1 00:00:10,800 --> 00:00:13,500 Hello everyone. Welcome back to daily gospel 2 00:00:13,500 --> 00:00:17,500 exegesis, which is a production from logical Bible study. 3 00:00:18,300 --> 00:00:22,300 And here in this podcast, we look at the reading from Mass, 4 00:00:22,300 --> 00:00:25,200 The Gospel reading and we try to pull it apart of it to see what 5 00:00:25,200 --> 00:00:26,900 it meant in its original context. 6 00:00:26,900 --> 00:00:30,500 So we're giving you tools to help you understand the Of God. 7 00:00:30,500 --> 00:00:33,400 And in particular, in this podcast, the gospels, what does 8 00:00:33,400 --> 00:00:37,100 it mean in its original context? We looking at a very famous 9 00:00:37,100 --> 00:00:41,500 passage today. It's one that people know quite 10 00:00:41,500 --> 00:00:44,300 well and perhaps people think they know the interpretation of 11 00:00:44,300 --> 00:00:47,200 quite well. But as you'll see, there's a lot 12 00:00:47,200 --> 00:00:49,600 of really interesting stuff going on underneath the text 13 00:00:49,600 --> 00:00:51,200 that you may not have considered. 14 00:00:51,900 --> 00:00:53,500 So let's have a look at the passage. 15 00:00:53,600 --> 00:00:58,800 It is Mark chapter 12 verses 13 to 17. 16 00:01:01,300 --> 00:01:05,500 The chief priests and the scribes, and the elders sent to 17 00:01:05,500 --> 00:01:10,000 Jesus some Pharisees and some herodians to catch him out in 18 00:01:10,000 --> 00:01:13,100 what he said. These came to him and said, 19 00:01:14,000 --> 00:01:17,300 Master, we know, you are an honest man that you are not 20 00:01:17,300 --> 00:01:20,000 afraid of anyone. Because a man's rank means 21 00:01:20,000 --> 00:01:23,300 nothing to you and that you teach the way of God in all 22 00:01:23,300 --> 00:01:26,500 honesty. Is it permissible to pay taxes 23 00:01:26,500 --> 00:01:31,900 to Caesar or not? Should we pay yes or no? 24 00:01:33,400 --> 00:01:35,700 Seeing through their hypocrisy. He said to them. 25 00:01:35,800 --> 00:01:39,200 Why do you set this trap for me? Hand me a Denarius. 26 00:01:39,200 --> 00:01:43,200 And let me see it. They handed him one and he said 27 00:01:43,800 --> 00:01:46,100 whose head is this? Whose name? 28 00:01:47,500 --> 00:01:50,400 Caesars. They told him, Jesus said to 29 00:01:50,400 --> 00:01:55,200 them, give back to Caesar, what belongs to Caesar and to God, 30 00:01:55,500 --> 00:01:59,900 what belongs to God. This reply took them completely 31 00:01:59,900 --> 00:02:05,000 by surprise. So let's start by thinking about 32 00:02:05,000 --> 00:02:09,100 the context, so Mark chapter 12 by now, Jesus has entered 33 00:02:09,100 --> 00:02:12,800 Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. He's cursed the Fig Tree and 34 00:02:12,800 --> 00:02:16,000 he's cleansed the temple. And at this point, it's the last 35 00:02:16,000 --> 00:02:19,100 week of Jesus life, and he's teaching in the temple. 36 00:02:19,300 --> 00:02:22,200 And his authority is being questioned by the Jewish leaders 37 00:02:22,200 --> 00:02:24,500 that has happened at the start of chapter 12. 38 00:02:25,600 --> 00:02:27,900 And now that leads right into today's passage. 39 00:02:28,900 --> 00:02:32,000 Now, it is, as I said before a really famous teaching of Jesus, 40 00:02:32,000 --> 00:02:35,300 but there's more going on here than what a lot of people 41 00:02:35,300 --> 00:02:36,900 realize. In fact, when I started 42 00:02:36,900 --> 00:02:39,000 researching for this episode, I thought I knew what the 43 00:02:39,000 --> 00:02:42,500 interpretation was but there's more going on here and in 44 00:02:42,500 --> 00:02:45,500 particular, the features of the coin itself, there's some 45 00:02:45,500 --> 00:02:47,900 interesting things about the coin that you may not have 46 00:02:47,900 --> 00:02:52,400 considered. So, verse 13, the chief priests 47 00:02:52,400 --> 00:02:55,500 the scribes, and the elders. So these are the Jewish 48 00:02:55,500 --> 00:02:57,500 religious authorities in Jerusalem. 49 00:02:57,600 --> 00:03:00,500 The chief priests the scribes, and the elders, basically. 50 00:03:00,500 --> 00:03:02,600 The chief priests are in charge of the temple. 51 00:03:02,800 --> 00:03:06,500 The scribes are in charge of guarding the law and the elders 52 00:03:06,500 --> 00:03:09,800 would be sort of respected Community leaders in Jerusalem. 53 00:03:10,100 --> 00:03:14,000 So we have here a group of high-ranking Jews, but in this 54 00:03:14,000 --> 00:03:18,600 case, they don't come to Jesus. By now, they've already rejected 55 00:03:18,600 --> 00:03:20,200 Jesus and they're trying to trap him. 56 00:03:20,200 --> 00:03:24,100 So what they do this time is they send to Jesus some 57 00:03:24,100 --> 00:03:29,100 Pharisees and some herodians. So the high-ranking Jews, send a 58 00:03:29,100 --> 00:03:31,500 party of lower-ranking Jews to Jesus. 