Politics Makes Strange Bedfellows

Mark 12:13-17

The Herodians were supporters and beneficiaries of the government and gained benefit from the Roman taxes. On the other hand, the more religious Pharisees had a militant political wing who had protested and revolted against the tax – sometimes with violence. The Pharisees and the Herodians, were sworn enemies but, against Jesus, they become allies. Jesus was upsetting things, his actions were alarming and threatened the plans of both political groups.

They wanted Jesus to make a public statement that would make lose popularity: “should we pay taxes to the Romans?” (Mark 12:15)

By paying taxes to the Romans you were financially supporting the occupation but refusing to pay taxes could bring the death penalty. Religion and politics are always cultural hot buttons. Religious persons use politics to further their agendas and the politically motivated use religion to further theirs. Both groups were putting culture and politics on a higher level than God

Jesus said, “Show me the money.” (Mark 12:15)

Clearly, Jesus did not have a coin. He asked the people who seemed to be concerned to produce one. They were already making accommodations to their current reality.

Jesus argued that, since the coin belonged to Caesar, it was right to give it back to him. They complained about the taxes but not about the benefits.

At the same time, the Romans were neither the answer nor the primary problem in regards to personal and community sin. The Pharisees' and Herodians' allegiance was misplaced. One group worshiped the state; the other worshiped their religious system. Jesus said, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's.” (Mark 12:17)

We must set Jesus as our priority over government and religion. You have heard it said, the two surest things in life are death and taxes but Jesus tells us that the surest thing in life is the power of the kingdom of God. It renders political rulers irrelevant in its wake. The empires of this world rise and fall but God’s kingdom wins in the end. It is to that Kingdom and its King that we belong.

Making the gospel “good news”

Mark 3:1-6

Jesus had a conflict with the religious establishment of his day. The Gospel of Mark highlights the differences right away. Notably, Jesus clashes with the religious establishment over the Sabbath.

The Pharisees, a respected group of religious leaders had helped to establish a set of rules regarding appropriate behavior on the Sabbath. They thought it would make it easier for people to have concrete guidelines that would keep them from inadvertently violating God's Law.

One Sabbath day (Mark 2:23) Jesus and his followers are walking through a field. They are hungry and grab some handfuls of grain to eat. The Pharisees are insulted by what they viewed as a blatant violation of God's command not to work on the Sabbath. The established rules stated that no work would be done on this day and picking grain was work.

Jesus said that God's Law was meant to help people, not hurt them. Picking some grain to eat was not work. The rules set up by the religious establishment made the Sabbath a burden and not the day of rest and refreshment that God intended. Jesus said, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” (Mark 2:27)

Later Jesus would enter a place of worship on the Sabbath and encounter a man with a crippled hand. If Jesus were to heal this man, he would be working on the Sabbath. Healing was in his job description, you see. Couldn't it wait until Monday? Jesus could have given him his card and had him call for an appointment.

Jesus, understanding the conflict of the moment, asked a question designed to bring clarity. He asked, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” (Mark 3:4)

When no one spoke, Jesus answered the question himself by healing the man.

There is still conflict today regarding Sabbath-keeping and other religious rules. We get conflicting answers when we ask the wrong questions. The religious establishment today often confuses cultural norms with spiritual principles. Good rules applied in the wrong way and for the wrong reasons leave people hurt and angry. It drives people away from the God who loves them so much.

I am not suggesting we should take a relaxed attitude toward sin. We are to call sinners to repentance and offer them grace. Jesus always acted out of grace while still respecting God's Law. His intervention stopped the stoning of an adulterous woman but he did not condone the sin. He told her to “sin no more.” (John 10)

Before we establish any religious rules, we must ask if it is biblical. If it is biblical then it is supporting the gospel rather than hindering it. Let us not ever forget that gospel means “good news.”