Render Rightly - Mark 12:13-17

Render Rightly - Mark 12:13-17
By Pastor Lee Hemen
November 14, 2010 AM

When I was younger we used to set small snares that would safely trap small animals like mice, chipmunks, rabbits and squirrels. In fact, my brother Ed and I spent one whole summer trapping chipmunks, letting them go, and trying to tame them. While the taming never worked, they bit and clawed in a terror-stricken frenzy, the trapping went well. There are folks who spend their whole time trying to catch innocent people saying or doing things. They are called the press. Then there are the vultures known as the “Paparazzi.” It is an Italian term used to refer to photojournalists who specialize in candid photography of celebrities, politicians, and other prominent people. Then there are those who try to trap people with the words they use. These are called lawyers.

In our lives we learn to render our words correctly from the time we are little and into adulthood. Like little politicians, children learn very quickly how to turn a phrase to confuse their questioner or benefit themselves. When believers do this with their lives in Christ, it is truly pathetic. Christians can be guilty of obfuscating, when they deliberately make their answers confusing or difficult concerning their walk with the Lord. Far too many Christians enjoy dancing around the gospel truth rather than living it. This is ungodly. In today’s passage we find Jesus being confronted by those religious leaders who loved arguing about spiritual truth. All they desired was to entrap Jesus with his own words. He tells them to begin to render rightly. Let’s find out how…

READ: Mark 12:13-17

Debating is a skillful art if done correctly. Do not think that by simply having an “I gotcha” moment declares the winner. This is simply not true. Often it is though logical progression, factual accuracy and a degree of emotional appeal to the audience that are important. In debating, one side often prevails over the other side by presenting a far more subtle yet clear argument. Children learn these tactics right before Christmas, especially, if they want a Red Rider BB Gun! However, a good debate always begins with a question or an argument. Here, in Mark’s gospel we discover…

I. The argument! (Vv. 13-15a)

1. It is better to be thought a fool, then to open your mouth and remove all doubt! Luke tells us what actually motivated this incident: “Keeping a close watch on him, they sent spies, who pretended to be honest. They hoped to catch Jesus in something he said so that they might hand him over to the power and authority of the governor.” (Luke 20:20) When these men come to Jesus with their question, they think they can fool him. They begin by buttering Jesus up with flattery. “Teacher,” they purr, “we know you are a man of integrity. You aren't swayed by men, because you pay no attention to who they are; but you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth.” They did not care! The truth was standing before them and they refused to recognize Jesus for who he was – the Messiah! These slimy chariot chasing lawyers are trying to ensnare Jesus. If Jesus saw himself as a rabbi, prophet, or the Messiah he could not publicly state he supported paying taxes to Rome! So they ask, “Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Should we pay or shouldn't we?” It is an “I gotcha” moment for the Pharisees and Herodians. The Pharisees prided themselves in knowing all the nuances of the law. They sought a religious answer. The Herodians supported the Herods. They sought a political answer. There is good evidence that they were possibly linked with the Essenes. These folks lived communal lives dedicated to asceticism, voluntary poverty, daily baptisms, and abstinence from worldly pleasures, including marriage. Herod was fascinated by them and protected them, even though they claimed a Messianic king would come to overthrow the corrupt Herodian government, the chief priests, and the Romans. It was the issue of keeping your friends close and your enemies closer. Some believe this is why Herod was curious concerning John the Baptist. Their argument sought to put Jesus on the spot but displayed their foolishness instead. We discover that it is often better to be thought foolish, than to open our mouths and remove all doubt! What is your argument with Jesus?

