Discernment Is Better Than Keeping Your Guard
Sermon
Where Gratitude Abounds
Gospel Sermons For Sundays After Pentecost (Last Third)
Over the course of one's life, one knows those persons/groups who think the worst of you and who aren't the least bit interested in changing their opinion. In my life, as I cross paths with such persons, I automatically put up my guard -- high! -- and I match their low regard for me with an equally low regard for them. However, that high-guardedness, attitudinally and dispositionally, bars one from meaningful conversation and ensures only perfunctory exchanges. We leave each other's company all the more grounded in our limited perception of one another.
I want to build a case that in this encounter of Jesus with groups of persons who have set their minds against him, that he chose discernment over a high-guard. I believe he did so because, potentially, his response to their set-up might serve as a means of reordering their own understanding of him, now or later. Discernment means in part you catch on to the implications of what you're walking into, but your primary goal is not to guard yourself. Rather, it is to continue to be a vessel of truth; and you believe it gives God permission to touch the hearts and to instruct the minds of the very ones who think the least of you. But first let's investigate some historical background to the scripture text.
The event we read about in this scripture passage is significant enough that Matthew is joined by Mark and Luke in recording it. It carries an important insight and principle which will become obvious as we move through the verses.
The two groups that team up to trap Jesus are normally as compatible as two teams who line up before one another at the Rose Bowl or Super Bowl. The Pharisees were that body of Jews who were very orthodox about their faith. Obedience to the Torah was central. They sought to get along with Rome on the surface, but at heart resented tax payments to a king who preferred his own divinity over the Jews' true God. The Herodians, more secular than religious, had as their central focus King Herod of Galilee and his confirmed rule over Palestine. Herod had long since committed himself to working for the Roman Empire and would not compromise his position with them, for he craved the power Rome granted him. It is their total agreement that Jesus was a common enemy that motivated them to work together for a time.
Notice that the representatives of these two groups put their questions to Jesus, not privately, but in public. They are hoping that those people who have so far favored him and who are in earshot of his answer will find him more pro-Rome than they, an occupied people, are.
In verses 15 and 16, by implication, we can tell that Jesus represented enough things that were a threat to the Pharisees and Herodians that they were quite willing to be in league with one another. Among the common people, Jesus was growing very popular; his message and miracles were having an inpact on one person after another. Because his authority seemed more homegrown than officially credentialed, his title, rabbi, must have felt like an affront to the more established institutions of synagogue and government. Theirs was an authority backed by religious tradition and Roman order; Jesus' authority came from another source, and the people, at this point, were more free to celebrate it than were these two high-guard groups. Yet, to those very familiar with a rabbi's approach to questions, they see in Jesus, not dissimilar, but familiar rabbinic handling of difficult questions. He indeed had legitimate right to be called rabbi.
Their sweet-talking/applying verbal butter to their words toward Jesus was their unsuccessful attempt to mask their real intentions. Jesus shows us in this text that he sees right through their flattery. Why wasn't Jesus ever vulnerable to flattery, like we are? Remember once when he was called "Good Teacher"? Jesus' response was something like, "Don't call me good; only God is" (Mark 10:17-18). I believe I'm often vulnerable to flattery, because I'm still trying to prop up my sense of worth. Hence, I'm not always aware of the intentions behind the flattery; I'm intent on grabbing the flattery, to keep myself propped up. But Jesus truly and totally believed he was loved by the Father and thus never ached for flattery. And thereby, he was able to listen more intently to what might be silently said between the lines and words of flattery. And that takes discernment and a proper attitude and disposition. Jesus was first and foremost a truth-and-love vessel, not an "I'm constantly seeking worth" person. He had qualities that enabled him to discern situations, rather than mainly guard himself against reputation-predators.
In verse 17, a timely question was put to Jesus which the Herodians would have answered one way (Be loyal to Rome!) and the Pharisees, if they would be publicly honest about their privately held convictions, would have answered quite another way (Don't pay tribute in any way to Rome, because we serve God the King, not King Caesar). But remember, they were both on the offense, and they were not asked the question: instead, they chose to ask the question of Jesus.
