Paying Taxes To Caesar

"They sent to JESUS some Pharisees with members of Herod's party, with the purpose of trapping HIM by HIS own words.  They came and said to JESUS, 'Master, we know that YOU are truthful; YOU are not influenced by anyone, and YOUR answers do not vary according to who is listening to YOU, but YOU truly teach GOD's way.  Tell us, is it against the law to pay taxes to Caesar?  Should we pay them or not?'

But JESUS saw through their trick and answered, 'Why are you testing ME?  Bring ME a silver coin and let ME see it.'  They brought HIM one and JESUS asked, 'Whose image is this, and whose name?'  They answered, 'Caesar's.'  Then JESUS said, 'Give back to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to GOD, what is GOD's.'

And they were greatly astonished." - Mark 12:13-17  

(What is Caesar's can be understood: "what belongs to Caesar."  Rather it means: "the kind of things which fall under his rule."  With HIS answer "to Caesar what belongs to him, to GOD..."  JESUS separates religion and politics in cultures--Jewish and Roman alike--where politics always looked for religious justification.  From now on, religion should not be manipulated for political purposes, nor should religion confuse its political opponents with the enemies of the kingdom.)

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The Parable Of The Tenants

"Listen to another example:  There was a landowner who planted a vineyard.  He put a fence around it, dug a hole for the wine press, built a watchtower, leased the vineyard to tenants, and then, went to a distant country.  When harvest time came, the landowner sent his servants to the tenants to collect his share of the harvest.  But the tenants seized his servants, beat one, killed another, and stoned a third.

Again, the owner sent more servants; but they were treated in the same way.

Finally, he sent his son, thinking, 'They will respect my son.'  But when the tenants saw the son, they thought, 'This is the one who is to inherit the vineyard.  Let us kill him, and his inheritance will be ours.'  So, they seized him, threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.

Now, what will the owner of the vineyard do with the tenants when he comes?  They said to him, 'He will bring those evil men to an evil end, and lease the vineyard to others, who will pay him in due time.'

And JESUS replied, 'Have you never read what the Scriptures say?  The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.  This was the LORD's doing, and we marvel at it.  Therefore, I say to you: the kingdom of heaven will be taken from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.'" - Matthew 21:33-43  

(In this comparison, the vine represents the kingdom of GOD.  The Jews were GOD's people, and they came to consider that their own interests were those of GOD.  HE had to help them against others.  They had confidence that they would be saved and were not concerned about the fate of others who did not recognize GOD.

GOD entrusted HIS kingdom to them; in other words, HE guided them throughout the long span of their history, so that they would be an example to others.  They were to communicate their experience to others so that all would develop justice, a spirit of responsibility, a sense of community; these were the fruit GOD wanted to harvest.

GOD sent prophets to remind them of their debt: they were scarcely heard.  Finally, the only Son of GOD become human appears and the same thing will happen.  HE will be thrown out of the vineyard, in other words, rejected by HIS own people.  Which is why the kingdom of GOD will be given to others, to those believers converted from other nations and gathered in the Church of CHRIST.

Here ends the parable.  It could equally be applied to the Church today if it becomes a religion of one social class, or similar to the other religions, or if we do not find in the Church more obedience to GOD, more commitment to values that will save the world.  What would happen to Christian groups and their leaders if they began to feel they were the owners of the kingdom and its promises?) 

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GOD So Loved The World!

"Yes, GOD so loved the world that HE gave HIS only Son that whoever believes in HIM may not be lost but may have eternal life.  GOD did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world; instead, through HIM the world is to be saved.  Whoever believes in HIM will not be condemned.  He who does not believe is already condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of GOD." - John 3:16-18  

(The Jews had been praying for GOD to come and expected HIM to condemn the world and to punish the bad.  HE, on the other hand, sent HIS own Son to the cross so that the world will be saved.

Other verses of the New Testament say that we should not love the world; which seems to contradict what we have just read: GOD so loved the world.  The reason for this contradiction is that the word world has several meanings.

First, the world means all of creation, which is good since it is GOD's work.  The center of this divine work is humankind, which has come under the influence of Satan [8:34 and 44].  Everything that sinful humanity creates--riches, culture, social life--is influenced, disfigured and used for evil.  Hence, GOD sent HIS Son so that the world will be saved.

Yet, even though CHRIST's resurrection initiated HIS invincible power over history, a strong current of evil continues, dragging along all who refuse to acknowledge the truth.  This evil current is sometimes called the world.   It would be more appropriate to say: the people who surrender themselves to the Master of the world.  The Scripture points to them in saying: Do not love the world, or You are not of the world [John 2:15; 4:6].)

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By What Authority Do YOU Act?

"They were once again in Jerusalem.  As JESUS was walking in the temple, the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders came to HIM and asked, 'What authority do YOU have to act like this?  Who gave YOU authority to do the things YOU do?

JESUS said to them, 'I will ask you a question, only one, and if you give ME an answer, then I will tell you what authority I have to act like this.  Was John's preaching in baptism a work of GOD, or was it merely something human?  Answer ME.'

