Matthew 22

Genesis 43-44, Matthew 22

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Unworthy Guests.

Genesis 43-44, Matthew 22

Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.’ And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests. – Matthew 22:9-10 ESV

What an incredible story. With the help of God, Joseph had risen from the ashes and was now the second most powerful man in the entire land of Egypt. Through him the nation of Egypt would be saved from the famine that threatened to destroy them. Not only that, he would prove to be the savior of his own family, the descendants of Abraham. They would come to Egypt looking for food to sustain their lives. Little did they know that their trip would be in fulfillment of the dream Joseph had shared with them so many years earlier. Coming into Joseph’s presence, but unaware of his true identity, “…they bowed their heads and prostrated themselves” before him. In this portion of the story, they had returned to buy more grain, but also to fulfill their commitment to return with their youngest brother, Benjamin. Upon arrival, they are rushed into Joseph’s presence and given an elaborate feast. Rather than anger, they are greeted with hospitality and graciousness. They found themselves eating with this powerful Egyptian dignitary, in his home and at his table. “And the men looked at one another in amazement” (Genesis 43:33 ESV). They were blown away at their welcome. They had come in fear, expecting the worst, and instead were shown undeserved mercy and grace.

What does this passage reveal about God?

While there is much more to this story, one of the main points seems to be the surprising treatment the brothers received. By this time, we are fully aware of the gravity of their decision to sell Joseph into slavery. We have seen them plotting his death and then settling for the lesser of two evils. We have seen the sins of Judah and the ongoing lie they all lived, leaving their father to believe that Joseph had been killed by wild animals. Joseph had every right to seek revenge on these worthless individuals, and he had the power to do so. But instead, he showed them grace and mercy. He opened up his home and served them a sumptuous meal rather than giving them their just desserts. In the same way, God has extended mercy to us, showering us with His grace and inviting us to His table. In the case of the brothers, it was the son of Israel who was their ticket to the table. In our case, it is the Son of God who provides us with access into God’s presence.

Over in the Matthew passage we read yet another parable by Jesus referring to the kingdom of heaven. In this one, He uses the metaphor or a wedding feast. In the story, a king invites guests to attend the wedding of his son. When the great day came, and the guests were rounded up to take part in this wonderful celebration, they all refused to come, giving various excuses and rationalizations. Some of the guests even went as far as to murder the king’s servants. While this is a picture of the Hebrew people and their treatment of God and His messengers over the centuries, there is also an interesting parallel to the story of Joseph and his brothers. Because the king eventually opened up the doors of his home to those who were totally undeserving. He instructed his servants to go out into the highways and bi-ways and invite anyone they could find.  “And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both good and bad. So the wedding hall was filled with guests” (Matthew 22:10 ESV). In time, the banquet hall was filled with all kinds of individuals from all walks of life – none of whom deserved to be guests at the king’s feast. In the story of Joseph, his brothers found themselves the unlikely guests at a banquet they never expected and most assuredly, never deserved.

What does this passage reveal about man?

Joseph’s brothers were deserving of punishment. They also needed to understand the gravity of what they had done. For years they had learned to live with and cover up their actions. They had committed a great sin against Joseph and had grown callous to their actions and comfortable with their guilt. Only when things heated up did they begin to think about the seriousness of their sin and the possible long-term ramifications of their actions. When they first encountered Joseph, but were still unaware of his true identity, they said, “In truth we are guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the distress of his soul, when he begged us and we did not listen. That is why this distress has come upon us” (Genesis 42:21 ESV). That was a valuable lesson for them to learn. They needed to fully understand their guilt and the condemnation their sin deserved. Their place at the table would have had little meaning if they had not comprehended their own undeservedness. It took the cunning and craftiness of Joseph, cleverly setting up scenarios that seemed to intensify their guilt, to bring these brothers to an end of themselves. They were going to have to take their sin seriously before they could fully enjoy their presence at the table.