59 00:03:31,500 --> 00:03:36,200 This is the next strategy. So who were the Pharisees, the 60 00:03:36,200 --> 00:03:39,000 Pharisees of the leaders of the common Jewish people they were 61 00:03:39,000 --> 00:03:42,900 in charge of it appears in teaching the law to people, they 62 00:03:42,900 --> 00:03:45,800 had teaching Authority on the popular level. 63 00:03:45,800 --> 00:03:48,500 If the Pharisees said something in your community, you had to 64 00:03:48,500 --> 00:03:51,600 listen to them. The herodians. 65 00:03:51,600 --> 00:03:54,400 We don't hear a whole lot about the herodians in the gospel, but 66 00:03:54,400 --> 00:03:55,900 they are there a couple of times. 67 00:03:56,300 --> 00:04:01,200 These are Jews, probably quite wealthy Jews who were supporters 68 00:04:01,200 --> 00:04:05,800 of the Jewish King Herod. So, there's a vassal King in 69 00:04:05,800 --> 00:04:09,200 this part of the world called Herod and they want to keep the 70 00:04:09,208 --> 00:04:12,300 current political Roman situation because it benefits 71 00:04:12,300 --> 00:04:13,600 them. Now they don't necessarily 72 00:04:13,600 --> 00:04:17,600 support the Romans, but they believe having a Jewish vessel 73 00:04:17,600 --> 00:04:20,800 King was better than nothing. And oh, they probably feel that 74 00:04:20,800 --> 00:04:22,200 Jesus. And his followers were 75 00:04:22,200 --> 00:04:24,500 threatening the current political situation, they're 76 00:04:24,500 --> 00:04:26,900 worried that he might start an uprising and they don't want 77 00:04:26,900 --> 00:04:29,200 that. They want it to stay, so that 78 00:04:29,200 --> 00:04:32,200 there is a Jewish King on the throne, at least. 79 00:04:35,100 --> 00:04:37,600 The Pharisees and the herodians actually don't like each other. 80 00:04:37,600 --> 00:04:40,100 They're at opposite ends of the political Spectrum. 81 00:04:40,100 --> 00:04:43,200 Usually however they join forces here against Jesus. 82 00:04:43,600 --> 00:04:46,800 They both have a common goal which is to take Jesus out of 83 00:04:46,808 --> 00:04:49,700 the picture. They also did that in chapter 3 84 00:04:49,700 --> 00:04:54,000 as well Chapter 3 of Mark. So what we see here, begins a 85 00:04:54,000 --> 00:04:57,800 series of three questions posed to Jesus by representatives of 86 00:04:57,800 --> 00:04:59,900 Israel's leadership in chapter 12. 87 00:05:00,000 --> 00:05:03,200 So here first, we have the Pharisees and the herodians, 88 00:05:03,200 --> 00:05:06,800 giving him a question. Next in chapter 12 will say the 89 00:05:06,800 --> 00:05:10,300 Sadducees, ask him a question and then the scribes will ask 90 00:05:10,300 --> 00:05:12,400 him a question later in verse 28. 91 00:05:12,400 --> 00:05:15,500 So lots of different Jewish groups asking him questions 92 00:05:15,500 --> 00:05:19,800 here. So they send the high-ranking 93 00:05:19,800 --> 00:05:23,400 juice and the Pharisees and the herodians to Jesus, to catch him 94 00:05:23,400 --> 00:05:25,800 out in what he said. So, notice that, that's the 95 00:05:25,808 --> 00:05:28,100 goal. They're not really interested in 96 00:05:28,108 --> 00:05:31,000 what Jesus has to say. They deliberately trying to trap 97 00:05:31,000 --> 00:05:34,000 him so that they can make him look foolish in front of the 98 00:05:34,000 --> 00:05:36,000 crowds. So, That he'll be discredited 99 00:05:36,000 --> 00:05:39,100 and the Jesus movement will stop and they can go back to having 100 00:05:39,100 --> 00:05:42,500 the peace that they had before. It's interesting in that kind of 101 00:05:42,508 --> 00:05:45,300 approach him like a political candidate almost, they seek to 102 00:05:45,300 --> 00:05:48,700 back him into a corner. Where any answer he gives is 103 00:05:48,700 --> 00:05:51,600 going to offend one group or another, they think they've 104 00:05:51,600 --> 00:05:56,000 crossed crafted a very tricky plan here, that's going to trip 105 00:05:56,000 --> 00:06:00,700 Jesus up, verse 14, they came to him, so probably in the temple 106 00:06:00,800 --> 00:06:04,100 that's apparently where Jesus still is and they say to him 107 00:06:04,100 --> 00:06:07,000 master or teacher. So it's kind of like a false 108 00:06:07,000 --> 00:06:08,500 respect. They're giving him here because 109 00:06:08,500 --> 00:06:10,900 they don't really see him as their master. 110 00:06:11,500 --> 00:06:14,500 Master, we know you are an honest, man, that you are not 111 00:06:14,500 --> 00:06:17,800 afraid of anyone. Because a man's rank means 112 00:06:17,800 --> 00:06:21,200 nothing to you and you teach the way of God in all honesty. 113 00:06:22,100 --> 00:06:23,600 Now, they're flattering Jesus here. 114 00:06:23,600 --> 00:06:27,200 They don't actually believe this because we know that, I believe 115 00:06:27,200 --> 00:06:29,600 it, because they don't follow his teachings, so they're trying 116 00:06:29,600 --> 00:06:33,200 to flatter him to catch him off. Guard what they say here. 117 00:06:33,200 --> 00:06:35,600 With these words, basically means something like this. 118 00:06:35,900 --> 00:06:39,100 Jesus, we know you tell it like it is regardless of who the 119 00:06:39,100 --> 00:06:42,100 audience is because you are a good and holy Ali teacher. 