Day 15 of Journey through Mark: TO GOD WHAT IS GOD'S

COMMENTARY In yesterday’s reading, Jesus indicted Jerusalem’s religious leaders for their corruption and failure to welcome Him as God’s Son. In today’s reading, representatives of these leaders confront Jesus with a number of questions in order to trap Him. The first trap deals with the issue of Roman taxation. In Mark 12:14, some ask Jesus, “Is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not?” The “imperial tax” these questioners ask about was an unpopular Roman census tax. One rebel leader compared paying this tax to slavery. The sensitive nature of this yes or no question put Jesus in a difficult situation. A “yes” answer would show Jesus to be a Roman loyalist and undermine His Jewish following. A “no” answer would show Him to be an insurrectionist and give the Romans a reason to execute Him. Jesus responds to their question with a question. In Mark 12:15-16, He says, “Bring me a denarius and let me look at it. . . Whose image is this? And whose inscription?” The denarius Jesus asks for is a silver coin used to pay the imperial tax. It depicted the current emperor, Tiberius Caesar and would have said: “Tiberius Caesar, son of the divine Augustus.” When the people affirm that Caesar’s image is on the coin, Jesus then gives His final answer, “Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s” (Mark 12:16-17). Jesus’ answer is brilliant for a couple of reasons. First, it is vague enough to be interpreted as a “yes” or “no.” He admits that Caesar should get what belongs to Caesar while not denying the view of Jewish nationalists that everything belongs to God (Psalm 24:1). The ambiguity of the answer therefore allows Jesus to circumvent the trap. He can’t be pinned into a “yes” or a “no.” Second, by drawing attention to the image on the coin, Jesus is able to teach a larger lesson. If coins should be given to Caesar because they bear the image of Caesar, then we should give our whole lives to God because we have been created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-28). This has been the call of Jesus all throughout the book of Mark. It’s His call to the disciples, to the rich man, to Bartimaeus, and to every one of us. When Jesus asks us to follow Him, He’s asking us to deny ourselves and give everything to Him - our actions, our thoughts, our possessions, and our pursuits (Mark 8:34). He’s given us the honor of bearing His image. We owe Him our whole lives. SCRIPTURE MARK 12:13–44 PAYING THE IMPERIAL TAX TO CAESAR 13 Later they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to Jesus to catch him in his words. 14 They came to him and said, “Teacher, we know that you are a man of integrity. You aren’t swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are; but you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not? 15 Should we pay or shouldn’t we?” But Jesus knew their hypocrisy. “Why are you trying to trap me?” he asked. “Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.” 16 They brought the coin, and he asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?” “Caesar’s,” they replied. 17 Then Jesus said to them, “Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.” And they were amazed at him. MARRIAGE AT THE RESURRECTION 18 Then the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to him with a question. 19 “Teacher,” they said, “Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man must marry the widow and raise up offspring for his brother. 20 Now there were seven brothers. The first one married and died without leaving any children. 21 The second one married the widow, but he also died, leaving no child. It was the same with the third. 22 In fact, none of the seven left any children. Last of all, the woman died too. 23 At the resurrection whose wife will she be, since the seven were married to her?” 24 Jesus replied, “Are you not in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God? 25 When the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven. 26 Now about the dead rising—have you not read in the Book of Moses, in the account of the burning bush, how God said to him, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? 27 He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. You are badly mistaken!” THE GREATEST COMMANDMENT 28 One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” 29 “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” 32 “Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. 33 To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” 34 When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions. WHOSE SON IS THE MESSIAH? 35 While Jesus was teaching in the temple courts, he asked, “Why do the teachers of the law say that the Messiah is the son of David? 36 David himself, speaking by the Holy Spirit, declared: “ ‘The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet.” ’ 37 David himself calls him ‘Lord.’ How then can he be his son?” The large crowd listened to him with delight. WARNING AGAINST THE TEACHERS OF THE LAW 38 As he taught, Jesus said, “Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, 39 and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. 40 They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.” THE WIDOW’S OFFERING 41 Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. 42 But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents. 43 Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. 44 They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.” REFLECTION 1. In Mark 12:29-30, Jesus affirms that the most important command is for us to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. This command was first given in the covenantal context of Deuteronomy 6:4-6, where love has to do with loyalty rather than emotions. God wants our whole being to express loyal love to Him. How can you show Him more allegiance today with your heart, soul, mind, and strength? 2. In Mark 12:31, Jesus affirms that the second greatest command is to “love your neighbor as yourself.” How have you failed to love others as yourself recently? What step can you take to show self-sacrificial love in the coming days?