Many of us never fail to appreciate our place in God’s presence. We take it for granted. We somehow believe we deserve to be there. But like the guests at the wedding feast, we are undeserving of our place at the table. We have been invited, not because of our worthiness, but because of the King’s graciousness. He had extended the invitation, not because we deserve it, but in honor of His own Son. Like Joseph’s brothers, we should be blown away at the treatment we receive at the hand of God, knowing that we deserve is something far less enjoyable. It is because of the Son that we are able to enjoy God’s presence. It is because of the Son that we have a place at the King’s table. It is because of the Son that God can overlook our guilt and consider our debt paid. Judah and his brothers brought the son and gained access into the banquet hall. We simply have to do the same thing today. The Son is our ticket to the ultimate feast to come.

How would I apply what I’ve read to my own life?

There is a day coming when those of us who have placed our faith in the Son of God as our Savior will literally enter into the presence of God Himself and dine with Him. We will be treated to a feast beyond all comprehension that we could have never earned and for which we stand totally undeserving. We will be amazed that, in spite of all we have done and how undeserving we have been, we will find ourselves sitting at the table with the King of kings and Lord of lords.

“Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, ‘Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns.Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready;it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure’— for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.And the angel saidto me, ‘Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.’ And he said to me, ‘These are the true words of God’” (Revelation 19:6-9 ESV).

What an incredible day that will be!

Father, thank You so much for providing me with access to your banquet hall because of Your Son. Thank You for extending to me an invitation that I couldn’t have earned and for which I was totally undeserving. Never let me forget the reality of my own sin and guilt. Never let me assume that I was somehow worthy of Your grace and deserving of Your mercy. I stand amazed in Your presence! Amen.

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org

Day 105 – Matthew 22:41-46; Mark 12:35-37; Luke 20:41-44

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A Question of Authority.

Matthew 22:41-46; Mark 12:35-37; Luke 20:41-44

“What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is he?” They replied, “He is the son of David.” – Matthew 22:42 NLT

Remember, we are coming to the end of Jesus’ earthly ministry. As we read through the events surrounding the last week of His life, we should begin to recognize that this is really about two kingdoms in conflict – the one the Pharisees and religious leaders had come to know, love and control; and the one that Jesus had come to establish. Do you recall the message of John the Baptist as he began his ministry to pave the way for the coming of the Messiah? He said, “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near” (Matthew 3:2 NLT). To repent means to change your mind, about God and about your sin. It requires you to do an about face concerning what you currently believe about those two things. That change of mind and heart should result in a change of behavior. In the world into which Jesus came, the Jewish people had developed their own conceptions about God and their own sin. They thought they had God figured out and they thought they knew what they had to do to deal with sin. But they had grown callous to God and carefree about their own sin, justifying their actions and downplaying their own guilt. They put a lot of stock in their position as descendants of Abraham and their unique role as God’s chosen people. But John came preaching a call to repentance. He told them that the Kingdom of Heaven was close at hand. And Jesus came preaching the very same message: “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near” (Matthew 4:17 NLT). The Kingdom of Heaven was NEAR – in the form of the King of Heaven – Jesus Himself. This was a statement of authority and divine representation. Jesus was Emmanuel – God with us. He was the one true King. But the Jewish people failed to recognize Him as such.

Which brings us to today’s passage. Jesus finds Himself surrounding by Pharisees once again. He has weathered a relentless gauntlet of questions from these men, as they attempted to expose and entrap Him. But this time Jesus turns the tables and He asks the question. And in doing so, He reveals some Messianic misconceptions on their part. He exposes their faulty views of who the Messiah would be and what He would do. Jesus asks them a very simple, yet revealing question: “What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is he?” (Matthew 22:42a NLT). Jesus already knows how they will answer and it will reveal a lot about their understanding of not only the Messiah, but His coming Kingdom.  “They replied, ‘He is the son of David’” (Matthew 22:42b NLT).