120 00:06:42,200 --> 00:06:45,300 So give us a straight answer. That's sort of the feel of what 121 00:06:45,300 --> 00:06:49,700 they give to him here. So when they focus on ranks 122 00:06:49,700 --> 00:06:52,200 here, when they say, a man's rank means nothing to you, 123 00:06:52,200 --> 00:06:54,800 they're probably thinking of themselves and the other Jewish 124 00:06:54,800 --> 00:06:57,700 leaders. They know that Jesus is not 125 00:06:57,700 --> 00:07:00,800 going to hesitate to tell them what he believes to be God's 126 00:07:00,800 --> 00:07:04,900 will, even if it contradicts, what they them self that as the 127 00:07:04,907 --> 00:07:07,200 ranking Jewish leaders, teach. They know that he's going to 128 00:07:07,207 --> 00:07:10,800 tell it like it is, so it's sort of like a backhanded compliment 129 00:07:10,800 --> 00:07:15,100 almost, isn't it? So here is the famous question. 130 00:07:15,100 --> 00:07:18,600 They asked him, is it permissible to pay taxes to 131 00:07:18,600 --> 00:07:22,400 Caesar or not? Now that's not the best 132 00:07:22,400 --> 00:07:24,900 translation, the word here that our lectionary has is 133 00:07:24,900 --> 00:07:29,600 permissible is in fact, lawful. And so, this is a question about 134 00:07:29,600 --> 00:07:33,700 God's law the Torah, especially the first commandment. 135 00:07:34,700 --> 00:07:38,700 So in Exodus chapter 20 verses 2 to 6, remember the first 136 00:07:38,700 --> 00:07:42,400 commandment is, you shall love the Lord, your God And have no 137 00:07:42,400 --> 00:07:46,300 other gods before you now, as will see, that seems to be the 138 00:07:46,300 --> 00:07:49,100 main focus of this issue about paying taxes. 139 00:07:50,800 --> 00:07:53,900 So lots of Jews at the time of Jesus, particularly the group 140 00:07:53,900 --> 00:07:57,600 called The zealots, they felt the pain taxes to Caesar was 141 00:07:57,600 --> 00:08:01,400 treason against God since they believe the Romans, actually had 142 00:08:01,400 --> 00:08:05,200 no right to the land. Anyway, it was God's land and 143 00:08:05,200 --> 00:08:09,200 probably, they felt that to pay taxes to Caesar would imply some 144 00:08:09,200 --> 00:08:14,300 sort of loyalty to having Caesar as king, rather than having God 145 00:08:14,300 --> 00:08:15,800 is King. And to them, that was just not 146 00:08:15,800 --> 00:08:17,600 tolerable or only God is their King. 147 00:08:18,700 --> 00:08:20,800 And as we'll see, there's also more to it as well. 148 00:08:20,800 --> 00:08:22,700 There's some interesting things about the coin. 149 00:08:22,800 --> 00:08:26,400 The coin has a Graven image of Caesar on it, and there's an 150 00:08:26,400 --> 00:08:29,500 interesting Blasphemous title that is written on the coin. 151 00:08:30,800 --> 00:08:32,799 So, let's talk a bit about these taxes. 152 00:08:32,799 --> 00:08:35,400 What's going on with the Jews? Having to pay taxes at this 153 00:08:35,400 --> 00:08:37,299 time. So, in the first century, the 154 00:08:37,299 --> 00:08:41,299 Romans were in charge of Israel. They let the Jews practice their 155 00:08:41,299 --> 00:08:43,299 religion, and the Jews were allowed to go about their 156 00:08:43,299 --> 00:08:48,600 business, largely unrestricted. But Rome had complete political 157 00:08:48,600 --> 00:08:52,400 control. So Rome, therefore required all 158 00:08:52,400 --> 00:08:56,200 people in Judea, which is the southern state to pay taxes to 159 00:08:56,200 --> 00:09:00,100 Caesar because they had Direct Roman control of that part of 160 00:09:00,100 --> 00:09:03,500 the world where, as in Northern Galilee, where Jesus is from, 161 00:09:03,500 --> 00:09:07,000 there's not that same degree of Roman control, but because they 162 00:09:07,000 --> 00:09:14,700 had complete political, and in geographical control, they 163 00:09:14,700 --> 00:09:18,400 required all the Jews in Judea to pay the tax. 164 00:09:18,400 --> 00:09:21,300 And we'll talk a bit more about about what those taxes actually 165 00:09:21,300 --> 00:09:23,500 are and the basic reason they have to pay the taxes. 166 00:09:23,500 --> 00:09:25,900 So the Jews can maintain the infrastructure. 167 00:09:26,200 --> 00:09:28,400 The Jews are looking after the roads in the buildings. 168 00:09:28,400 --> 00:09:31,800 So it makes sense that they would, as most governments do 169 00:09:31,800 --> 00:09:34,800 today, they're requiring their citizens to pay taxes so that 170 00:09:34,800 --> 00:09:36,100 they can keep doing those things. 171 00:09:36,600 --> 00:09:39,600 Keep in mind, Jesus does not have to pay this particular tax 172 00:09:39,600 --> 00:09:43,500 because he's not a resident of Judea, he's From Galilee a lot 173 00:09:43,500 --> 00:09:47,000 of people miss that. So what type of taxes? 