Part 18 (2/2)
D. The Question As To Paying Tribute. Ch. 20:19-26
19 And the scribes and the chief priests sought to lay hands on him in that very hour; and they feared the people: for they perceived that he spake this parable against them. 20 And they watched him, and sent forth spies, who feigned themselves to be righteous, that they might take hold of his speech, so as to deliver him up to the rule and to the authority of the governor.
21 And they asked him, saying, Teacher, we know that thou sayest and teachest rightly, and acceptest not the person _of any_, but of a truth teachest the way of G.o.d: 22 Is it lawful for us to give tribute unto Caesar, or not? 23 But he perceived their craftiness, and said unto them, 24 Show me a denarius. Whose image and superscription hath it? And they said, Caesar's. 25 And he said unto them, Then render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and unto G.o.d the things that are G.o.d's. 26 And they were not able to take hold of the saying before the people: and they marvelled at his answer, and held their peace.
The rulers had been defeated, discredited, and disgraced but they had not been discouraged. In their first question they failed utterly to bring Jesus into any unlawful opposition to the religious courts. They now attempted by a new question to draw from him an answer which either would make him unpopular with the people or would bring him under the condemnation of the civil ruler. They asked him a question relative to the payment of tribute to the Roman Government. The more conservative Jews held that G.o.d was the ruler of Israel and that possibly it was wrong to pay taxes to support a heathen state. The more liberal party sided with the Herods, who owed their power to Rome. Therefore the enemies of Jesus sent to him representatives of both parties, Pharisees and Herodians, so that if he should avoid offending one party he would displease the other.
They approached Jesus with the flattering a.s.surance that he was so truthful and courageous that he would not hesitate to express his true convictions; and then they proposed their artful question: ”Is it lawful for us to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?” Should Jesus say, ”Yes”? Then he would cease to be a popular idol, for the people loathed the hateful oppression of Rome. Should Jesus say, ”No”? Then his enemies would hurry him away to the Roman governor and the cross, as a traitor and a rebel.
The dilemma seemed complete; yet Jesus not only escaped the snare, but, in his reply, he enunciated a law for all time. ”Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and unto G.o.d the things that are G.o.d's.”
To make plain his meaning, Jesus first called for a Roman coin, and asked whose image and superscription it bore. The reply, of course, was ”Caesar's.” Jesus therefore declared that those who accept the protection of a government and the privileges provided by a government, are under obligation to support that government. Christianity never should be identified with any political party or social theory; but Christians ever should take their stand for loyalty, for order, and for law.
It is not the whole of life, however, to ”render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's;” one must also render ”unto G.o.d the things that are G.o.d's.” The latter higher allegiance includes the former. The enemies of Jesus suggested a conflict of duties; he showed that there was perfect harmony. He intimated, however, that there was danger of forgetting G.o.d, and our obligations to him of trust, service, wors.h.i.+p, love. The true basis for citizens.h.i.+p is devotion to G.o.d, and no political theory or party allegiance can be taken as a subst.i.tute for loyalty to him. The enemies of Jesus were answered and rebuked, and his followers were given guidance for all the coming years.
E. The Question As To The Resurrection. Ch. 20:27-40
27 And there came to him certain of the Sadducees, they that say that there is no resurrection; 28 and they asked him saying, Teacher, Moses wrote unto us, that if a man's brother die, having a wife, and he be childless, his brother should take the wife, and raise up seed unto his brother. 29 There were therefore seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and died childless; 30 and the second; 31 and the third took her; and likewise the seven also left no children, and died. 32 Afterward the woman also died. 33 In the resurrection therefore whose wife of them shall she be? for the seven had her to wife. 34 And Jesus said unto them, The sons of this world marry, and are given in marriage: 35 but they that are accounted worthy to attain to that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage: 36 for neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are sons of G.o.d, being sons of the resurrection. 37 But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed, _in the place concerning_ the Bush, when he calleth the Lord the G.o.d of Abraham, and the G.o.d of Isaac, and the G.o.d of Jacob. 38 Now he is not the G.o.d of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto him. 39 And certain of the scribes answering said, Teacher, thou hast well said. 40 For they durst not any more ask him any question.
Jesus had foiled the scribes and the chief priests in their plan to entrap him in his public teaching. He was now attacked by the Sadducees who were the priestly and most powerful party among the Jews. They denied the immortality of the soul and believed neither in angels nor in spirits; they represented the modern materialists. It is to be noted that the question with which they approached Jesus was not one which referred only to immortality but specifically to the resurrection of the body. They proposed the case of a woman married successively to seven brothers from each of whom she was separated by death; and they asked, ”In the resurrection therefore whose wife of them shall she be? for the seven had her to wife.” They hoped that Jesus would either deny the orthodox belief as to the resurrection or would make some statement which would contradict the Law of Moses in accordance with which the successive marriages were made. They implied that this accepted Law was inconsistent with the belief in a resurrection.
In his reply Jesus declared that in the resurrection life will be regulated by larger laws than are known in this present age. Those who will share the glory of that age, and who will experience the blessedness of ”the resurrection from the dead” will be immortal in soul and body.
Marriage, which is now necessary for a continuance of the race, will no longer exist. The relations.h.i.+ps in that life will be higher than even the most sacred relations.h.i.+p of the present life. Those who have a part in this resurrection will be ”equal unto the angels,” not in all particulars, but in the fact that their state will be deathless. In that larger sense they will be ”sons of G.o.d” and ”sons of the resurrection,” for death will have lost its power over them.
Such a reply should be carefully weighed by men of the present day who deny miracles and refuse to believe in resurrection and immortality. Many beliefs which are now ridiculed because they seem to contradict established laws of science will some day be vindicated by the discovery of higher and more inclusive laws than are now known.
In his answer Jesus already had rebuked the Sadducees for denying the existence of angels. He next established the fact of the resurrection by a quotation from the very Law on which they had depended to show that resurrection was impossible. He recalled the words recorded by Moses in reference to ”the G.o.d of Abraham, and the G.o.d of Isaac, and the G.o.d of Jacob.” He then added, ”He is not the G.o.d of the dead, but of the living.”
Jesus meant to establish the fact of the continued existence of the dead; yet not merely this, but to prove the resurrection of the dead. The latter was the question at issue. The word ”living,” as used by our Lord, indicates those who are enjoying a normal life, not that of disembodied spirits, but of immortal spirits clothed with deathless bodies. Therefore Jesus added, ”for all live unto him.” In the mind and purpose of G.o.d all are to be raised from the dead and to enjoy that complete and blessed existence which resurrection implies. The confident expectation of such a future state is based on our relation to G.o.d. If he is truly our G.o.d and we are his people, the triumph of death is not real and permanent but will be ended by the glorious immortality of the body and of the soul.
F. The Question Of Jesus. Ch. 20:41-44
41 And he said unto them, How say they that the Christ is David's son? 42 For David himself saith in the book of Psalms,
The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, 43 Till I make thine enemies the footstool of thy feet.
David therefore calleth him Lord, and how is he his son?
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