So what does this answer tell us about their view of the Messiah? They believed He would be a descendant of David. They viewed the kingdom as strictly earthly and not heavenly in nature. In other words, they were looking for a king, just like David had been. They were anticipating a ruler, a royal heir to David, who would wear his crown and sit on his throne, reestablishing their power in the region. They weren’t looking for a Savior from sin, but a savior from subjugation to Rome. So Jesus asks them a qualifying question: “Then why does David, speaking under the inspiration of the Spirit, call the Messiah, ‘my Lord’? For David said, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, Sit in the place of honor at my right hand until I humble your enemies beneath your feet’” (Matthew 22:44 NLT). At first glance, this all sounds like some kind of riddle or trick question on Jesus’ part. But Jesus is quoting a well-known passage from Psalm 110:1 – a Messianic Psalm. These Pharisees would have seen this passage as applying to the coming Messiah, or Davidic descendant. In fact, in the course of time this psalm had been applied to each successive king in the dynasty and ultimately to the ideal Davidic king (NET Bible study notes). So they would have been familiar with the passage and its application to the coming Messiah. So Jesus points out that in the Psalm, David calls the Messiah his Lord. If the coming Messiah is a “son” or descendant of David, the greatest king Israel had ever had, why would He call this man his “Lord?” To understand this question, you have to recognize that there are two different words used for Lord in Psalm 110. The first is Jehovah. It is a noun that refers to God. It is the proper name of the God of Israel. The second word is adon. This is a noun meaning lord or master. But when used in conjunction with Lord (Jehovah), it typically refers to God’s sovereignty or authority. So you could read the line in Psalm 110 this way: The Lord (God) said to my (David’s) Lord (Messiah)…

The point Jesus is making is that David knew something about the Messiah they were failing to see. That’s why Jesus asked them a further question: “Since David called the Messiah ‘my Lord,’ how can the Messiah be his son?” (Matthew 22:45 NLT). The Pharisees had a limited view of the Messiah. They believed He would be an earthly, physical, and fully human descendant of David, nothing more, nothing less. But Jesus’ point is that even David seemed to know that the Messiah would be MORE than just a descendant. He would be divine and have God-given authority to rule and reign over God’s Kingdom. He would be David’s lord and master. He would be a divinely appointed ruler with power and authority David had never dreamed of. But the Pharisees couldn’t bring themselves to see this or acknowledge it. Jesus was not what they were expecting and not what they wanted. He didn’t look like a king. He didn’t act like a king. The people of Israel were still suffering from the same problem their ancestors had when they demanded that God give them a king all those years ago. Back then, they wanted a king like all the other nations. So God gave them Saul. Now they were wanting the same thing. But God was not going to give them another Saul. He was going to give them another David, an actual descendant of David, but a man greater than David had ever been. He would be the God-man, the Son of God and the ultimate Savior of the world.

This whole exchange left the Pharisees stumped. For the first time, they had no response and no more questions. “No one could answer him. And after that, no one dared to ask him any more questions.” (Matthew 22:46 NLT). They were far from done, but they were going to give up on trying to trick Jesus with questions. They would simply take a different tactic. Their views had not changed. They were still unrepentant, refusing to change their mind about God, and about their own sins. They refused to acknowledge Jesus as Messiah. They refused to admit their own sin and their need for a Savior. They were not buying what Jesus was selling. And they would live to regret it.

Father, how easy it is for us to look at Jesus and think, “He’s not what I was expecting!” We can bring our own preconceived notions of who Jesus should be and how He should act. We can demand that He save according to our terms and then get angry when He doesn’t deliver what we want. Many of us see Jesus as some kind of personal life coach instead of as our Lord and Master. We want to have Him as a friend, but not as King of our lives. We are perfectly fine with the idea of Him redeeming us with His blood, but we’re not too keen on Him ruling our lives. Open our eyes and help us see the truth of who Jesus is and how we should respond to Him. Amen.

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org

Day 104 – Matthew 22:34-40; Mark 12:28-34

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The Law of Love.