174 00:09:47,000 --> 00:09:49,900 Do the Jews have to pay? There's a few different ones. 175 00:09:49,900 --> 00:09:53,500 So firstly, there's a census tax and that was imposed in a D6 176 00:09:55,000 --> 00:09:57,200 when the Roman governor was installed first. 177 00:09:57,200 --> 00:09:59,800 They had to pay a whole lot of taxes and they kept having to 178 00:09:59,800 --> 00:10:03,100 pay those taxes. Every year the census tax, there 179 00:10:03,100 --> 00:10:07,100 was also taxes on agricultural, practices, fishing practices, 180 00:10:07,100 --> 00:10:10,400 and all sorts of other things. If you've seen the TV series, 181 00:10:10,400 --> 00:10:13,500 The Chosen, you'll see there's a big focus on the fishing tax 182 00:10:14,200 --> 00:10:18,700 that the Apostles have to pay but overall the Jews. 183 00:10:18,700 --> 00:10:21,400 Sorry, the Romans tax. The Jews quite heavily. 184 00:10:22,000 --> 00:10:25,500 The theory is that Jews had to pay around 30% of their income 185 00:10:25,500 --> 00:10:27,600 every year in taxes to the Romans. 186 00:10:27,600 --> 00:10:32,400 So it's a fair bit and actually not that dissimilar to what many 187 00:10:32,400 --> 00:10:34,400 people in Western Society have to pay today. 188 00:10:35,600 --> 00:10:38,400 Obviously many Jews in society saw that as too much. 189 00:10:38,400 --> 00:10:41,100 It's too onerous. In fact, we've laid a loan from 190 00:10:41,400 --> 00:10:45,600 Acts chapter 5, verse 37, that there had been some rebellions 191 00:10:45,600 --> 00:10:47,200 when these taxes were introduced. 192 00:10:48,100 --> 00:10:51,000 None of the rebellions worked, every time, the Jews, tried to 193 00:10:51,400 --> 00:10:54,600 up rise against the Romans, it didn't work, but eventually this 194 00:10:54,600 --> 00:10:57,900 movement of rebelling against the Romans gave birth to the 195 00:10:57,900 --> 00:11:01,500 Zealot movement and that resulted in the final war 196 00:11:01,500 --> 00:11:05,900 between the Jews and the Romans between AD 66 and AD 70, And so 197 00:11:05,900 --> 00:11:08,500 all of this tension between the Jews and the Romans eventually 198 00:11:08,500 --> 00:11:13,000 does explode. So this is the question that 199 00:11:13,000 --> 00:11:15,200 they have asked him. Should we pay them? 200 00:11:15,300 --> 00:11:18,300 Yes or no. So they want a straight answer 201 00:11:18,300 --> 00:11:20,100 and they see it as a trap question. 202 00:11:20,800 --> 00:11:25,400 They reason that no matter what answer Jesus gives He's going to 203 00:11:25,400 --> 00:11:28,900 land himself in trouble because if he says yes, then many of the 204 00:11:28,908 --> 00:11:31,600 Jewish people in the crowd are going to turn away from him. 205 00:11:32,000 --> 00:11:33,800 And in fact, that's probably what they want. 206 00:11:33,800 --> 00:11:38,000 Because if they can get people to stop following him, then it 207 00:11:38,000 --> 00:11:40,100 means that they can have more attention on themselves. 208 00:11:40,100 --> 00:11:43,300 Again, as the Jewish leaders, remember, the crowd around him, 209 00:11:43,300 --> 00:11:46,500 largely don't like the Romans. So, if Jesus says, yes, they 210 00:11:46,500 --> 00:11:48,400 have, you have to pay taxes to the Romans. 211 00:11:48,400 --> 00:11:50,700 He might lose some followers on the other hand. 212 00:11:50,700 --> 00:11:54,000 If Jesus says, no, he can be accused of being a political 213 00:11:54,100 --> 00:11:57,300 ethical Zealot and he might have to answer to the Romans for 214 00:11:57,300 --> 00:12:00,900 starting an uprising. Presumably the Pharisees and the 215 00:12:00,900 --> 00:12:04,100 herodians actually had different opinions about this themselves. 216 00:12:04,100 --> 00:12:08,700 Some Scholars would say the Pharisees probably didn't think 217 00:12:08,700 --> 00:12:12,200 the tax should be paid, whereas the herodians did thinks the tax 218 00:12:12,200 --> 00:12:14,600 should be paid, so they themselves probably had 219 00:12:14,600 --> 00:12:16,600 different perspectives and that's why they throw the 220 00:12:16,600 --> 00:12:18,700 question to him to see if they can trap him. 221 00:12:20,100 --> 00:12:24,400 Verse 15 seeing through their hypocrisy now in this context. 222 00:12:24,400 --> 00:12:26,500 So hypocrisy means to wear a mask. 223 00:12:26,500 --> 00:12:30,200 And here it means that Jesus perceives that they're trying to 224 00:12:30,200 --> 00:12:33,200 lay a trap for him. He can see that they're being a 225 00:12:33,200 --> 00:12:36,700 bit sneaky and he perceives the Trap and he says that to them. 226 00:12:36,700 --> 00:12:40,500 He says, why do you set this trap for me or more literally, 227 00:12:40,500 --> 00:12:43,900 why do you put me to the test? And of course, that brings to 228 00:12:43,900 --> 00:12:46,900 mind from the Old Testament. You shall not put the Lord, your 229 00:12:46,900 --> 00:12:49,800 God to the test, which is what Jesus says to Satan in. 230 00:12:49,900 --> 00:12:53,200 Desert. So he tells them upfront that he 231 00:12:53,200 --> 00:12:55,100 knows that they're trying to trap him. 232 00:12:56,200 --> 00:13:01,800 So Jesus now goes on as all good profits due to to use a visual 233 00:13:01,800 --> 00:13:04,000 aid in order to help make his point. 