Mark 12 (Tenants, Taxes, & Torah)
Notes
Transcript
Mark 12 (Tenants, Taxes, & Torah)
Mark 12 (Tenants, Taxes, & Torah)
Jesus, if you remember is in Jerusalem for a third time.
He is being challenged by the Pharisees, the religious leaders.
That is the audience for this first response.
Then he began to speak to them in parables. “A man planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a pit for the winepress, and built a watchtower; then he leased it to tenants and went away. When the season came, he sent a slave to the tenants to collect from them his share of the produce of the vineyard. But they seized him and beat him and sent him away empty-handed. And again he sent another slave to them; this one they beat over the head and insulted. Then he sent another, and that one they killed. And so it was with many others; some they beat, and others they killed. He had still one other, a beloved son. Finally he sent him to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ But those tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ So they seized him, killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard. What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the tenants and give the vineyard to others. Have you not read this scripture: ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is amazing in our eyes’?” When they realized that he had told this parable against them, they wanted to arrest him, but they feared the crowd. So they left him and went away. Then they sent to him some Pharisees and some Herodians to trap him in what he said. And they came and said to him, “Teacher, we know that you are sincere and show deference to no one, for you do not regard people with partiality but teach the way of God in accordance with truth. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Should we pay them, or should we not?” But knowing their hypocrisy, he said to them, “Why are you putting me to the test? Bring me a denarius and let me see it.” And they brought one. Then he said to them, “Whose head is this and whose title?” They answered, “Caesar’s.” Jesus said to them, “Give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s.” And they were utterly amazed at him. Some Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to him and asked him a question, saying, “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies, leaving a wife but no child, the man shall marry the widow and raise up children for his brother. There were seven brothers; the first married and, when he died, left no children, and the second married the widow and died, leaving no children, and the third likewise; none of the seven left children. Last of all the woman herself died. In the resurrection, when they rise, whose wife will she be? For all seven had married her.” Jesus said to them, “Is not this the reason you are wrong, that you know neither the scriptures nor the power of God? For when people rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage but are like angels in heaven. And as for the dead being raised, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the story about the bush, how God said to him, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is God not of the dead but of the living; you are quite wrong.” One of the scribes came near and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well he asked him, “Which commandment is the first of all?” Jesus answered, “The first is, ‘Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” Then the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher; you have truly said that ‘he is one, and besides him there is no other’; and ‘to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength’ and ‘to love one’s neighbor as oneself’—this is much more important than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” After that no one dared to ask him any question. While Jesus was teaching in the temple, he said, “How can the scribes say that the Messiah is the son of David? David himself, by the Holy Spirit, declared, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet.” ’ “David himself calls him Lord, so how can he be his son?” And the large crowd was listening to him with delight. As he taught, he said, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to have the best seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets! They devour widows’ houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.” He sat down opposite the treasury and watched the crowd putting money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which are worth a penny. Then he called his disciples and said to them, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. For all of them have contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”
Oof…there is a lot in there
Wicked Tenants
Taxes
Resurrection
Torah (1st Commandment)
David’s son as Messiah?
Arrogance
Widows Offering
So, let’s do this. Is there one of these you would like to cover?
VINEYARD: PHARISEES
When they realized that he had told this parable against them, they wanted to arrest him, but they feared the crowd. So they left him and went away.
PHARISEES
Has a rich history in their religion, starting with Noah who planted a vineyard, which he abused by getting drunk.
The next set of references come in Torah talking about how you are to leave grapes on the vine for the poor.
Further, in Deuteronomy, the poor are allowed to go into a neighbor’s vineyard and eat your fill, but you cannot take any home.
In Judges, they use a vineyard as a foil for the Benjaminites to steal wives at Shiloh
The real point Jesus is getting to is how Kings will treat the vineyards of others.
The kings will take the best and give it to his friends and political friends
This very thing happened when Ahab wanted Naboth’s vineyard, and Naboth did not give it to him.
So Ahab’s wife, Jezebel, murders Naboth so Ahab can take the vineyard for free.
And this is the story that Jesus is referring to when he speaks to them.
The prophets are full of imagery of vineyards
The vineyards represent the people of Israel
And the leaders see the people as their possession
The ones to be gleaned, so to speak
If you are curious as to the vineyard, Isaiah leaves no doubt.
For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the people of Judah are his cherished garden; he expected justice but saw bloodshed; righteousness but heard a cry!
