August 30, 2025

Giving to each what is right

Mark 12:13-17

This is a pretty straightforward account of this exchange between Jesus and some of the Jewish leaders.  Mark tells us that some of the Pharisees and Herodians came to Jesus in order to trap him.  That may be true, or may only be Mark’s interpretation of the exchange, but once again we should remember that such discourse, such debate over issues like this, was a common part of the dialogue that went on between various religious leaders, particularly because each sect may have had differing views on a variety of topics.  This may simply be one such encounter.

That being said, the question of paying taxes to the emperor does come with potential consequences, depending upon the answer that is offered.  It was likely that Roman sympathizers, if not Roman soldiers, were present at different times when Jesus was teaching or traveling about the countryside and cities.  If present, they would be witnesses to his answer here.  So, for anyone to suggest that taxes should not be paid to the emperor would surely mean arrest and perhaps even death.  Everyone present would have been aware of this as they waited for Jesus to answer the question.  The potential conflict here comes about because such taxes were a huge burden on the people, especially upon the poor, and Jesus had already demonstrated his heart for the needs of the poor.  So, how is he to answer?

Once again, Jesus shows great wisdom, asking for a coin so that he might make his point, and tells them that they should give to Caesar the things that belong to him, meaning the taxes of course.  But Jesus doesn’t stop there.  He then tells them to give to God the things that are God’s.  This is a fascinating addition to his asked-for answer, and can certainly be interpreted in many ways.  Some of those who heard him would have understood that he meant the offering of sacrifices in the temple, in whatever way was required of them in the Mosaic Law.  But others who were thinking more deeply, and perhaps more wholistically, would have understood that Jesus meant something more like the giving of ourselves to God and to God’s service.  And, others may have even taken his words to apply to them in specific ways. 

And that is perhaps the important takeaway for us today  -  what is it that we have, that we are called to give to God, thereby honoring our relationship with God?

August 24, 2025

How is the parable to be heard?

Mark 12:1-12

I have reflected on this passage at length, because it is one of many in the Gospels that can be interpreted in an anti-Semitic way.  Too often the Jewish leaders of Jesus’ time are portrayed as the villainous ones in the story.  As with any time in history, and in any religion, there may have been some who were disturbed by the speaker, in this case Jesus, and wanted to respond in violent ways.  If Jesus, Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr., and others have taught us anything, it is that violence doesn’t solve issues, and non-violence is the path to walk to try to become reconciled with one another.  But, in addition, as we study more deeply the interactions of the various groups in Jesus’ time, we come to understand that debate and discourse were the norm, and everyone had an opportunity to express their opinions, all to the end that the truth might more closely be understood.

Having said this, let’s look at this passage.  Scholars recognize the presence of Jesus’ voice in the parable itself, which goes from verse one to the first sentence in verse nine.  This is the kind of story that Jesus would tell, ending with an open-ended question for the listeners to ponder.  Jesus wanted people to think for themselves, to figure out how his parables applied to them, which may indeed have been different than the way in which the person next to them heard Jesus’ story.

Scholars also suggest that the punishment noted, and the quote from Psalm 118 about the cornerstone, may have been added later in order to give a specific message.  It is one message to be sure, but is it the only message?

Now, the Jewish leaders may indeed have interpreted that the parable was about them.  Jesus’ open-ended question does leave the door open for them to choose how to receive a message.  We should just tread carefully though and ask whether they received that message, or if the storytellers placed that meaning upon them.

August 15, 2025

Issues of Authority

Mark 11:27-33

The issue in this passage is one of authority, of how it has been conferred on others, and of how such authority is used.  The priests, scribes and elders are the recognized authorities in the temple, and so when they apparently see Jesus teaching in the temple, they ask about his credentials.  While the Gospels certainly bias us to recognize Jesus’ authority, and the Gospel writers tend to put Jesus in opposition to the other authorities, this should nonetheless be recognized as a reasonable question.  If someone were to enter my church, and begin to preach and teach, I would perhaps listen enough in order to judge how I felt about their teaching, but I would also ask how it is that they came to feel the call to preach in my church, and by what authority they have decided to do that.  It is a reasonable question.

But the issue comes when Jesus says that he will tell them about the one who has conferred authority upon him, whom we know is God, if they will answer a question first.  So, he doesn’t refuse their request outright, he merely asks that they have a reciprocal relationship.

Jesus presents them with a question about John, and, as Mark brings it to us, they debate about the two possible answers, and the consequences of answering one way or another, and so they simply avoid commitment by saying that they don’t know the answer to his question.  And, while perhaps they truly did not know, it seems to be an answer calculated to avoid trouble.  Because then they are unwilling to commit to an answer, Jesus refuses to tell them by what authority he is acting.

It is unfortunate that they could not have just had an honest dialogue with one another, and that dialogue may have opened other doors.

August 10, 2025

Faith and Prayer

Mark 11:20-26

On the surface of it, this is an object lesson of sorts, taking Jesus’ issue from the day before of seeing no fruit on the fig tree, and his words of condemnation, and now showing forth the power of his words and the impact of a curse.  I suggested last week that something had gotten lost in all of this story of the fig tree, because I just don’t see Jesus being unrealistic or cruel.  So then, what do we make of this?

I think that perhaps Mark has taken Jesus’ teaching about faith, a parable of sorts about the possibilities of acting in faith, and has combined it with the withered fig tree, to create what we have before us.  The teaching about faith certainly sounds like Jesus.  No doubt, fig trees sometimes withered.  But as to whether Jesus did that to the tree just so that he could teach the disciples a lesson, I am dubious.

And Jesus’ example of throwing the mountain into the sea is an attention getter, but we would likely never do such a thing because, and you may have a different view here, it would seem to serve no good purpose.  Jesus, God, would want our faith to be exhibited in ways that touch other peoples’ lives, that make a positive difference, not just so that we could show that we are able to do something.

Finally, Jesus connects faith and prayer, and the power of prayer, to forgiveness.  It is his way, it seems to me, of saying that in the midst of faith and prayer, we need to remember our own fallibility, and to consider that one of the prime objectives in living life as he teaches us is in being reconciled with one another.

August 1, 2025

Conflicts

Mark 11:12-19

On the day after Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem, he returns to the city from his overnight stay in Bethany, and we are told that along the way he became hungry.  This leads us to this curious incident of Jesus finding no figs on the tree and subsequently addressing the tree to the effect that no one will ever eat fruit from it again.  What Mark tells us is that Jesus found only leaves on the tree, but then notes that it wasn’t the season for figs.  If this is so, then either Jesus has unrealistic expectations, or something has gotten lost in the transmission of the story.

After entering the city, Jesus goes into the temple and begins to drive out those who are buying and selling animals for the sacrifices in the temple.  This commerce would have taken place in the outer court of the temple, also known as the Court of the Gentiles.  While this is often seen as an expression of Jesus’ passion, and even his anger, I think that the deeper significance of his actions is a statement about the sacrificial system itself, echoing perhaps the words of Isaiah where he states that God desires mercy rather than sacrifice. 

This challenge to the sacrificial system naturally upsets the religious leaders, and future conflict is envisioned.  And, when evening comes, Jesus and the disciples leave the city, presumably to spend the night once again with their friends in Bethany.