EXAMPLE: Here’s what I mean: Believers can begin to have arguments or rather discussions with Jesus. Arguments they already know the answer to, but they persist anyway. When the Pharisees and Herodians came to ask Jesus a question, they already knew the answer they wanted. They sought to corner Jesus and thereby entrap him by his answer. Christians do the very same thing when they come to Jesus with an argument they already know the answer to. Arguments concerning sin they want Jesus to excuse. Some Christians have swallowed their own convoluted reasoning and actually think that a good God would not hold them accountable for their continued sin. Jesus told his disciples, “But I tell you that men will have to give account on the Day of Judgment for every careless word they have spoken.” (Matthew 12:36) I learned a long time ago that in a debate never start arguments you already know the answer to, especially if the person you are arguing with knows it as well. Perhaps we would do well to honestly ask ourselves, “What is my argument with Jesus?”

Arguing for arguments sake is not true debating, it is simply irritating, and can result in swift punishment. My father often tried to tell my brother the fact concerning this, but he was a tough nut to crack. Ed had to learn through physical trial and error. Like Jacob in the Old Testament, I learned to take a negative response and turn it into a positive outcome. A good debater knows how to find his opponent’s weakness in their argument and turn it to their own favor. We discover that Jesus does this as we look at…

II. The answer! (Vv. 15b-17)

1. If you ask the question, you may get an answer you did not want! Jesus isn’t fooled and immediately suspects and exposes their hypocrisy. He openly confronts their attempt to ensnare him by bluntly asking, “Why are you trying to trap me?” then he does something they never expected, he demands they bring him a denarius to look at! Jesus boldly confronts the issue. The common Roman denarius was a small silver coin. It was the only coin acceptable for imperial tax payments. Everyone carried them, but interestingly Jesus does not. I believe it is because it is consistent with who Jesus was and why he came. Jesus did not come to overthrow the established government, nor did he come to tear down the ruling class, instead he came to “seek and save the lost.” What follows is an in-your-face answer to the deceptive argument of the Pharisees and Herodians. They brought the coin, and he asked them, “Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription?” “Caesar’s,” they replied. With Jesus’ simple question, he has already disarmed their argument. He deliberately confronts them with actual problem! The coin was probably one of Tiberius’. He was the Roman emperor during Jesus’ time. On one side of the coin the inscription read in Latin: “Tiberius Caesar Augustus, Son of the Divine Augustus” and on the reverse side: “Chief Priest.” This inscription originated in the imperial cult of emperor worship and was a claim to divinity, which was particularly repulsive to the Jews. Jesus therefore answers in a magnificent way by stating, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God’s.” Both groups were amazed at Jesus’ answer. Actually, they were literally beside themselves. With one quick response Jesus disarms their argument. Jesus actually gives them a twofold answer. He was not only tacitly telling them to pay Rome’s false god his earthly due, but to also honor the real God with all they had. What is your answer when you are confronted by those in the world? What is your answer when you are confronted by Jesus concerning sin? Do not be surprised when after asking the question, you get an answer you did not want!

EXAMPLE: I had a professor that related that little quip I just mentioned: “If you ask a question, you may get an answer you did not want!” He was speaking to an entire class of frightened seminary students. He was known for his ability to slice and dice an unsuspecting student who did not think before asking their question. My father had a different kind of attitude and he often related, “There are no stupid questions. If you want to know something, ask!” I believe God has the same kind of attitude towards those who are sincerely seeking answers. After all, he told Jeremiah, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:13) God always desires to give us the answer we seek concerning him; we need only to seek him with our whole heart, unlike the Herodians and Pharisees of Jesus’ day.

Conclusion:
We learned about the argument and the answer! Perhaps we would do well to honestly ask ourselves, “What is my argument with Jesus?” God always desires to give us the answer we seek concerning him; we need only to seek him with our whole heart, unlike the Herodians and Pharisees of Jesus’ day. We need to stop debating and seek Jesus!
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Pastor Lee Hemen has been the outspoken pastor of the same church for 25 years in Vancouver, WA. He writes regularly on spirituality and conservative causes and maintains several web blogs. This article is copyrighted © 2010 by Lee Hemen and is the sole property of Lee Hemen, and may not be used unless you quote the entire article and have my permission.

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