Matthew 22:34-40; Mark 12:28-34

Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’This is the first and greatest commandment.  A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” – Matthew 22:37-40 NLT

In this section of the Gospels, Jesus is being bombarded by a relentless series of questions posed to Him by various factions of the religious elite. First they questioned His authority, wanting to know what right He had to say and do what He did. Then the Pharisees tried to trick Him with a question regarding the payment of taxes to the Roman government. When they failed, the Sadducees, the liberals of their day, asked Him a question regarding marriage and the resurrection. The fact was, they didn’t believe in resurrection and they wanted to show that Jesus was in opposition to their belief system. They viewed Jesus as a heretic and wanted to expose Him as such. But Jesus saw through their motives and easily handles their question. Like a tag-team wrestling match, the Sadducees are quickly followed by the Pharisees again. This time they raise a question concerning the Law – their area of expertise. “But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees with his reply, they met together to question him again. One of them, an expert in religious law, tried to trap him with this question: ‘Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?’” (Matthew 22:34-36 NLT).

This was common debate among rabbis. They were constantly arguing whether one commandment had precedence over another. And this was a significant issue to them because the Pharisees had codified the law into 248 commandments and 365 prohibitions, and they had imposed this staggering list of 615 precepts on their followers. With that many laws, it wasn’t long before one seemed to contradict another. For instance, over in the book of Leviticus, the Law records, “Do not stand idly by when you neighbor’s life is threatened. I am the Lord” (Leviticus 19:16 NLT). The over in Exodus, it states, “…but the seventh day must be a Sabbath day of rest, a holy day dedicated to the Lord. Anyone who works on that day must be put to death. You must not even light a fire in any of your homes on the Sabbath” (Exodus 35:2-3 NLT). So if your neighbor’s life was threatened on the Sabbath, were you to do nothing? This argument came up regularly between Jesus and the Pharisees, because He healed regularly on the Sabbath, which they saw as a clear breaking of the Law. In essence, by asking Jesus this question, they are testing Him to see if He had any greater insight into the Law than them. And they seriously doubted that He did.

A Simple Solution

Jesus’ answer reveals His authority over the Scriptures. “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment” (Matthew 22:37-38 NLT). He quotes from the Shema, a portion of Scripture recited daily by all Jews. “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength” (Deuteronomy 6:5-6 NIV). This is the first part. The love of God was to dictate all their behavior. But there was a second part. “A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’” (Matthew 22:39 NLT). Jesus quotes from Leviticus 19:18 and reminds them that this second part is equally essential. He tells them that they are to love God and love man.

What Jesus presents is not new, but He provides it with new emphasis and meaning. While the love of God is supreme, one of the greatest expressions of our love for God is our love for man.  “If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a Christian brother or sister, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see?”(1 John 4:20 NLT). Why was this so revolutionary and revelatory to the religious leaders? THEY DIDN’T DO IT! They said they loved God, but hated their brothers and sisters. As a matter of fact, Jesus was going to have some stinging things to say to them. “For they crush people with unbearable religious demands and never lift a finger to ease the burden” (Matthew 23:4 NLT). In His answer, Jesus was giving them a new way to see the Law of God. “The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments” (Matthew 23:40 NLT). Every other law was based on a love for God and a love for man. The Ten Commandments themselves are divided into these two areas. There is a horizontal and vertical aspect to our love. You can’t have one without the other – they are reciprocal – and this Law of Love is found throughout the New Testament.

Owe nothing to anyone — except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God’s law. For the commandments say, “You must not commit adultery. You must not murder. You must not steal. You must not covet.” These — and other such commandments — are summed up in this one commandment: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to others, so love fulfills the requirements of God’s law. – Romans 13:8-10 NLT

But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” – Galatians 5:13-14 NLT

Yes indeed, it is good when you obey the royal law as found in the Scriptures: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”But if you favor some people over others, you are committing a sin. You are guilty of breaking the law. – James 2:8-9 NLT

So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” – John 13:34-35 NLT

Jesus puts love for God and love for man on equal footing. They are inseparable and yet the Pharisees claimed to love God, but hated their fellow man. They hated sinners of all kinds.

Who’s Your Neighbor?

Take a look at Luke 10. Jesus has an encounter with “an expert in religious law” – probably a lawyer and likely a Pharisee, one the experts in oral law. He comes asking what he has to DO to inherit eternal life. Jesus asks him what the law says? “The man answered, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.’ And ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’” (Luke 10:27 NLT).

