.
-> In other words, it’s a totally new era.
So if we go back to the Levirate Law… the one they’ve referred to is not an issue. Their argument is irrelevant.
The resurrection age is a whole new age. A deathless, and childless age… One of the main purposes for marriage is for having children and that’s not needed anymore.
The other reason is companionship (that’s why God created a woman for Adam)… but in heaven, the quality of our relationship with Jesus won’t need that either. In heaven we will be so close to Jesus- Ephesians 5 (read v 31-32),… it’s a whole new age.
(pause)
And so, hopefully that’s a comfort.
And also, in case it ever comes, and case you didn’t realize, it is completely okay to remarry if a husband has died or a wife has died.
But only if they die!!
Jesus said in chapter 10: “What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate”
(pause)
The third question…and this time, one of the scribes comes to Jesus.
And THIS TIME the outcome is positive. Jesus answers him in verse 34… read v 34b.
And in this section, the point is that the greatest law, is to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul… mind… strength.
The foundation of this is the Oneness or uniqueness of God. There is One God and there are no others.
You can’t get much more basic to Christianity than that- that there is one God.
And unlike teachers of the law,… who believed that obeying God was a legalistic duty. A demand. A requirement…
Being a believer is about a relationship with God.
It isn’t about rules, and regulations and sacrifices… that’s not at the heart of it- it’s a relationship (LOVE) with a person, and that person is God.
The God who created the world.
The God who wrote the Bible. Old Testament and New Testament…who created through speaking, from nothing, all things, through whom we and all things exist.
The God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and Noah and Moses and Elijah and Jeremiah…
God who is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger … (ex 34- read a bit)…
The God who is jealous and will not leave sin unpunished.
-> The God of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Love the Lord your God with all your…….!!!
We’ve come full circle.
To Jesus’ answer to the Pharisee.
We are made in God’s image… he owns us…. and so Love the Lord your God with all your heart.
(pause)
The second commandment is to love one’s neighbour.
As yourself.
How do you care for yourself? You feed and care for your body… Well do the same for others.
You buy a pair of Nike shoes or a new handbag… well what about your neighbour…
Someone once asked Jesus “who is my neighbour?”
And Jesus defined who someone’s neighbour is, in the famous story of the good Samaritan.
Our neighbours are the people we walk past, sit next to, eat with, wave to… everyone who we have contact with… from our boss to the lady who cleans the office, to the old man who lives next door.
It is each other…ESPECIALLY each other- “Do good to everyone especially the household believers” (Galatians 5). The person you are sitting next to now, the newcomer the oldcommer.
(pause)
And so…
Jesus is totally consistent. He answers their questions.
… and is complete in control.
The rulers fail. … they will need another plan… (and it will come in chapter 14 from within the twelve… Judas will betray Jesus.)
(pause)
Take a good look at yourself.
You are owned by God.
What incredible patience God has for us … For Jesus to stand and be asked these questions.
To allow himself to be tested…. “Who are we O man, to answer back to God?”
To put up with selfish Australians.
Let’s pray.