Mark 13:1-2 Jesus Fortells the Temple's Destruction

1 Then as He went out of the temple, one of His disciples said to Him, “Teacher, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here!” 2 And Jesus answered and said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone shall be left upon another, that shall not be thrown down.”

Devotional
It appears Jesus disciple’s exuberance at the Temples’ glory caused Him to lose sight of what is eternally glorious. For though the Temple with all of its magnificence which was forty-six years in the making at the time of Christ yet it was only destined to become ruins. Even though its hewn foundation stones, some estimated to weigh 500 tones a piece, were made to endure, it was not a foundation that was built on God. Sure the Temple was dedicated to God; but it was not built for God. If it was, the ruling Temple authorities would’ve instinctively received God’s Son. Instead the architects and ruling authorities of it only saw Jesus as a serious threat to their own positions within the religious and political hierarchy there. Jesus clearly reveals this in a parable of them. That though they perceived Jesus was who He said He was, yet for love of their places and standing within ancient Judaism, they plotted to destroy Him. Just as their fathers had done, down through the centuries, to all of God’s servants, He sent to them (See Mark 12:1-12).
And thus Jesus’ response to His disciple’s being captivated by the Temple’s massive hewn stones and buildings magnificence is to only give a solemn declaration of the end of it all, saying: “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone shall be left upon another, that shall not be thrown down.” Vs. 2

Now Jesus’ declaration in many ways is not just a declaration against the Temple structure itself but the whole of ancient Judaism and its worship and service of God that was centralized within it. For worship of God is never about buildings, programs and institutions, as Jews by that time had made it to be, it’s never about preserving these or their manmade and mandated traditions, ceremonial practices and system’s. Similarly it’s never about defining for people acceptable and unacceptable mediums for evangelism and or worship styles, practices and music (this is stated within the confines of the exhortation in 1 Cor. 14:33). It’s always about God and His Son connecting people, all people, regardless of their histories and backgrounds, in a personal and intimate relationship with Himself. Anything that hinders that, and or does not point people to that is destined to become ruins. As Jesus said in His great displeasure at what the Temple and worship of God had become within it when He refused to allow people to carry wares through it, saying: “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it a ‘den of thieves.” Mark 11:16 For when worship of God becomes about profiteering from the things of God or people of God or people seeking God. God takes great offense. For a house of prayer for all nations means God wants a relationship with all nations and all the peoples within them. Accepting them with all of their cultural diversities and languages God now unconditionally accepts all people because of Jesus Christ’s cross. How about you me, what are the barriers to people finding and feeling accepted and loved by God have we built up in our own hearts, lives and maybe even churches? The Temple was grand, no doubt, but because of its practices it was keeping people from God, not pointing them to Him. And when it did point people to God the image they got was a God of separation, not sanctity; woman over here, Jewish men over there, Gentiles out there. Religious leadership sit up front and separate from the throngs; and not amongst them as Jesus so often did.