“Right!” Jesus told him. “Do this and you will live!” (Luke 10:28 NLT).

“The man wanted to justify his actions, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” (Luke 10:29 NLT).

He wanted a little qualification and clarification. As a lawyer, he wanted to limit his responsibility for loving. He wanted to justify himself as a keeper of the law and therefore, qualified for eternal life, so he was hoping Jesus would say, “Just love those who are righteous like you.” But instead, Jesus tells him a parable. It involves an unidentified man on a 17-mile road trip from Jerusalem to Jericho. It was a long and dangerous trip, plagued by thieves. The story revolves around a priest, a Levite and a Samaritan. Two would have been well-respected, while the other was an outcast. As recorded in Luke 10, the man on the journey is accosted by thieves and left for dead. The priest sees him lying on the side of the road and crosses to the other side. The Levite passes by some time later, bothers to take a look at him, but leaves him just as he is. Finally, the Samaritan comes along and not only stops, he provides first aid. It says he felt compassion for him, soothed his wounds, bandaged him up and then put him on his own donkey and took him to an inn where he continued to care for him and covered the cost out of his own pocket.

After completing His story, Jesus asks the lawyer, “Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits” (Luke 10:36 NLT). To which he replied, “The one who showed him mercy” (Luke 10:37 NLT). And Jesus promptly replied, “Go and do the same!” Jesus has just clarified the question of who our neighbor is. It is anyone God brings into our life in need. It is anyone to whom we have the capacity or opportunity to show love. When we do, it is the fullest expression of our love for God.

Over in Matthew 25:37-40, Jesus is talking about the future judgment of man. He uses the picture of a shepherd dividing between the sheep and the goats. This is an image what will take place at the end of the tribulation period. It is speaking of Gentiles who have survived the tribulation period. Some will have come to faith in God during that time. Their love for God will be evidenced by their actions and their treatment of the Jews who will be going through intense persecution during the final half of the tribulation. “Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters,you were doing it to me!’” (Matthew 25:37-40 NLT). Their love for others will be proof of their love for God. Their capacity to love others will be evidence of their hearts having been transformed by God. In fact, it will be the main criteria for judgment. All those who failed to do the same would be condemned. OUR LOVE OF OTHERS IS OF GREAT IMPORTANCE TO GOD. It proves our love for Him. It is proof that we understand His love for us. So how are you doing with these two commandments today? Do you claim to love God but struggle with loving others? Like the lawyer, do you want to qualify who your neighbor is to justify yourself? Since you can’t put your arms around God and hug Him or show Him love physically, He asks you to express your love for Him through others. How do you think you’re doing? Could you be tried in a court of law and convicted as a Christian solely based on your love for and treatment of others?

“Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” – John 13:35 NLT

Father, I want to increasingly learn to love others as an expression of my love for You. It is so easy to dislike and even hate those whom You love. I can so easily forget that all men are made in Your image. It is easy to love those like me or those who agree with me. It is easy to love those who love me back or who love me first. But loving the unlovely or unloving is difficult. Yet that is exactly how You love me – when I was at my most unlovely and when I was totally out of love with You. Help me to love like You love. Amen.

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org

Day 103 – Matthew 22:23-33; Mark 12:18-27; Luke 20:27-40

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Intelligent, But Ignorant.

Matthew 22:23-33; Mark 12:18-27; Luke 20:27-40

Jesus replied, “Your mistake is that you don’t know the Scriptures, and you don’t know the power of God.” – Matthew 22:29 NLT