Keeping their own voting stances on the issue to themselves, they sought to draw Jesus out by putting him in a seemingly "no-win" situation, stated in the recent New Living Bible translation, verse 17: "Now tell us what you think about this: Is it right to pay taxes to the Roman government or not?" If he plainly says, "Pay taxes to Rome," the prediction is that the crowds will be hostile to him, because they no doubt hate Rome's heavy taxation. If he says, "Forget Rome and don't pay the tax," the Herodians will make sure the authorities both know and act on his treasonous statement. One Bible commentary notes:
In the eyes of the Torah law, it is forbidden to sell the land of Israel to outsiders. It rightly belongs only to God (Leviticus 25:23). Thus, from a strictly literal view, Caesar, as an illegal usurper of God's holy land, is clearly not entitled to collect taxes or tribute from God's people.1
Another Bible commentator says, "And though Jesus seems to avoid a direct answer, he was thought to be part of the faction that opposed paying taxes" (cf. Luke 22:2).2
It's a seemingly "no-win" situation, because whichever direction his answer leans lays Jesus open to trouble. But, oh, what a response Jesus gives; what a discerning step he takes! He did not battle prejudice with prejudice. Rather, this vessel of love and truth gave an answer and response not simply fit for that time, but for ours as well.
The New Living Bible translation renders verse 18: "But Jesus knew their evil motives. 'You hypocrites!' he said. 'Whom are you trying to fool with your trick questions?' "
Because Jesus still recalls their earlier flattery, a kind of invisible kiss carrying betrayal and intrigue, not genuine inquiry and respect, the first step of his response is to alert them that he's on to their evil motives. Whereas they hoped their flattery would shield their real motives from Jesus, he has just told them that he's discerned otherwise. The next step of his response is to discern his Father's answer through him to them. In Star Trek terms, he lowers the shields of his own vessel, becomes willingly vulnerable, and gives a profound, penetrating response and answer.
In verses 19-21, Jesus asks them to show him a Roman coin. Producing it before his eyes -- and the public's -- creates an ironic turn in the story. Members of the Pharisee group produce the coin as the Herodians witness and quietly bless the sharing. But if one really knows and respects/values Pharisaic law, one would see Jesus putting them a bit on the spot as well. How? Torah law forbids the handling of legal tender that promotes the endorsement of "graven images" (Exodus 20:4). A closer look at both sides of the coin reveals the current emperor's likeness on one side and the ruler's title and divine status on the other side, "Tiberius Caesar, Son of the Divine Augustus." This is clearly against Pharisaic rules. The Pharisee envoy can't help but pick up on this, but they continue to conceal their real opinion, because in public they want to appear to be cooperative with the state.
It's amazing how able Jesus is to walk through such an ecclesiastical as well as legal minefield and come out the other side, with mind, spirit, and body still fully and rightly assembled. Again, his defensive measures are secondary to his discernment ability. He functions, not as an uptight, highly guarded individual, but as God's love-and-truth vessel. He leaves them -- both sides -- with much food for thought.
In the words of the New Living Bible translation, verse 21 says, "Well, then," he said, "give to Caesar what belongs to him. But everything that belongs to God must be given to God." This smacks less as a rule or regulation and more as a timeless principle. Barclay notes well its relevance even for today:
Every Christian (person) has a double citizenship. He/she is a citizen of the country in which he/she happens to live. To it he/she gives many things ... But the Christian is also a citizen of heaven. He/she will, as Peter said, "Fear God. Honor the emperor" (1 Peter 2:17).3
It takes an ever-maturing conscience and a deep commitment to being a vessel of love and truth for God for one to discern how the two sides of one's dual citizenship at times have compatibility and at other times disparity and discord.
Never forget God's most significant image bearers on earth these days: you and me and others. Will we temper our natural human inclination to be quite defensive toward certain others, which when yielded to tarnishes the godly finish on our lives? Will we choose instead to further reveal/share God's love and truth, by seeking to extend His presence through us to others? To do so is to learn discernment over high-guardedness. May we have the compassionate ache for others that Jesus did, rather than yield to the temptation to match low opinions with low opinions.
Verse 22 concludes this particular event with, "When they heard this, they were amazed; and they left him and went away." They must have been amazed at his spiritual dexterity, at how he was able to give a fuller, timeless, nonparochial, yet so applicable a response as he did. This love-and-truth vessel of God had disarmed them, so much so that they moved away from pressing him any further that day. No doubt, on some level, they felt an invitation of sorts to rethink their own prejudicial opinions of him. How they processed that then is not nearly as important as how you and I process and respond to this love-and-truth event ourselves now. Are you on guard right now? Or are you a step further along in appreciating and practicing discernment in your ministry of presence to others?