And they kept arguing among themselves.  If we answer that it was a work of GOD, HE will say, 'Why then did you not believe HIM?'  But neither could they answer before the people that the baptism of John was merely something human, for everyone regarded John as a prophet.  So, they answered JESUS, 'We don't know,' and JESUS said to them, 'Neither will I tell you what authority I have to act as I do.'" - Mark 11:27-33  

(JESUS did not ask any authorization to teach in the temple, or to drive out the vendors.  HE acted freely as prophets do.  Since the priests were the ones in charge of maintaining the true faith, it was normal for them to check whether JESUS was a real prophet or not.  But were they really concerned about truth?  Were they ready to recognize that JESUS had come from GOD?  Apparently, they only thought to defend what was acceptable to them and, before even listening to JESUS, held HIM to be subversive.

That is why JESUS asked them about John the Baptist.   Because John the Baptist's preaching had been the most important happening in the previous two years, the priests should have taken a stand with regard to John.  They had not done so nor were they ready for that.  How could they make demands of JESUS if they spoke out only when it suited them?

JESUS' attitude obliges religious leaders of all times to see if they deserve to have others respect their declarations and condemnations.)

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The Fig Tree Without Fruit

"One day some persons told JESUS what had occurred in the Temple:  Pilate had Galileans killed and their blood mingled with the blood of their sacrifices.  JESUS replied, 'Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this?  I tell you: no. But unless you change your ways, you will all perish as they did.

And those eighteen persons in Siloah who were crushed when the tower fell, do you think they were more guilty than all the others in Jerusalem?  I tell you: no.  But unless you change your ways, you will all perish as they did.'

And JESUS continued with this story, 'A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard and he came looking for fruit on it but found none.  Then he said to the gardener: 'Look here, for three years now I have been looking for figs on this tree and I have found none.  Cut it down, why should it use up the ground?'  The gardener replied:  'Leave it one more year, so that I may dig around it and add some fertilizer; and perhaps it will bear fruit from now on.  But if it doesn't, you can cut it down'." - Luke 13:1-9   

(In this passage JESUS questions the idea we have of GOD's punishment.  We cannot believe in GOD without believing in justice.  For the Greeks whose gods were capricious and not very honest, justice was a divine power superior to the gods.  We always tend to make ourselves the center of the world and believe we are better than others.  If misfortune falls on someone else, we think it is just, but when it is our turn, we ask:  "What have I done against GOD that this should happen to me?"

The Gospel deals with several aspects of the question.  First of all, let us try to free of a ghetto mentality [see Luke 6:32]:  the evil done by our enemies is not worse than the evil we do.

The justice of GOD goes far beyond our justice and is only really fulfilled in the next life [the case of Lazarus, Luke 16:19]. 

 

The misfortune, which to us here below appears as the "punishment of GOD," is no more than a sign, a pedagogical measure used by GOD to make us aware of our sin.  And GOD often converts a sinner by granting him unexpected favors [see the case of Zaccheus, Luke 19:1].

 

Then why is there so much about GOD's punishment in the Old Testament?  GOD's people did not know yet an afterlife, so it was necessary to speak of GOD's punishment in this life, for these people to believe in HIS justice.  In fact, GOD continues to give such signs both for persons and for communities.  It is good to know how to recognize them, keeping in mind they are not the last word of GOD's justice.)

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The Blind Man Of Jericho

"They came to Jericho.  As JESUS was leaving Jericho with HIS disciples and a large crowd, a blind beggar, Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside.  On hearing that it was JESUS of Nazareth passing by, he began to call out, 'Son of David, JESUS, have mercy on me!'  Many people scolded him and told him to keep quiet, but he shouted all the louder. 'Son of David, have mercy on me!'

JESUS stopped and said, 'Call him.'  So, they called the blind man, saying, 'Take heart!  Get up, HE is calling you!'  He immediately threw aside his cloak, jumped up and went to JESUS.

Then JESUS asked him, 'What do you want ME to do for you?'  The blind man said, 'Master, let me see again!'  And JESUS said to him, 'Go your way, your faith has made you well.'  And, immediately, he could see, and he followed JESUS along the road." - Mark 10:46-52  

(GOD is the one who moves us to ask something of HIM.  The blind man understands that if he lets this opportunity go by, there will not be another chance, which is why he shouts all the more while the rest try to silence him.

Son of David!  was a way of designating the Messiah.)

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Leaders--To Serve

"James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to JESUS and said to HIM, 'Master, we want YOU to grant us what we are going to ask of YOU.'  And HE said, 'What do you want ME to do for you?'  They answered, 'Grant us to sit, one at YOUR right hand and one at YOUR left, when YOU come in YOUR glory.'

But JESUS said to them, 'You don't know what you are asking.  Can you drink the cup that I drink, or be baptized in the way I AM baptized?'  They answered, 'We can.'  And JESUS told them, 'The cup that I drink, you will drink; and you will be baptized in the way that I AM baptized; but to sit at MY right hand or at MY left is not mine to grant.  It has been prepared for others.'