234 00:13:04,700 --> 00:13:09,400 So he says this to the Pharisees and herodians hand, me a 235 00:13:09,400 --> 00:13:14,000 Denarius and let me see it. So a Denarius was a common Roman 236 00:13:14,000 --> 00:13:17,200 coin that was in use at the time and it was worth about a day's 237 00:13:17,200 --> 00:13:19,700 wage. It was a silver coin and we 238 00:13:19,700 --> 00:13:25,100 found These coins in architecture, we have got copies 239 00:13:25,100 --> 00:13:27,200 of these coins now so we know what they look like. 240 00:13:27,900 --> 00:13:31,500 It had seizures image on it on the coin and at that time the 241 00:13:31,500 --> 00:13:34,800 Caesar was Tiberius. And this is what the coin said, 242 00:13:35,300 --> 00:13:39,700 Tiberius Caesar or gustus son of the Divine or gustus. 243 00:13:40,600 --> 00:13:43,100 Now, on the back side of the coin, It Was Written, high 244 00:13:43,100 --> 00:13:46,200 priest, or pontifex pontifex Maximus. 245 00:13:47,000 --> 00:13:52,700 And in that culture, that with the Roman Caesar was Claiming 246 00:13:52,700 --> 00:13:56,400 that the emperor was the Supreme mediated between human beings 247 00:13:56,400 --> 00:13:59,200 and the gods. So this is the big blasphemy 248 00:13:59,200 --> 00:14:04,400 issue that they the Jews have a problem with the emperor, Caesar 249 00:14:04,400 --> 00:14:06,600 basically wanted to be worshipped. 250 00:14:06,700 --> 00:14:09,300 He believed that he was the channel between the Divine 251 00:14:09,300 --> 00:14:14,300 beings and human beings. So these coins, as all currency 252 00:14:14,300 --> 00:14:18,300 was, Roman currency was at that time, was a way of promoting. 253 00:14:18,300 --> 00:14:21,300 Roman Emperor worship interesting, isn't it? 254 00:14:21,300 --> 00:14:24,400 It's an interesting. Strategy by the Romans because 255 00:14:24,500 --> 00:14:28,800 basically it means that every time the Jews pay using Roman 256 00:14:28,800 --> 00:14:32,700 money, they are in a way saying that they agree with this 257 00:14:32,700 --> 00:14:35,900 Emperor worship. So a sneaky little strategy 258 00:14:35,900 --> 00:14:38,100 there from the Romans and obviously, the Jews were not 259 00:14:38,100 --> 00:14:42,100 very happy about that. So this is what Jesus asks them. 260 00:14:42,300 --> 00:14:45,300 He holds up the coin and he says, whose head is this? 261 00:14:45,300 --> 00:14:49,100 Whose name now more? Literally, what Jesus says, he 262 00:14:49,100 --> 00:14:52,100 is whose likeness and inscription is this? 263 00:14:52,200 --> 00:14:55,200 This. Now something that people miss 264 00:14:55,200 --> 00:14:58,900 here is they have just brought him a Roman coin and there in 265 00:14:58,900 --> 00:15:02,500 the temple. The Jewish leaders apparently a 266 00:15:02,500 --> 00:15:05,700 keeping Roman coins in the temple even though it says these 267 00:15:05,700 --> 00:15:09,100 Blasphemous things on there. So the fact that they allow 268 00:15:09,100 --> 00:15:13,500 these Roman coins in the temple and the fact that they answered 269 00:15:13,500 --> 00:15:16,900 Jesus question by saying Caesar they kind of implicitly 270 00:15:16,900 --> 00:15:20,100 admitting that they recognize his authority as Emperor because 271 00:15:20,100 --> 00:15:22,600 they have his coin even in the temple. 272 00:15:22,600 --> 00:15:27,200 So that's an interesting thing, that a lot of people miss, So, 273 00:15:27,200 --> 00:15:31,200 this is Jesus answer on to their question given that they have 274 00:15:31,300 --> 00:15:33,200 responded. Yes, it's Caesars Head. 275 00:15:33,300 --> 00:15:37,400 Jesus says, give back to Caesar, what belongs to Caesar. 276 00:15:39,300 --> 00:15:41,300 Give back to Caesar what belongs to Caesar. 277 00:15:41,600 --> 00:15:44,300 Now many have felt that Jesus doesn't actually answer the 278 00:15:44,300 --> 00:15:47,800 question here, but I don't think that's true. 279 00:15:47,800 --> 00:15:51,700 I Think Jesus does go a long way here to giving at least most of 280 00:15:51,700 --> 00:15:54,600 an answer. I don't think we can say op. 281 00:15:54,600 --> 00:15:56,400 Jesus didn't answer the question about taxes. 282 00:15:56,400 --> 00:15:58,300 I think he actually does answer the question here. 283 00:15:59,100 --> 00:16:02,800 Let's think a bit about it at that time coins with a property 284 00:16:02,800 --> 00:16:04,900 of the ruler who issued them, that was agreed. 