____________
1. Homiletics, October-December, 1996, "Paying Dues To God," p. 14.
2. Emphasis, September-October, 1996, "A Taxing Question," p. 49.
3. William Barclay, Matthew, Volume II, Westminster Press, pp. 273-274.
I want to build a case that in this encounter of Jesus with groups of persons who have set their minds against him, that he chose discernment over a high-guard. I believe he did so because, potentially, his response to their set-up might serve as a means of reordering their own understanding of him, now or later. Discernment means in part you catch on to the implications of what you're walking into, but your primary goal is not to guard yourself. Rather, it is to continue to be a vessel of truth; and you believe it gives God permission to touch the hearts and to instruct the minds of the very ones who think the least of you. But first let's investigate some historical background to the scripture text.
The event we read about in this scripture passage is significant enough that Matthew is joined by Mark and Luke in recording it. It carries an important insight and principle which will become obvious as we move through the verses.
The two groups that team up to trap Jesus are normally as compatible as two teams who line up before one another at the Rose Bowl or Super Bowl. The Pharisees were that body of Jews who were very orthodox about their faith. Obedience to the Torah was central. They sought to get along with Rome on the surface, but at heart resented tax payments to a king who preferred his own divinity over the Jews' true God. The Herodians, more secular than religious, had as their central focus King Herod of Galilee and his confirmed rule over Palestine. Herod had long since committed himself to working for the Roman Empire and would not compromise his position with them, for he craved the power Rome granted him. It is their total agreement that Jesus was a common enemy that motivated them to work together for a time.
Notice that the representatives of these two groups put their questions to Jesus, not privately, but in public. They are hoping that those people who have so far favored him and who are in earshot of his answer will find him more pro-Rome than they, an occupied people, are.
In verses 15 and 16, by implication, we can tell that Jesus represented enough things that were a threat to the Pharisees and Herodians that they were quite willing to be in league with one another. Among the common people, Jesus was growing very popular; his message and miracles were having an inpact on one person after another. Because his authority seemed more homegrown than officially credentialed, his title, rabbi, must have felt like an affront to the more established institutions of synagogue and government. Theirs was an authority backed by religious tradition and Roman order; Jesus' authority came from another source, and the people, at this point, were more free to celebrate it than were these two high-guard groups. Yet, to those very familiar with a rabbi's approach to questions, they see in Jesus, not dissimilar, but familiar rabbinic handling of difficult questions. He indeed had legitimate right to be called rabbi.
Their sweet-talking/applying verbal butter to their words toward Jesus was their unsuccessful attempt to mask their real intentions. Jesus shows us in this text that he sees right through their flattery. Why wasn't Jesus ever vulnerable to flattery, like we are? Remember once when he was called "Good Teacher"? Jesus' response was something like, "Don't call me good; only God is" (Mark 10:17-18). I believe I'm often vulnerable to flattery, because I'm still trying to prop up my sense of worth. Hence, I'm not always aware of the intentions behind the flattery; I'm intent on grabbing the flattery, to keep myself propped up. But Jesus truly and totally believed he was loved by the Father and thus never ached for flattery. And thereby, he was able to listen more intently to what might be silently said between the lines and words of flattery. And that takes discernment and a proper attitude and disposition. Jesus was first and foremost a truth-and-love vessel, not an "I'm constantly seeking worth" person. He had qualities that enabled him to discern situations, rather than mainly guard himself against reputation-predators.
In verse 17, a timely question was put to Jesus which the Herodians would have answered one way (Be loyal to Rome!) and the Pharisees, if they would be publicly honest about their privately held convictions, would have answered quite another way (Don't pay tribute in any way to Rome, because we serve God the King, not King Caesar). But remember, they were both on the offense, and they were not asked the question: instead, they chose to ask the question of Jesus.