On hearing this, the other ten were angry with James and John.  JESUS then called them to HIM and said, 'As you know, the so-called rulers of the nations behave like tyrants, and those in authority oppress the people.  But it shall not be so among you; whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you shall make himself slave of all.  Think of the Son of Man, who has not come to be served but to serve, and to give HIS life to redeem many.'" - Mark 10:35-45  

(JESUS feels full of courage and confidence, as HE HIMSELF walks ahead of them to Jerusalem, where HIS punishment awaits HIM.  Prompted by James' and John's request, HE tries to convince HIS followers that success in his kingdom does not consist in prestige and power, but in following the way of JESUS, their leader.

What makes a leader?  How should a leader be?  How do leaders act, the head of a team, of a family?  The heads of the state smile at crowds and embrace a child who renders them homage, but who serves and who is to be served?  JESUS has come to serve and HIS service to humanity will be HIS voluntary death: "HE made HIMSELF obedient, took the condition of a slave and died on the cross" [Philippians 2:8].

To drink the cup and to be baptized are figurative ways of describing the suffering and death of JESUS.)    

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The Reward For Those Who Follow JESUS

"Peter spoke up and said, 'We have given up everything to follow YOU.  JESUS answered, 'Truly, there is no one who has left house, or brothers or sisters, or father or mother, or children, or lands, for MY sake, and for the gospel, who will not receive his reward.  I say to you: even in the midst of persecution, he will receive a hundred times as many houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and lands in the present time; and, in the world to come, eternal life.  Do pay attention: many who now are the first will be last, and the last, first.'" - Mark 10:28-31  

(There is no one who has left house... These words of JESUS that we find again in Mathew 19:29 and Luke 18:29 have been given here a notable addition: with persecution.  Once the Gospel had been preached the Church began to suffer persecution: From the year 34, then again in 41 and 62 in Jerusalem, in 64 in Rome with the great persecution ordered by the emperor Nero.  During these persecutions Christians experienced the bonds that united them, often stronger than family relationships.  Hunted, obliged to hide, they found hundreds of brothers and sisters ready with houses to give them refuge.  JESUS does not only speak of reward in the next life.  Already in this world, in the midst of persecution, those who sacrifice themselves for the kingdom will find friendship, joy an human fulfillment far greater than anything they could have hoped for.)

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GOD's City, Mother Of All Nations

 "HE HIMSELF has built it in HIS holy mountain;

YAHWEH prefers the gates of Zion

to all of Jacob's towns.

Great things have been foretold

of you, O City of GOD:

But of Zion, it shall be said,

'More and more are being born in her.'

For the Most High HIMSELF has founded her.

And YAHWEH notes in the people's register:

'All these were also born in Zion.'

And all will dance and sing

joyfully for YOU."

- Psalm 87:1-2, 3 and 5, 6-7

(The universalist's outlook here is truly astonishing.  It is not that Zion ceases to be the center of the world.  This, in the psalmist perspective, will always be so.  To offer the hand in friendship to Babylon and Egypt, the ancient persecutors, is truly magnanimous.  It may speak of the Jews exiled in those countries.  This would turn the wide and gracious gesture of verses 4 and 5 into something clumsy and ungenerous.  This psalm may be compared to a passage of the prophet Zechariah [8:20-23; cf. also 14:16] where people from foreign countries, 'take hold of the robe of a Jew, saying: Let us go with YOU, for we have heard that GOD is with YOU.'  There is a Jew the whole world has heard of, and HIS surname is Emmanuel, which means 'GOD with us.'  The Church is our "city" the mother of all [cf. Ephesians 2:12-19; Galatians 4:26].  This is a good psalm to celebrate universal fraternity or to put ecumenism into practice.)

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Comparison With The Body

"As the body is one, having many members, and all the members, while being many, from one body, so it is with CHRIST.  All of us, whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free, have been baptized in one Spirit, to form one body, and all of us have been given, to drink from the one Spirit.

The body has not just one member, but many.

Now, you are the body of CHRIST, and each of you, individually, is a member of it.  So, GOD has appointed us in the Church.  First apostles, second prophets, third teachers.  Then come miracles, then the gift of healing, material help, administration in the Church and the gift of tongues.

Are all apostles?  Are all prophets?  Are all teachers?  Can all perform miracles, or cure the sick, or speak in tongues, or explain what was said in tongues?  Be that as it may, set your hearts on the most precious gifts, and I will show you a much better way. " - 1 Corinthians 12:12-14. 27-31  

(A detailed comparison with the body helps us to understand what the Church is, showing at the same time how we must complement and respect each other.

We cannot have a true community unless each of us shares in its life, placing our talents at the service of others.  Even the least gifted may have riches that will be revealed at the right time.  Even the misfortunes of someone may become the riches of the group that welcomes him/her.  As soon as one is really committed to a Christian life, the Spirit awakens in him new and sometimes unsuspected capabilities.  If we pay attention to the riches of our brothers and sisters and awaken in them the consciousness of their dignity and responsibility, we shall see a new resurgence in the Church, fruit of the Spirit.  It would take too long to recall the harm done to the Church in some places because of the passivity of Christians in a clericalized church.)

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