A question of authority - Pt III
Gospel of Mark: Jesus a life to serve • Sermon • Submitted
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· 2 viewsDuty to God and to Country
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A day of questioning continues
A day of questioning continues
The day of questioning continues. Some new questioning people come to Jesus but Jesus never misses opportunity to teach, does He? In our passage Jesus will look at what is our duty to God and to Country in just a few verses (and many others brought in too).
Passion week continues
A triumphal entry for the king, in a way of humility (Mk11:1-11) -Sunday
A cursing and a cleansing (Mk11:12-18) - Monday
A day of questions, the first round (Mk11:20-33)
A parable directed towards the questioners (Mk12:1-12)
Jesus after being questioned by the Chief Priests, scribes and elders of the people has a new set coming at Him, they hope to trip Him up with the Roman authorities and discount Ministry at the same time. When we get to the passage you have to love the simplicity in which He deals with things but first let me give you some history, some culture things to help paint the picture so you can see the significance of the question asked of Jesus.
The Setting
The Setting
History and setting will help us get a better picture for our passage today.
Herod the Great (ruler of all Judea under Roman Providence from 37BC until death in 4BC.
Herod was one of God’s tools in preparing the way for the Lord, in what is known as the Pax Romana that started during his era and lasted until about AD180 (Pax Romana means Roman peace)
Herod was credited with helping to build infrastructure to the area and was well loved by the people, he was responsible for building what was known as “Herod’s Temple” for the Jews.
Herod the great, aka Herodius Magnus had set up upon his death for the kingdom to be divided among his son’s
Herod Antipas ruler of Galilee and Peraea regions (4BC- 39 AD) - when you read about King Herod in New Testament, this is him. He is also the father of King Agrippa that Paul stood before in the end of Acts.
Herod Philip ruler of north-east in area of Trachoitis, Ituraea and Abilene, ruled 4BC-34 AD upon his death, interesting fact this is the one who is was married to Cleopatra a name you might know (his 5th wife).
Herod Archelaus ruler of Judaea and Samaria, ruler from 4BC - 6AD when Rome stepped in for direct rule due to his absolute failure to keep peace in the region.
Under direct rule there could be two types
Proconsuls - for areas where there is peace and no military presence needed.
Procurators - where there were trouble centers and troops where needed and answered directly to Caesar. -Judaea fell under this category.
Proconsuls/Procurators were known as Governor’s
Governor/Procurator - Quirinius (ruled after removal Herod Archelaus failed) He is the one who took the census at the request of Caesar Augustus found in
Quirinius, aka Cyrenius, was to take the census for taxation purposes.
Three taxes imposed
A ground tax - a portion paid for anything that came out of the ground
Income tax - a portion (about 1%) of a persons income
Poll-tax - a tax levied on men from 14-65; women from 12-65 and it was just for the privilege of existing. - this is the tax that his being addressed in our passage today.
The new questioning parties
Pharisee’s - Jewish ruling sect, strict adherence to the written law and traditions
Herodians - Hellenistic Jews who aligned themselves with the Herod’s; they were Roman sympathizers.
OK, enough of that, you have the setting, you have the characters, you have the background and history, now let’s loot at the passage and look at
Our duty to Country
Our duty to God
13 Then they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to Him in order to trap Him in a statement. 14 They came and said to Him, “Teacher, we know that You are truthful and defer to no one; for You are not partial to any, but teach the way of God in truth. Is it lawful to pay a poll-tax to Caesar, or not?
15 “Shall we pay or shall we not pay?” But He, knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, “Why are you testing Me? Bring Me a denarius to look at.” 16 They brought one. And He said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” And they said to Him, “Caesar’s.”
17 And Jesus said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” And they were amazed at Him.
What do you see, what do you notice, what sticks out to you?
Our Duty to Country
Our Duty to Country
There are things we must do and there are things that we should do in duty to our country. Biblical things for Christian application.
Now, without looking at your outline, when you think about duty to Country, what do you think it is, how can we do it?
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Pay our taxes (Mk12:14-17); Paul confirms, instructs that too (Rom13:6-7)
Obey laws (Rom13:1-5; Tit3:1); Do these things for a purpose (1Pt2:13-16)
Fear, honor authority (Rom13:7; Pro24:21)
Do these things for a purpose (1Pt2:13-16)
Do not speak evil of authority (Act23:5; Tit3:2; 2Pt2:10)
Do good (Tit3:1); have honorable conduct (1Pt2:11-12)
Pray (1Tim2:1-3)
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Pay our taxes (Mk12:14-17); Paul confirms, instructs that too (Rom13:6-7)
We just read the Mark passage so we know we are to render unto Caesar’s what is his, but now look what Paul says
6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for rulers are servants of God, devoting themselves to this very thing. 7 Render to all what is due them: tax to whom tax is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor.