And in this Jesus was unashamed and unafraid to be seen with known sinful men and women; He could care a less what it did to His own reputation (Matt. 9:9-13). Or to His ceremonial standing before the priests, if He touched a defiled or unclean person to heal them with God’s hand of compassion. That healed not just their bodies, but restored their sense of self-worth and dignity. For that is how faith often takes lasting root, grows strong and ultimately saves. So that is where we find Jesus. Not amongst the Temple priests, in their house performing their temporal service with them. Nor amongst the merchants and the “titans” of this world whose “religious” men seek to please them; who collectively turn God’s house and institutions into places where they can make profit for themselves, but amongst the people. For that is where you will always find God’s Minister, amongst and reaching out to the people in need (Matt. 21:14). Therefore though Jesus’ disciple marveled at the Temple’s magnificent structure; likely seeming to him to represent the pinnacle of God’s glory and permanence amongst Israel. Yet that Temple was going to become ruins. For when God’s glory in the Person of His Son came to it and its institutions, and those who upheld them saw Him, they had no desire for Jesus Christ’s Person, Presence and Rule within their Temple. And so with their rejection of Jesus Christ and His Kingdom’s rule and power not only within their Temple, but more importantly their own lives. Jesus leaves them and their Temple alone; and so God’s Glory, Presence and Power departs from them as well. For God’s glory will not reside where God’s Son is not welcomed, exalted and kept at the forefront of all things.
Since Jesus Christ is the Chief Cornerstone of all that God has ever built and will ever build and is now building in accord with the new creation. In which the redemption and transformation of every believing sinner, by Holy Spirit regeneration, by belief in the truth, whether Jew or Gentile is step one in God’s recreation of all of creation from sin and its horrific effects on us all. Jesus Christ Himself then being the first born from the dead to usher in this new era, covenant and specifically Temple, as the Scripture describes both us as individual believers in the Lord, but also as a collective people united by God’s Spirit as being built upon the Apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ being the Chief Cornerstone which God Himself has laid (See 1 Cor. 3:16-17; 6:18-20; Eph. 2:19-22). And thus we as worshippers of God in spirit and truth must build on if we hope to have anything that will remain which will have eternal impacts here and now. 16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. 17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. 18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. Col. 1:16-18
For with Jesus Christ’s crucifixion death to to redeem us all from sin and death God has forever ended the enmity not only between Himself and humanity, because of sin, symbolized by the tearing of the Temple veil (See Matt. 27:50-51); but also the enmity between Jew and Gentiles. For by Jesus Christ’s crucifixion death God has ended the law of separation that kept us inherently apart (Col. 2:13-14) which the Temple made with human hands epitomized and strictly enforced. And thus with Christ’s resurrection, then ascension back to God the Father in heaven, and then the Holy Spirit’s outpouring as Jesus promised into every believing person’s life; whether Jew or Gentile. God begins personally fulfilling His eternal plans for us all who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ to be with Him forever, by His living in us. And thus we are His building built by God as a new holy and undefiled Temple and covenant people of God bound to Him through His Spirit because of Jesus’ broken body and shed blood for us all. That is where God’s Glory and Presence now resides, not in Cathedral’s, not in local church buildings, music halls, sports stadiums and or hockey arena’s during Christian services, rallies, concerts, crusades and any other Christian functions, but within every believing person’s heart, soul and mind. That is where God is to be experienced and found. For that is how God now manifests His Person, Presence and Power on the earth, through Believers lives and witness. Looking for God then is as simple as believing in His Son. All you need and will ever need is right there. “For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; 10 and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.” Col. 2:9-10
And thus there are from God now no ceremonial rituals and laws to keep, no special days and fasts to observe to find God’s acceptance. Nor do you have to feign moral sinlessness in order to find God’s favor (Please read Luke 18). If you’re real about yourself and your need for Jesus Christ there is no sin that God has not already forgiven you through Jesus Christ’s cross. And thus repentance is largely just that, turning ones heart from their sin to God, who has already atoned for it, and whose Spirit affects our change, because of Christ's cross and our faith in Jesus. And thus rebirth takes place and regeneration begins in our lives all as a work of God which has a destiny that ends in heaven with God.

Again because of Jesus Christ's being crucified for us all there are no religious hoops to jump through. No fasts and special days to observe. No ceremonial rituals to perform or laws to keep. Jesus Christ has ushered in a new and holy way to God for us all. That is why the Book of Revelation closes out with this exhortation from both the Spirit and the bride, who is Christ’s church redeemed by His precious blood and saved by the grace and work of God alone, inviting everyone to come to Jesus and experience new and everlasting life. 17 And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely. Rev. 22:17

Have you done that? Have you come to Jesus Christ and received Him as your Lord and Savior? For He is the only Person who can alleviate your loneliness and fill that emptiness inside, or take away that terrible guilt and shame burden that you have carried for so long and try to escape from through..., or heal your broken and wounded heart because of... Jesus invites us all, at anytime and anyplace in our lives, to come to Him and receive from Him new and everlasting life, all by faith in His Person. If you would like to do that why not pray this prayer, which is not a magical formula for salvation, it is just a way to invite Jesus Christ into your heart and life.