Keeping their own voting stances on the issue to themselves, they sought to draw Jesus out by putting him in a seemingly "no-win" situation, stated in the recent New Living Bible translation, verse 17: "Now tell us what you think about this: Is it right to pay taxes to the Roman government or not?" If he plainly says, "Pay taxes to Rome," the prediction is that the crowds will be hostile to him, because they no doubt hate Rome's heavy taxation. If he says, "Forget Rome and don't pay the tax," the Herodians will make sure the authorities both know and act on his treasonous statement. One Bible commentary notes:
In the eyes of the Torah law, it is forbidden to sell the land of Israel to outsiders. It rightly belongs only to God (Leviticus 25:23). Thus, from a strictly literal view, Caesar, as an illegal usurper of God's holy land, is clearly not entitled to collect taxes or tribute from God's people.1
Another Bible commentator says, "And though Jesus seems to avoid a direct answer, he was thought to be part of the faction that opposed paying taxes" (cf. Luke 22:2).2
It's a seemingly "no-win" situation, because whichever direction his answer leans lays Jesus open to trouble. But, oh, what a response Jesus gives; what a discerning step he takes! He did not battle prejudice with prejudice. Rather, this vessel of love and truth gave an answer and response not simply fit for that time, but for ours as well.
The New Living Bible translation renders verse 18: "But Jesus knew their evil motives. 'You hypocrites!' he said. 'Whom are you trying to fool with your trick questions?' "
Because Jesus still recalls their earlier flattery, a kind of invisible kiss carrying betrayal and intrigue, not genuine inquiry and respect, the first step of his response is to alert them that he's on to their evil motives. Whereas they hoped their flattery would shield their real motives from Jesus, he has just told them that he's discerned otherwise. The next step of his response is to discern his Father's answer through him to them. In Star Trek terms, he lowers the shields of his own vessel, becomes willingly vulnerable, and gives a profound, penetrating response and answer.
In verses 19-21, Jesus asks them to show him a Roman coin. Producing it before his eyes -- and the public's -- creates an ironic turn in the story. Members of the Pharisee group produce the coin as the Herodians witness and quietly bless the sharing. But if one really knows and respects/values Pharisaic law, one would see Jesus putting them a bit on the spot as well. How? Torah law forbids the handling of legal tender that promotes the endorsement of "graven images" (Exodus 20:4). A closer look at both sides of the coin reveals the current emperor's likeness on one side and the ruler's title and divine status on the other side, "Tiberius Caesar, Son of the Divine Augustus." This is clearly against Pharisaic rules. The Pharisee envoy can't help but pick up on this, but they continue to conceal their real opinion, because in public they want to appear to be cooperative with the state.
It's amazing how able Jesus is to walk through such an ecclesiastical as well as legal minefield and come out the other side, with mind, spirit, and body still fully and rightly assembled. Again, his defensive measures are secondary to his discernment ability. He functions, not as an uptight, highly guarded individual, but as God's love-and-truth vessel. He leaves them -- both sides -- with much food for thought.
In the words of the New Living Bible translation, verse 21 says, "Well, then," he said, "give to Caesar what belongs to him. But everything that belongs to God must be given to God." This smacks less as a rule or regulation and more as a timeless principle. Barclay notes well its relevance even for today:
Every Christian (person) has a double citizenship. He/she is a citizen of the country in which he/she happens to live. To it he/she gives many things ... But the Christian is also a citizen of heaven. He/she will, as Peter said, "Fear God. Honor the emperor" (1 Peter 2:17).3
It takes an ever-maturing conscience and a deep commitment to being a vessel of love and truth for God for one to discern how the two sides of one's dual citizenship at times have compatibility and at other times disparity and discord.
Never forget God's most significant image bearers on earth these days: you and me and others. Will we temper our natural human inclination to be quite defensive toward certain others, which when yielded to tarnishes the godly finish on our lives? Will we choose instead to further reveal/share God's love and truth, by seeking to extend His presence through us to others? To do so is to learn discernment over high-guardedness. May we have the compassionate ache for others that Jesus did, rather than yield to the temptation to match low opinions with low opinions.
Verse 22 concludes this particular event with, "When they heard this, they were amazed; and they left him and went away." They must have been amazed at his spiritual dexterity, at how he was able to give a fuller, timeless, nonparochial, yet so applicable a response as he did. This love-and-truth vessel of God had disarmed them, so much so that they moved away from pressing him any further that day. No doubt, on some level, they felt an invitation of sorts to rethink their own prejudicial opinions of him. How they processed that then is not nearly as important as how you and I process and respond to this love-and-truth event ourselves now. Are you on guard right now? Or are you a step further along in appreciating and practicing discernment in your ministry of presence to others?
____________
1. Homiletics, October-December, 1996, "Paying Dues To God," p. 14.
2. Emphasis, September-October, 1996, "A Taxing Question," p. 49.
3. William Barclay, Matthew, Volume II, Westminster Press, pp. 273-274.