The Hebrew is so poetic in this verse:
“He waited for justice (mishpat) and behold bloody scabs (mispach)”
“for righteousness (tsedaqah) and behold screaming (tseaqah)”
TAXES: PHARISEES & HERODIANS
Jesus said to them, “Give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s.” And they were utterly amazed at him.
PHARISEES and HERODIANS
Herodians were the government, political arm that collaborated with the religious leadership.
The religious environment legitimizes the government officials.
I will let you in on a little secret about money:
It belongs to caesar
To the system of Babylon
Not to God.
The miracle is this:
When you give Babylon’s money to God
He converts it into Kingdom currency
Which is why Jesus is so incensed with the money changers we read last week.
They convert it from one form of Babylon to another and call it the ‘work of God’
RESURRECTION: SADDUCEES
Jesus said to them, “Is not this the reason you are wrong, that you know neither the scriptures nor the power of God? For when people rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage but are like angels in heaven.
SADDUCEES
Now, I can tell you that I am still looking for this in the Hebrew Bible.
And here is the main problem.
We just don’t know in detail how ‘angels’ or the Children of God works in New Creation.
There are hints, but not enough to really make a statement.
But as far as the resurrection, which is their question, Jesus says…
And as for the dead being raised, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the story about the bush, how God said to him, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is God not of the dead but of the living; you are quite wrong.”
Which I really love, because I tell you that you must read your scriptures and you must read it closely and slowly.
Jesus corrects them on the verb tense ‘I am’
TORAH: SCRIBES
Then the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher; you have truly said that ‘he is one, and besides him there is no other’; and ‘to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength’ and ‘to love one’s neighbor as oneself’—this is much more important than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
SCRIBES
There is a bit of audacity in the scribe telling Jesus “You are right, Teacher.”
And his answer about the loving God and Neighbor as more important than offerings and sacrifices is truly remarkable.
But, it would seem, this scribe is close, but not there yet…
When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” After that no one dared to ask him any question.
He is ‘not far’ meaning he is not there.
Perhaps this Scribe understands…but does not do…
SON of DAVID: SCRIBES
While Jesus was teaching in the temple, he said, “How can the scribes say that the Messiah is the son of David?
The SCRIBE just answered correctly
And now Jesus goes after the SCRIBES
But he goes after them regarding something quite strange:
How can they say Messiah is the Son of David?
That is what Christians say
But did you know that there are only three references to Jesus’ relationship to David in the NT letters?
Romans 1:3 “concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh”
2 Timothy 2:8 “Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel,”
And that is it.
David himself, by the Holy Spirit, declared, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet.” ’ “David himself calls him Lord, so how can he be his son?” And the large crowd was listening to him with delight.
Here is the interesting thing about Psalm 110, from which this quote comes:
It speaks of one who will rule
It speaks of people who volunteer to follow
And it calls this ‘ruling one’ a PRIEST in the order of Melchizedek.
Do you know of any rulers who are priests in scripture?
WARNING ABOUT SCRIBES:
As he taught, he said, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to have the best seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets!
Again, he is leaning into the SCRIBES here:
I thought the scribe gave a good answer
But remember, he was close
Now we know why we have a problem
The scribe knew that God preferred love of God and Neighbor over sacrifice.
But the scribes were not loving Neighbor, there wanted loved by Neighbor.
They devour widows’ houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.”
Now, again, we know the judgment against the SCRIBES
And it is JUXTAPOSED right against the last story…
Which happens to be about a WIDOW!
Coincidence?
He sat down opposite the treasury and watched the crowd putting money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which are worth a penny.
PAUSE…The SCRIBE juxtaposed against the WIDOW
The RICH who give much
The POOR who give pennies
Sit, for just a moment, with the concept that Jesus is WATCHING people put in money.
Then he called his disciples and said to them, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. For all of them have contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”
Here is the love for God and love for Neighbor put together.
When he said the SCRIBES devour widow’s houses for the sake of appearance, what he means is that the widow puts the money in the offering trusting that God will make proper use of it.
But the religious leadership enriches themselves, at the expense of the widow
And then prays to God to bless their land.
God’s return on them is the judgment (condemnation) on the LEADERS
Which, is the WHOLE point of the Vine parable.
He puts the responsibility of good fruit on the leaders
It is the WHOLE point of the TAX parable.
The Pharisees, Sadducees, and Scribes all see the money given at the temple as theirs.
They might as well put their face on the money
It is a brilliant piece of literature to call attention to the primary problem of hoarding God’s blessing and then praying God’s blessing on another.
Mark 12 (Tenants, Taxes, & Torah)
Mark 12 (Tenants, Taxes, & Torah)