Dear Lord Jesus I know that I need You, I have sinned and I can’t make it without You, I believe You died for me and rose from the dead so that I could be forgiven and have new and everlasting life through You. I now invite You into my heart and life to be my Lord and Savior, amen.

If you have prayed this prayer or a prayer of your own inviting Jesus Christ into your heart and life I’d love to hear from you, just leave a comment and I’d be overjoyed to pray for you and or contact you if you like. And wherever you are currently at I’d just like to wish you a merry Christmas and God’s peace and blessings for the season and upcoming year. This will be the last devotional until after December 25 since I’m going to be celebrating the holidays, as I hope you are as well, and I’ve got a couple of dogs to take care of too. So I hope you have a wonderful holiday season and I hope that God’s grace and peace finds you and keeps you all. God bless. Tom

Scripture Quotations
The Holy Bible, New King James Version, (Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, Inc.) 1982.

Mark 12:41-44 Jesus commends a widow's two mites

41 Now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money into the treasury. And many who were rich put in much. 42 Then one poor widow came and threw in two mites, which make a quadrans. 43 So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury; 44 “for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood.”

Devotional
Within the Temple, in the women’s court, there was an area designated for the collecting of offerings, this is where Jesus is sitting opposite from while He observes how the people put their money into the treasury. Now the treasury itself was not just one collection box. But thirteen cylindrically shaped boxes, like rams horns or ancient trumpets, into which the people deposited their offerings, whether free-will or those commanded. Some of these offerings were for the Temple service, some for ministering to the poor, and some were the commanded tithes and such that were required of Israel under the Law of Moses, and some were simply free-will offerings. Now the fact that these were done publicly and by depositing, copper, silver or gold coins into these treasure boxes shaped like rams horns must have made an interesting sound (as others have noted) as the coinage was deposited. Maybe that is why they were shaped like rams horns, to encourage more giving? For people, as Jesus noted, often love to be seen or heard when doing their charitable deeds. Yet He commands us all that when we give, we give in secret, so that our Father who sees in secret, will reward us openly (See Matt. 6:1-4). Now the passage says that as Jesus sat opposite the treasury He saw how the people put their money into the treasury. Not how much they put in, though He would’ve known that. Rather Jesus first noticed how they deposited their money into the treasury boxes. For one could be rather unassuming and ordinary about this and deposit their offerings into one of the treasure boxes and then go their way, and likely no one would’ve given them a second glance. Or one could put a little more effort and display into their depositing, and by doing so alert all around them that yes they were making an offering. Indeed if one were rich, as the passage says Jesus observed along with the widow and her two mites, many who were rich putting in much. One could make quite a public display of themselves by repeating the process over and over again, rather than just depositing their coinage and moving on without any fanfare as the widow will do.

How about me and you then? Do we seek public recognition for our charitable giving? That’s often our natural tendencies. Wanting to be acknowledged before our piers and or the public in general for our charitable deeds. Yet that is what Jesus calls elsewhere hypocrisy, not Godly charity. For if we are only motivated by receiving accolades from others, for having given, or done a charitable deed, then we are not honoring God or blessing others with our giving. We are only blessing and honoring ourselves. For charity can become divorced of love for God and or concern for ones fellow person. It’s no surprise then that the corporate world has learned to use charity often to serve their own ends, whether to build up brand loyalty and recognition by increasing their exposure in the public forum through it, or to promote some product or service that they hope to sell or offer and thus eventually profit from. Philanthropy in the twenty first century has become big business. Therefore as Christians we are called in all ways to be charitable, but not to be motivated by our lesser natures, by which we somehow hope to receive glory for ourselves (Pr. 25:27) or profit from having given, as Jesus says: “And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.” Luke 6:34