285 00:16:05,300 --> 00:16:09,400 Whoever issues the coin, Ahrens the coin, So when Jesus says 286 00:16:09,400 --> 00:16:12,300 give back to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, he's basically 287 00:16:12,300 --> 00:16:15,200 telling them give back Caesar his coins. 288 00:16:15,400 --> 00:16:17,900 In other words, pay the tax to Rome. 289 00:16:17,900 --> 00:16:20,900 That's what he's saying. He's saying that the Jews should 290 00:16:20,900 --> 00:16:23,400 give to the Romans. What rightfully belongs to them, 291 00:16:24,000 --> 00:16:28,100 which means he is endorsing the states right to exact tribute 292 00:16:29,100 --> 00:16:32,000 paying taxes to the Romans. Jesus says, he would not 293 00:16:32,000 --> 00:16:34,400 necessarily compromise their religious Integrity. 294 00:16:34,500 --> 00:16:36,900 That was probably a big concern. They had many of them would have 295 00:16:36,900 --> 00:16:39,300 felt that by paying the In tax, they are. 296 00:16:39,300 --> 00:16:42,900 Implicitly saying that they agree with Emperor worship, but 297 00:16:42,900 --> 00:16:45,500 Jesus, he says, no, that's not necessarily the case. 298 00:16:46,700 --> 00:16:48,400 Jesus here. He's laying down a general 299 00:16:48,400 --> 00:16:51,100 principle that does have implications for today. 300 00:16:51,400 --> 00:16:54,900 What Jesus is saying is something like this political 301 00:16:54,900 --> 00:16:58,100 authorities, do legitimately have authority and we should 302 00:16:58,100 --> 00:17:00,400 give them. What is rightfully theirs in 303 00:17:00,400 --> 00:17:04,000 service of the common? Good Now how that plays out in 304 00:17:04,000 --> 00:17:06,900 different societies and what variety fully belongs to 305 00:17:06,900 --> 00:17:09,200 governments. That can be disputed certainly 306 00:17:09,400 --> 00:17:11,500 and it's going to look different in different time periods. 307 00:17:12,000 --> 00:17:15,000 Not everything that government's claim is theirs, is really 308 00:17:15,000 --> 00:17:17,500 there's, but what Jesus says here is that for the things that 309 00:17:17,599 --> 00:17:22,200 are rightfully belonging to the government citizens must pay 310 00:17:22,200 --> 00:17:25,400 must give to the government. That's Jesus teaching here and 311 00:17:25,400 --> 00:17:29,000 then he follows it up with this phrase and to God what belongs 312 00:17:29,000 --> 00:17:32,000 to God? So Jesus says, there are some 313 00:17:32,000 --> 00:17:35,100 things that belong to Caesar, that's true, but Jesus then 314 00:17:35,100 --> 00:17:39,600 makes a deeper point, there are things that belong to God, and 315 00:17:39,600 --> 00:17:41,700 we must give those things to God. 316 00:17:42,500 --> 00:17:44,200 Now, what is it that belongs to God? 317 00:17:44,200 --> 00:17:47,700 Jesus doesn't tell us here, but there is a clue in the text. 318 00:17:48,500 --> 00:17:50,800 Remember that Jesus? When he got the coin? 319 00:17:51,500 --> 00:17:54,000 He asked them. This question whose likeness and 320 00:17:54,000 --> 00:17:58,700 inscription is this? The word likeness probably would 321 00:17:58,700 --> 00:18:02,300 have brought to mind the phrase in Genesis where it says, God 322 00:18:02,300 --> 00:18:05,100 made Man In His Image and his likeness. 323 00:18:05,300 --> 00:18:07,900 So if that's the right reasoning, if we understood that 324 00:18:07,900 --> 00:18:11,300 correctly, then Jesus is saying something like this. 325 00:18:11,700 --> 00:18:15,300 Human beings are, what belongs to God since we beat God's 326 00:18:15,300 --> 00:18:17,800 image? The coin belongs to Caesar 327 00:18:17,800 --> 00:18:21,300 because a bear sees his image, but humans belong to God because 328 00:18:21,300 --> 00:18:23,800 they bear His Image. How interesting is that? 329 00:18:24,300 --> 00:18:28,500 So God lays claim to our whole being mind, heart, soul, and 330 00:18:28,500 --> 00:18:31,700 strength, and Jesus will actually say that in verse 30 of 331 00:18:31,700 --> 00:18:35,600 this chapter, You could also say that Jesus here is addressing 332 00:18:35,600 --> 00:18:38,500 the issue of religious idolatry about the coin as well. 333 00:18:38,700 --> 00:18:42,700 He's basically saying paying taxes is fine but he's telling 334 00:18:42,700 --> 00:18:45,300 the Jewish hearers. Don't be involved in Emperor, 335 00:18:45,300 --> 00:18:48,200 worship to God, you must continue to worship. 336 00:18:48,200 --> 00:18:50,200 God, you have to give God. What is his do? 337 00:18:50,200 --> 00:18:52,400 Which is worship? You have to give Caesar? 338 00:18:52,400 --> 00:18:54,800 What is his do? Which is money taxes? 339 00:18:56,000 --> 00:18:58,700 I think this is incredibly clever by Jesus what he's done 340 00:18:58,700 --> 00:19:00,700 here. Jesus is able to teach them 341 00:19:00,700 --> 00:19:03,200 multiple profound things about the government about. 