Jesus is facing yet another confrontation with the religious leaders. This time it is the Sadducees. They were the religious liberals of their day who refused to believe in the afterlife, the doctrine of the resurrection or the reality of angels. For them, this life was the only life and it was to be lived in strict adherence to the written law as found in the Torah. They were elitists who rejected the oral law of the Pharisees, the “traditions of the elders” that contained hundreds of additional laws or expansions of the written law. But while they were not exactly bosom buddies with the Pharisees, they shared one thing in common with them: their hatred for Jesus. So we see them coming to Jesus posing a question that they intended to use to expose Jesus’ heretical views on the resurrection. Their question is a lengthy one, in the form of a short story. It’s a fictitious scenario involving what was called the Levirate Law, part of the Law of Moses found in the book of Deuteronomy. This law ruled that when a man died, leaving a wife as a widow with no children, one of the deceased man’s brothers was obligated to marry the woman so that she might have a son by him and so that son might carry on the name of her deceased first husband and inherit his land.  The law states, “If two brothers are living together on the same property and one of them dies without a son, his widow may not be married to anyone from outside the family. Instead, her husband’s brother should marry her and have intercourse with her to fulfill the duties of a brother-in-law. The first son she bears to him will be considered the son of the dead brother, so that his name will not be forgotten in Israel” (Deuteronomy 25:5-6 NLT).

These Sadducees create a highly unlikely scenario where the woman ends up marrying seven different brothers, each one dying before they could father a son with her. Then finally, the woman herself dies. And at last they ask Jesus their question. Matthew makes it clear that the real point behind their question is the resurrection. They are not really interested in Jesus’ interpretation of the law, but in His views on the resurrection. So they ask, “So tell us, whose wife will she be in the resurrection? For all seven were married to her” (Matthew 22:28 NLT).

They think they have Jesus trapped. Because the Torah did not teach explicitly about the resurrection, they did not believe in it. Their little story was designed to expose the ridiculousness of the whole idea of the resurrection. In their minds, they had shown that the very concept of the resurrection would conflict with the law itself. How could a woman have seven husbands in heaven? But Jesus exposes the flaw in their thinking and the problem in their lives. He simply states, “Your mistake is that you don’t know the Scriptures, and you don’t know the power of God” (Matthew 22:29 NLT). This would have been like a sucker punch to the stomach. Jesus had caught them off guard and wiped the smug look of satisfaction off their faces with one simple sentence. They prided themselves on their knowledge and understanding of the Scriptures and here was Jesus telling them they didn’t really know them. They were intelligent, but ignorant. In all their study of the Word of God, they had missed out on the power of God. They had relegated all they know about life to the here and now and rejected the idea of a hereafter. So Jesus shocks them by letting them know that in the resurrected state there will be no marriage. Their whole scenario is pointless and irrelevant. The woman will not be married to any of the brothers, “For when the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage” (Matthew 22:30 NLT). This may be just as shocking to many reading these words right now. Your concept of heaven has always included marriage. You have assumed that if you are married here on earth, you will be married in heaven. But what would be the purpose of marriage in heaven. As an institution, it was designed to illustrate the relationship between Christ and His bride, the Church. It was intended to be a physical representation of the spiritual reality. In heaven, the union of Christ and the Church will be complete. There will no longer be a need for a symbol of that union. And while we may find that idea disturbing and possibly disappointing, we have to remember that our condition in our resurrected state will be one of perfection. We will be like Christ and have perfect fellowship with God the Father. Our primary relationship will be with Him. There will no longer be the need for another person to complete us.

But Jesus knows that the real issue behind their question is their view on the resurrection, so He cuts to the chase and takes it head on. “But now, as to whether there will be a resurrection of the dead—haven’t you ever read about this in the Scriptures? Long after Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had died, God said,‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’So he is the God of the living, not the dead” (Matthew 22:31-32 NLT). Once again, Jesus questions their knowledge of the Scriptures, letting them know that in spite of all their study, they had missed a key point. When referring to His relationship with the great patriarchs of the Hebrew people, God had spoken in the PRESENT tense. He said, “I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” These words were spoken long after all three of these men were dead and gone, and yet God refers to them in the present tense. Jesus makes it clear that this is not a grammatical error, but a theological truth. There is an afterlife and there will be a resurrection. The problem of the Sadducees was that they studied the Scriptures with a biased view and a limited understanding of the power of God. The idea of the resurrection was impossible to them. It was inconceivable. So they simply refused to believe in it. In establishing their doctrinal views, they had unknowingly limited the power of God. Because they couldn’t understand something, they simply eliminated it from consideration. But Jesus made it clear that the resurrection was not only possible, it was undeniable, because of the unlimited power of God.