Fear, honor authority (Rom13:7; Pro24:21)
They are God’s servants too, they are devoting themselves to the common good, even when it does not seem so these days.
Do not speak evil of authority (Act23:5; Tit3:2; 2Pt2:10)
Do good (Tit3:1); have honorable conduct (1Pt2:11-12)
Pay our taxes (Mk12:14-17); Paul confirms, instructs that too (Rom13:6-7)
Obey laws (Rom13:1-5; Tit3:1); Do these things for a purpose (1Pt2:13-16)
Pray (1Tim2:1-3)
1 Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves.
Do not speak evil of authority (Act23:5; Tit3:2; 2Pt2:10)
3 For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will have praise from the same; 4 for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil.
5 Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of wrath, but also for conscience’ sake.
Do good (Tit3:1); have honorable conduct (1Pt2:11-12)
Nothing to fear from authority if you do what is good. They are God’s servants for good to you.
Pray (1Tim2:1-3)
Do these things or a purpose, look at this passage and see if you see the purpose
1Pt2:
12 Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation. 13 Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority,
14 or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right. 15 For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men.
16 Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God.
Did you see it, did you notice it, where is it? what is it? (v.15)
We are just pilgrims, sojourners here (1Pt2:11) our citizenship is in heaven (Php3:20) we should live as good stewards, good bond-servants of Christ we live until we live with Him in eternity. For country, be a good Christian and follow the words of the Bible.
11 Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul.
for this place is not our home
20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ;
While we are here, while we are in a Country waiting for our heavenly home, we have duty to God too.
Duty to God
Duty to God
God spells out our duty to Him and we will take a few minutes to look at that and how we are to do it.
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Love God with all we are (Mt22:34-38) this is our greatest command; our greatest duty
Obey from the heart (1Jn5:3) it proves true love and discipleship (Jn14:15; Jn14:21-23; Jn13:35)
Make God your priority (Mt6:33; Act5:27-29)
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Love God with all we are (Mt22:34-38) this is our greatest command; our greatest duty
Jesus states this is the greatest command
34 But when the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered themselves together. 35 One of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him,
36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And He said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’
37 And He said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 “This is the great and foremost commandment.
mt22:
Being the greatest command, it is our greatest duty and takes precedence over anything else.
Love God with all we are (Mt22:34-38) this is our greatest command; our greatest duty
Obey from the heart (1Jn5:3) it proves true love and discipleship (Jn14:15; Jn14:21-23; Jn13:35)
If we love God we will keep His commands as it says in 1Jn5:3
3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome.
Make God your priority (Mt6:33; Act5:27-29)
and by keeping his commands it proves our true love for Him and we are His disciples and others will know too.
15 “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.
21 “He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him.”
Jn14:
23 Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him.
35 “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
God’s will, God’s rule, God’s righteousness needs to be priority in our life and that is our next point.
Love God with all we are (Mt22:34-38) this is our greatest command; our greatest duty
Obey from the heart (1Jn5:3) it proves true love and discipleship (Jn14:15; Jn14:21-23)
Make God your priority (Mt6:33; Act5:27-29)
33 “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
This takes precedence over Country and duty to Country. when there is a conflict between God and Country, God must come first. God will never have you do anything that is contrary to His Word.
Here is another example of God being priority
27 When they had brought them, they stood them before the Council. The high priest questioned them, 28 saying, “We gave you strict orders not to continue teaching in this name, and yet, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.”
Act5:27-28
29 But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.
19 But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the gates of the prison, and taking them out he said,
So some bring into question of God and Country can a Christian
Can a Christian vote; should he vote?
Can a Christian hold a political office?
Can a Christian serve in military or some other civic duty?
If God is your priority, and you are obeying out of your love for Him, fulfilling the command to love Him before all things and these other things are not in conflict with God’s Word, can we, should we participate? That is a matter of conscience for you to weigh out, but there is nothing scriptually against these things.
God and Country conclusion
God and Country conclusion
Be a blessing to your country because of your God by
Paying your taxes, obeying the laws, respecting authority
Contribute to the common good, through deeds and fervent prayer.
Contribute to the common good, through deeds and fervent prayer.
Give to God first and then what is due to the County to the Country
While authority may not line up with Christianity, or understand why we put God before all things, they can respect our citizenship when we do the things listed above. (expand on this, time permitting)