342 00:19:03,300 --> 00:19:07,700 Out them about God or based on this little image of Caesar on 343 00:19:07,700 --> 00:19:11,200 the coin which was in use. At the time, it shows the true 344 00:19:11,200 --> 00:19:14,800 wisdom of Jesus and that he really is God in human form in 345 00:19:14,800 --> 00:19:19,500 human flesh. So Jesus here has in effect 346 00:19:19,500 --> 00:19:21,300 said, with his phrase. Something like this. 347 00:19:21,500 --> 00:19:24,000 Yes, you must give to Caesar what belongs to him. 348 00:19:24,600 --> 00:19:27,300 However, do not forget that, there is a higher authority that 349 00:19:27,300 --> 00:19:30,700 you must give what is rightfully his to as well. 350 00:19:31,100 --> 00:19:33,200 Which is, of course, so much more important. 351 00:19:34,100 --> 00:19:36,600 Now, why does Jesus say this? Why does he feel the need to 352 00:19:36,600 --> 00:19:38,200 bring God into it? Well, we've already looked at a 353 00:19:38,208 --> 00:19:41,900 couple of reasons. Keep in mind the Jews of the 354 00:19:41,900 --> 00:19:43,800 time. Possibly saw this as an either. 355 00:19:43,800 --> 00:19:47,800 Or as in, if you pay taxes to the Romans, you are also 356 00:19:47,900 --> 00:19:51,100 affirming their religious Authority as well, and you're 357 00:19:51,100 --> 00:19:53,100 worshipping them. Maybe that's your some of the 358 00:19:53,100 --> 00:19:56,300 Jews thought. Jesus, by teaching, this is 359 00:19:56,300 --> 00:19:58,400 helping them separate. It out into two, separate 360 00:19:58,400 --> 00:20:00,700 issues, the political issue and the religious issue. 361 00:20:00,700 --> 00:20:03,500 So it's quite an important teaching that would have helped 362 00:20:03,500 --> 00:20:06,800 them understand their place in the eyes of God. 363 00:20:06,800 --> 00:20:10,200 And in the eyes of Rome, it's possible that he also knows the 364 00:20:10,200 --> 00:20:11,700 Jewish. Leaders who were asking the 365 00:20:11,700 --> 00:20:14,300 question. They themselves are not really 366 00:20:14,300 --> 00:20:16,700 giving God what belongs to him at the moment. 367 00:20:17,200 --> 00:20:20,800 God wants true worship which involves submission to his will 368 00:20:20,800 --> 00:20:23,300 and of course, interior transformation as well. 369 00:20:23,700 --> 00:20:26,900 And Jesus probably knows that his question is are not giving 370 00:20:26,900 --> 00:20:30,700 God those things. So once again Jesus is through 371 00:20:30,700 --> 00:20:33,700 his incredible wisdom and tactics, he's able to address 372 00:20:33,700 --> 00:20:37,200 the question that they asked. But also to point his audience, 373 00:20:37,500 --> 00:20:40,800 back towards the more important principle that they I've 374 00:20:40,800 --> 00:20:45,500 forgotten and it finishes by saying this reply took them 375 00:20:45,500 --> 00:20:49,000 completely by surprise or more literally they were amazed at 376 00:20:49,000 --> 00:20:52,800 him. They didn't expect him to answer 377 00:20:52,800 --> 00:20:56,500 the question at all or if they did expect him to answer it, 378 00:20:56,508 --> 00:20:58,100 they thought it was going to land him in trouble. 379 00:20:58,100 --> 00:21:00,600 But he answers the question in an incredible way that they 380 00:21:00,600 --> 00:21:03,700 didn't expect from this point on in Mark's gospel. 381 00:21:03,700 --> 00:21:06,800 We don't see any more of the Pharisees or the herodians. 382 00:21:08,200 --> 00:21:11,500 But in the coming verses of chapter 12 or see some other 383 00:21:11,500 --> 00:21:13,800 religious leaders question Jesus. 384 00:21:13,800 --> 00:21:18,200 Instead now I want to quote here, we don't often do this in 385 00:21:18,200 --> 00:21:21,700 the podcast, but today, I think it's worth looking at how might 386 00:21:21,700 --> 00:21:24,200 this meaning of the text be relevant to today. 387 00:21:24,200 --> 00:21:27,000 In particular, the Catholic commentary on sacred scripture 388 00:21:27,000 --> 00:21:30,000 has a really good section on this particular passage. 389 00:21:30,000 --> 00:21:33,900 And here's what it says, the state may lay claim to a poultry 390 00:21:33,900 --> 00:21:38,100 piece of metal but God lays claim to our whole being Mind, 391 00:21:38,100 --> 00:21:41,800 heart, soul, and strength. Now, obligation to the state 392 00:21:41,800 --> 00:21:45,300 which is limited is subsumed Under Our obligation to God, 393 00:21:45,300 --> 00:21:48,900 which is absolute. Jesus is implicitly warning. 394 00:21:48,900 --> 00:21:53,300 His listeners, do not give to Caesar to the state to society, 395 00:21:53,300 --> 00:21:56,300 or to any other Human Institution, what belongs, to 396 00:21:56,300 --> 00:21:59,400 God alone. And to his son, you are absolute 397 00:21:59,500 --> 00:22:01,800 unconditional Allegiance, and devotion. 