For the Sadducees, life had become all about what they could see and explain. Their view was limited and restrictive. They had no room in their theology for an afterlife, because they couldn’t explain or control it. So they put all their eggs in basket, concentrating all their efforts on making the most out of this life. In doing so, they had missed the whole concept of the afterlife, of heaven and the resurrected state. For them, this earthly life was the only life. Nothing more, nothing less. And yet, there are many who live that way today. Even those who claim to be Christ-followers live as if there is no eternal life, focusing all their attention and energies on making the most of this life. They ignore what they can’t explain or understand. And yet, we are encouraged throughout the Word of God to run the race of life with the end in mind. We are to set our affections on things above, not the things of this earth. We are told to consider ourselves as strangers here, and to remember that this world is not our home, we are simply passing through on our way to somewhere better. There is an afterlife. There is a heaven. This is not all there is. And we should live with that reality in mind.

Father, it is easy to begin to believe that this really is all there is. The ever-present reality of this world can easily overshadow the idea that there is something more. Don’t let me lose sight of the fact that heaven is a real place, the resurrection is a future reality and not a myth, and that You have much more in store for me than what I can see or even understand here. Amen.

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org

Day 102 – Matthew 22:15-22; Mark 12:13-17; Luke 20:20-26

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Spiritual Obligations.

Matthew 22:15-22; Mark 12:13-17; Luke 20:20-26

“Well then,” he said, “give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God.” – Luke 20:25 NLT

In just a few days from now, all American citizens who receive wages in compensation for work done, will be required to file their income tax with the federal government. It will be tax day in the good old U.S.A. There will be those who put it off, others who have filed months ago, and those who refuse to file at all. Some of us will owe more and a happy few will get refunds, having lent our money to the federal government, interest free, for the last twelve months. But it’s probably safe to say that none of us actually enjoy filing our taxes. We see it as a necessary evil and a burdensome obligation. We do it because we have to. It’s required by law and that law carries some pretty stiff penalties for those who choose to ignore it.

Taxes were no different in Jesus’ day. In fact, they were worse. The Romans levied heavy taxes on the Jews. On top of that, the Jewish tax collectors added their own exorbitant fees. And then there was the Temple tax that every Jew had to pay, which in actuality, was used to support the lavish lifestyles of the priests themselves. These men lived in luxury while the average Jew barely made ends meet. In his book, “The Message and the Kingdom,” Richard Horsley writes, “…impressive archeological remains of their Jerusalem residences show how elegant their life style had become. In spacious structures unhesitantly dubbed ‘mansions” by the archeologists who uncovered them in the 1970’s, we can get a glimpse of a lavish life in mosaic floored reception rooms and dining rooms with elaborate painted and carved stucco wall decorations and with a wealth of fine tableware, glassware, carved stone table tops, and other interior furnishings and elegant peristyles.” This staggering combination of tax obligations were overwhelming to the Jewish people, making everyday life practically unbearable and the very mention of taxes intolerable. Palestine was a veritable powder keg waiting to ignite and, according to Jewish historian, Josephus, the refusal of the Romans to lessen the tax burdens would result in the Jewish War and the Siege of Jerusalem in 70 AD.

