On Line Bible Study - For the week September 1 - 7, 2008
Two Traps . . .
I suppose the biggest "trap" we human beings fall into is the one set by our own ego. But, having acknowledged that, it seems as if the bait for that trap manifests itself in two forms: Money, and Sex. Jesus is hit with both of them in Matthew 22. First, the Money . . .
Matthew 22: 15 Then the Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap him in his words. 16 They sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians. "Teacher," they said, "we know you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren't swayed by men, because you pay no attention to who they are. 17 Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?"
18 But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, "You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? 19 Show me the coin used for paying the tax." They brought him a denarius, 20 and he asked them, "Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription?"
21 "Caesar's," they replied.
Then he said to them, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's." 22 When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left him and went away.
As I read and study the gospel of Matthew I am increasingly convinced that Jesus is doing everything in his power to lead people through the doors of the kingdom of heaven. And this "kingdom" has an "all or nothing" quality to it. The "trap" has to do with a point of law. There are several things to be aware of:
1. The Jewish people were paying a number of religious taxes.
2. The Roman tax was on top of these religious taxes, and no one likes to pay taxes!
3. Jesus has been talking a lot about the kingdom of heaven - for persons predisposed to the overthrow of Roman rule, his rhetoric was both exciting (if you were looking for the restoration of Jerusalem) and treason. Rome did not take kindly to anyone inciting public rebellion against Caesar.
It looked like the perfect trap. No matter how he answered, Jesus would make enemies.
But herein lies the power of the kingdom of heaven - it plays by a set of different rules. To some extent the kingdoms of this world become irrelevant. Is it in love, and with great hope that Jesus says to his "testers": Give to God what is God's! If we do that, we put everything right! As high as the taxes are, they are insignificant when compared to what is owed to our Creator! Why do we quibble over taxes when all the while we are shortchanging the God who loves, heals and saves us? Our loving response to this amazing God is that we give our all.
Regarding the "Sex" question, I may be stretching it a bit. The test isn't so much so much about "sex" is it is marriage. And marriage is but the "on-ramp" to the real issue they want to discuss:
Matthew 22: 23 That same day the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to him with a question. 24 "Teacher," they said, "Moses told us that if a man dies without having children, his brother must marry the widow and have children for him. 25 Now there were seven brothers among us. The first one married and died, and since he had no children, he left his wife to his brother. 26 The same thing happened to the second and third brother, right on down to the seventh. 27 Finally, the woman died. 28Now then, at the resurrection, whose wife will she be of the seven, since all of them were married to her?"
It is so easy to get sidetracked on issues that don't really matter! Perhaps you have heard the saying: Keep the main thing the main thing. Anyone who is married knows how easy it is for disagreements and arguments to become hot to the boiling point only because one or the other - or both - parties start bringing up things that have nothing to do with the concern at hand! Jesus has a relationship with God, and he knows we don't have relationships with nonexistent beings - at least, not healthy relationships! Jesus deals with the "marriage" question as if to get it out of the way:
Matthew 22: 29 Jesus replied, "You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God. 30 At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven.
It's almost as if Jesus is saying: You don't care about marriage! Let's cut to the chase!
Matthew 22: 31 But about the resurrection of the dead—have you not read what God said to you, 32 'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob']? He is not the God of the dead but of the living."
For those who attended our Church this past Sunday, Jesus' answer should ring some bells. This is what God says to Moses when asked: What is your name? (Exodus 3:6, 15.) Remember the "name" God gives to Moses? I am who I am. This is a living God; and the living God does not have a relationship with nonexistent beings! In other words, every section of the equation is alive - God, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob!
It's not a question of who is married to whom. Rather, it is growing into the faith that believes in life - abundant, eternal life - that's what really matters.
Upon hearing Jesus' response, the Bible tells us the crowds were astonished at his teaching. So am I.
For next week we will finish Chapter 22.
I suppose the biggest "trap" we human beings fall into is the one set by our own ego. But, having acknowledged that, it seems as if the bait for that trap manifests itself in two forms: Money, and Sex. Jesus is hit with both of them in Matthew 22. First, the Money . . .
Matthew 22: 15 Then the Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap him in his words. 16 They sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians. "Teacher," they said, "we know you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren't swayed by men, because you pay no attention to who they are. 17 Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?"
18 But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, "You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? 19 Show me the coin used for paying the tax." They brought him a denarius, 20 and he asked them, "Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription?"
21 "Caesar's," they replied.
Then he said to them, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's." 22 When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left him and went away.
As I read and study the gospel of Matthew I am increasingly convinced that Jesus is doing everything in his power to lead people through the doors of the kingdom of heaven. And this "kingdom" has an "all or nothing" quality to it. The "trap" has to do with a point of law. There are several things to be aware of:
1. The Jewish people were paying a number of religious taxes.
2. The Roman tax was on top of these religious taxes, and no one likes to pay taxes!
3. Jesus has been talking a lot about the kingdom of heaven - for persons predisposed to the overthrow of Roman rule, his rhetoric was both exciting (if you were looking for the restoration of Jerusalem) and treason. Rome did not take kindly to anyone inciting public rebellion against Caesar.
It looked like the perfect trap. No matter how he answered, Jesus would make enemies.
But herein lies the power of the kingdom of heaven - it plays by a set of different rules. To some extent the kingdoms of this world become irrelevant. Is it in love, and with great hope that Jesus says to his "testers": Give to God what is God's! If we do that, we put everything right! As high as the taxes are, they are insignificant when compared to what is owed to our Creator! Why do we quibble over taxes when all the while we are shortchanging the God who loves, heals and saves us? Our loving response to this amazing God is that we give our all.
Regarding the "Sex" question, I may be stretching it a bit. The test isn't so much so much about "sex" is it is marriage. And marriage is but the "on-ramp" to the real issue they want to discuss:
Matthew 22: 23 That same day the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to him with a question. 24 "Teacher," they said, "Moses told us that if a man dies without having children, his brother must marry the widow and have children for him. 25 Now there were seven brothers among us. The first one married and died, and since he had no children, he left his wife to his brother. 26 The same thing happened to the second and third brother, right on down to the seventh. 27 Finally, the woman died. 28Now then, at the resurrection, whose wife will she be of the seven, since all of them were married to her?"
It is so easy to get sidetracked on issues that don't really matter! Perhaps you have heard the saying: Keep the main thing the main thing. Anyone who is married knows how easy it is for disagreements and arguments to become hot to the boiling point only because one or the other - or both - parties start bringing up things that have nothing to do with the concern at hand! Jesus has a relationship with God, and he knows we don't have relationships with nonexistent beings - at least, not healthy relationships! Jesus deals with the "marriage" question as if to get it out of the way:
Matthew 22: 29 Jesus replied, "You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God. 30 At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven.
It's almost as if Jesus is saying: You don't care about marriage! Let's cut to the chase!
Matthew 22: 31 But about the resurrection of the dead—have you not read what God said to you, 32 'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob']? He is not the God of the dead but of the living."
For those who attended our Church this past Sunday, Jesus' answer should ring some bells. This is what God says to Moses when asked: What is your name? (Exodus 3:6, 15.) Remember the "name" God gives to Moses? I am who I am. This is a living God; and the living God does not have a relationship with nonexistent beings! In other words, every section of the equation is alive - God, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob!
It's not a question of who is married to whom. Rather, it is growing into the faith that believes in life - abundant, eternal life - that's what really matters.
Upon hearing Jesus' response, the Bible tells us the crowds were astonished at his teaching. So am I.
For next week we will finish Chapter 22.
posted by Mark D at 6:11 PM
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