398 00:22:03,100 --> 00:22:05,900 Now I think that's an excellent quote and it shows what really 399 00:22:05,900 --> 00:22:08,200 good Catholic. Scholarship can do where it 400 00:22:08,200 --> 00:22:12,000 tells us how to understand the literal sense, and then how that 401 00:22:12,000 --> 00:22:15,500 literal sense, legitimately applies to the principles that 402 00:22:15,500 --> 00:22:17,200 we should think about in our life today. 403 00:22:19,200 --> 00:22:21,200 So now let's turn our attention to the catechism. 404 00:22:21,200 --> 00:22:24,800 How does the Catholic Church develop its teachings based on 405 00:22:24,800 --> 00:22:27,700 this passage? Well, we get to hear a bit more 406 00:22:27,700 --> 00:22:30,400 about Matthews version when we look at the catechism because it 407 00:22:30,408 --> 00:22:33,800 does form a lot of our understanding about our 408 00:22:33,800 --> 00:22:36,700 relationship with the state, and the relationship between the 409 00:22:36,700 --> 00:22:39,300 church and the state. But there is one place where it 410 00:22:39,300 --> 00:22:43,000 gets reference, which is paragraph 450, which is in the 411 00:22:43,000 --> 00:22:47,300 section about Jesus as Lord from the beginning of Christian 412 00:22:47,300 --> 00:22:49,400 history. The assertion of Christ's 413 00:22:49,400 --> 00:22:52,700 lordship over the world and over history has implicitly 414 00:22:52,700 --> 00:22:55,900 recognized that man should not submit his personal freedom, in 415 00:22:55,900 --> 00:22:58,900 an absolute manner to any Earthly power. 416 00:22:59,100 --> 00:23:02,400 But only to God the father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 417 00:23:02,700 --> 00:23:07,200 Caesar is not the Lord, the church believes that the key, 418 00:23:07,200 --> 00:23:10,800 the center, and the purpose of the whole of man's history is to 419 00:23:10,800 --> 00:23:16,300 be found in its Lord. And Master And I also want to 420 00:23:16,300 --> 00:23:18,500 read out this quote, this is again from the Catholic 421 00:23:18,500 --> 00:23:21,100 commentary on sacred scripture, which I found to be really 422 00:23:21,100 --> 00:23:25,700 insightful and useful in preparing for this episode here, 423 00:23:25,900 --> 00:23:28,500 the Catholic commentary brings together, various different 424 00:23:28,600 --> 00:23:30,400 catechism paragraphs to teach us. 425 00:23:30,400 --> 00:23:33,500 What do I help us understand what the church is teaching, is 426 00:23:33,600 --> 00:23:38,100 about paying taxes, the principal Jesus enunciate here, 427 00:23:38,100 --> 00:23:40,700 forms, part of the basis of Catholic, teaching on the 428 00:23:40,700 --> 00:23:44,000 relationship of church and state are the New Testament. 429 00:23:44,000 --> 00:23:47,100 Writings elaborate on. This is principal affirming, 430 00:23:47,100 --> 00:23:49,600 both our duty to respect civil Authority. 431 00:23:49,800 --> 00:23:56,900 Romans 13, 1, Timothy 2, Titus 3 1, Peter 2 and you're overriding 432 00:23:56,900 --> 00:24:00,500 Elijah's to allegiance to God. When whenever civil Authority, 433 00:24:00,500 --> 00:24:03,700 overstepped, its bounds or imposes laws. 434 00:24:03,700 --> 00:24:08,000 Contrary to the moral law, Acts chapter 5 and Revelation chapter 435 00:24:08,000 --> 00:24:12,800 13, the catechism articulates this balanced understanding 436 00:24:13,600 --> 00:24:17,300 Those subject to Authority, should regard those in Authority 437 00:24:17,300 --> 00:24:22,200 as representatives of God. Paragraph, 2238 submission to 438 00:24:22,200 --> 00:24:24,400 Authority and career responsibility for the common 439 00:24:24,400 --> 00:24:27,200 good. Make it morally obligatory to 440 00:24:27,200 --> 00:24:31,000 pay, taxes to exercise, the right to vote, and to defend 441 00:24:31,000 --> 00:24:37,100 one's country paragraph to 240. However, the citizen is obliged 442 00:24:37,100 --> 00:24:39,800 in conscience, not to follow. The directives of Civil 443 00:24:39,800 --> 00:24:43,000 Authorities when they are. Contrary to the demands of the 444 00:24:43,000 --> 00:24:46,500 more, I'll order to the fundamental rights of persons or 445 00:24:46,500 --> 00:24:51,300 the teachings of the Gospel paragraph, 22, 42, and that's 446 00:24:51,300 --> 00:24:53,200 the end of that quote from the cafe commentary. 447 00:24:53,700 --> 00:24:55,900 I think that does an excellent job of bringing together, 448 00:24:55,900 --> 00:24:59,700 various catechism paragraphs and so I'll include that whole quote 449 00:24:59,700 --> 00:25:01,200 in the show notes for you as well. 450 00:25:02,700 --> 00:25:04,900 Thank you again for listening today, such a fascinating 451 00:25:04,900 --> 00:25:06,400 passage. I'm sure you agree. 452 00:25:06,700 --> 00:25:09,000 If you believe others would benefit from hearing these 453 00:25:09,300 --> 00:25:13,100 additional aspects of Jesus teaching here about paying 454 00:25:13,100 --> 00:25:17,400 taxes, then share this podcast with them so that they can 455 00:25:17,400 --> 00:25:20,900 benefit from hearing it to thank you and will continue tomorrow.