By now we know that the Jewish religious leadership were looking for any and all opportunities to trick and trap Jesus in order that they might have Him arrested and eliminated. They were certain that it was just a matter of time before He said something that got Him into trouble with the people or with the Roman authorities. If they could get Him to say something the people would disagree with, He would lose His popularity and His growing following. If they could trick Him into saying something that could be taken as divisive or potentially anti-Roman, then they could enlist the aid of the government in getting rid of Him. So they send some “spies pretending to honest men” (Luke 20:20 NLT). In other words, they didn’t come dressed as priests, Pharisees, or religious leaders. They disguised themselves as average Jews, hoping to blend in with the crowd and catch Jesus off-guard and unprepared. Their question was well-planned and had a clear motivation behind it. “They tried to get Jesus to say something that could be reported to the Roman governor so he would arrest Jesus” (Luke 20:20 NLT). After attempting to butter Him up with false flattery, they ask their question: “Now tell us – is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” (Luke 20:22 NLT). But Luke makes it clear that Jesus saw through their ruse and He knew they were trying to trick Him. So He asked for a Roman coin. This coin would have had Caesar’s image on it, which Jesus got them to acknowledge. Then He told them, “give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God” (Luke 20:25 NLT). The simple interpretation of this passage would be to say that Jesus is simply encouraging civil obedience. The people of God must be good citizens. They must set a good example, even if the government is corrupt and oppressive. But I think Jesus has an even more important point to His statement. It is interesting that He points out the fact that the Roman coin carried the image of Caesar, the Roman emperor who was also considered a god by his own people. Jesus tells them to give this coin to Caesar. It is stamped with his image and so belongs to him. But Jesus also stated that they were to give to God what belongs to God. What is stamped with God’s image? Back in the book of Genesis, we read, “So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them” (Genesis 1:27 NLT). Every good Jew would have known this story and would have understood what Jesus was saying. Men and women are made in the image of God. They are stamped with His image. Therefore, they belong to Him. Jesus seems to be saying, that instead of worrying about the temporal things of this world, like money and taxes, the people needed to give themselves to God and His Kingdom. All the way back in His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus had said, “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need” (Matthew 6:31-33 NLT).

Not only were those in Jesus’ audience that day made in the image of God, but as Jews, they had been chosen by God as His special people. They had been handpicked by God and then redeemed out of slavery in Egypt. They were His people, His prized possession. He had told them, “For you are a holy people, who belong to the LORD your God. Of all the people on earth, the LORD your God has chosen you to be his own special treasure” (Deuteronomy 7:6 NLT). These people had been oppressed and burdened before, and God had rescued them. They were being oppressed and burdened now, but it had far less to do with taxes than it did with sin. God wanted to rescue and redeem them from slavery to sin and death, which is why He had sent His Son. But their minds were elsewhere. They saw their burdens as earthly, not spiritual. They wanted a Messiah to rescue them from taxes and the tyranny of the Romans. But Jesus had come to rescue them from a life enslaved to sin and a sentence of death.

Jesus wanted these people to give to God what was rightfully His – their lives. He wanted them to turn over their lives to the very one who could save them. Jesus stood before them as the very Son of God and their Messiah. He was the answer to their problem, but they failed to recognize Him. Jesus had not come to foment insurrection, but to provide salvation. He had not come to lead a revolt against Rome, but to provide restoration with God. His was a spiritual revolution, not an earthly one. And He was subtly reminding His listeners that God, in whose image they were made, required what was due Him. And just as Caesar would punish any and all who refused to pay his mandatory tax, God would punish any and all who refused to give Him what belonged to Him. God had warned the people what failure to obey Him would result in. “Understand, therefore, that the Lord your God is indeed God. He is the faithful God who keeps his covenant for a thousand generations and lavishes his unfailing love on those who love him and obey his commands. But he does not hesitate to punish and destroy those who reject him” (Deuteronomy 7:9-10 NLT). As believers, we have a spiritual obligation to God. He has made us and He has redeemed through the precious, priceless blood of His own Son. Our lives are not our own. We belong to Him because He has paid for us at a great price. He has redeemed us from slavery to sin and made us His own. We are stamped with His image and so we should “give to God what belongs to God” – our very lives.

Father, how easy it is to get consumed with the things of this world. We live surrounded by material things and it seems as if that is all that matters at times. But we are spiritual creatures who are eternal in nature, not temporal. We have been created in Your image and therefore, we belong to You. On top of that, we have been bought with the blood of Your Son and we are rightfully Yours. All You ask in return is that we give to You what rightfully belongs to You – our lives. Help me continue to learn each day what that means and how that looks. I want to give to You what belongs to You. Amen.

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org