Mark 12:13-27, Taxes and Eternity

Mark 12:13-37 contain 4 questions, three asked of Jesus and then one by Jesus.

A question about taxes, 12:13-17.

This question came from an odd collection of Pharisees (the fiercest of anti-Roman Jews) and Herodians (the Jews who mostly tried to get along with the Romans).  Conservatives and liberals.  Republicans and Democrats.  Labor and Tories.  The one thing the two groups agreed upon was that something had to be done with the “Jesus character.”  So they got together and tried to catch Him in an answer that would either infuriate the people or the Roman overlords.  Shall we pay (taxes to Caesar) or shall we not pay?

Israel was no longer under a Davidic King who ruled from Jerusalem.  They were under a Roman king.  Yet, Israel still had their religion, their temple, their system by which the shepherds of Israel ruled.  The Jews were unable or unwilling to live under the pagan government like Daniel did and Nehemiah and Ezra.  It was because they were “either/or” on this question rather than “both/and.”

Notice that it was an “either/or” question.  “Let’s get Jesus pigeon-holed in one of the political parties.”  But Jesus is neither left or right, Pharisee or Herodian.  He is the Son of God!  In this case the answer is both/neither.  Both in the sense that you can have an obligation to men as well as the obligation to God.  Neither in the sense that Caesar and God are on different levels.  Even kings must serve God.

A question about eternity, 12:18-27.

This question came from the Sadducees, the “liberal” party that did not take the Bible literally.  They rejected ideas about eternity (no resurrection) and about the reality of the spiritual realm (no angels).  Their question was a “no choice” question: “Jesus, here is a dilemma to show the silliness of the “verbal plenary” view of inspiration (that every word in the Bible is inspired).  So they thought.

Jesus’ answer is straightforward.  They are wrong on the “marriage in heaven” issue because they are ignorant: there is no marriage in heaven!  Not only are angels real; humans will be like angels in that they will not be married.  Marriage is an earthly reality.  And they are wrong to deny the resurrection because they simply don’t know God or His power.  God is the God of Abraham who is dead, and yet God is the God of the living!  So, of course, the fathers, though dead and gone from earth nevertheless continue to exist. 

These two questions, involving government and marriage, dealt with earthly realities.  One thing about Jesus’ Incarnation and teaching is that He revealed God to men in the most powerful way possible, because He was the One who came from above!  He had the heavenly perspective on earth.  Jesus cannot be reduced to a political position, nor can He be reduced to earthly expectations.