Now in contrast to the many rich who were entering the Temple and putting in much. The Scripture says that Jesus also observed one poor widow who came and threw in two mites, which make a quadrans. Now the mite was the smallest of all coins in terms of both value and size, being made of copper. And for us there is no modern equivalent so I won’t try to draw a parallel between our currency and their ancient currency. Suffice it to say that what widow put in was utterly insignificant in terms of its value and weight. And thus when the widow deposited her offering it would have scarcely made a sound, and if it did make a sound it would’ve been lost in the sound of all the other offerings being offered simultaneously at that time in the various treasury offering boxes. Neither would've her offering made a profound impact on the Temple and it's services. Just as it would've gone utterly unnoticed by those Levites who counted and were charged with safekeeing the treasury offerings. Yet it is this obscure poor widow who nobody noticed, that Jesus notices amidst all the rich and their giving their generous gifts to the Temple treasury. And having observed her giving and what she gave Jesus immediately calls His disciples to Himself and says to them: …“Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury; 44 “for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood.” Vs. 43-44

Now to appreciate what Jesus said about that particular widow giving her whole livelihood, it must be understood that there were no pension checks for poor widows. Nor was there a developed welfare system for them. Nonetheless God’s Law commanded that widows, along with the poor, fatherless, strangers and Levites in the land be provided for from the third year tithes, and at yearly feasts. And since the Israelites were an agrarian people all the poor at harvest time were to be permitted to glean from the corners of fields, and glean leftover grapes from the vineyards and such (Lev. 19:10; Deut. 14:28-30; 16:9-12; 24:19-24 etc.). But there was no day to day distribution of food or anything else. That largely did not arrive until the Christian era when the early church took it upon themselves to make a relief ministry to widows a priority (Acts 6:1-7; 1 Tim. 5:3-16). Therefore if a widow in Israel was destitute she had few options except for maybe remarriage, or labor as a household servant if she could find work as such (Deut. 15:12-18), or hope someone would have compassion on her as God commands (Deut. 10:16-18; Deut. 15:7-11). But there was no guarantee of any of that.

Therefore what this widow did was an incredible act of self sacrificing faith, for she put in her whole livelihood. That is why Jesus thought her offering needed to be acknowledged to His disciples. For though the rich were putting much into the treasury; they were giving as Jesus said, from their abundance, and thus their giving though appearing like much, was in that regard, proportionately very little. Or least not something that anyone should make a fuss over, especially if they already were. Yet that is precisely what often occurs. When the rich give much there is usually deferential treatment extended to them. They are placed on a special donors list and given special communiqué’s only for those "generous" supporters of the ministry. While if a poor widow today wrote a check to a ministry which essentially amounted to her whole livelihood but was relatively small in comparison, do you think anyone at the ministry office would notice her? Or invite her to sit with the ministry leader at the next fundraising dinner function as an honor to her? Yet we are commanded as members of Christ’s Body to bestow greater honor on those who lack, since God composed the Body so that was to be the norm, not the exception (See 1 Cor. 12:18-27, vs. 23-26).

There is then something terribly wrong or "worldly" when ministry becomes focused on appealing to and or catering to its wealthy supporters, while neglecting or outright ignoring those whom Jesus Christ clearly notices (Consider James 1:9-11). For you can build a church or ministry around serving the wealthy and externally achieve much. But internally there can be an utter lack of the Spirit life and power. Just as it was when the Lord Jesus visited the Temple, though a magnificent structure that marveled all who saw it. Yet all its grandeur; which was largely financed by the Herod’s and Israel's upper classes, could not make up for, nor conceal, the religious complacency and impropriety that dwelt within its confines, and thus Jesus having been rejected by the overseer's of it, when He visited the Temple, having rebuked their business practices within it (Matt. 21:12-14). He wept over it, but He also warned His disciples of what was to come of it all (Matt. 23:37-24:2).
Now in the Book of Revelations the Glorified Lord Jesus Christ in His Messages to the seven churches has a message that says something quite similar. In His finial address to the churches He says to the church of the Laodiceans: 14 “And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, ‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: 15 “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. 16 “So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. 17 “Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked— 18 “I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. 19 “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. 20 “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. 21 “To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. Rev. 3:14-21

Notice first that they were spiritually lukewarm, neither cold nor hot. They hadn’t turned cold in their faith lives, but neither were they living dynamically in the power of the Holy Spirit, instead their faith had largely become just routine. And thus they had stopped growing, yet Spiritual life always entails spiritual growth. For anyone who has experienced Christ in their lives is to be always moving forward. Therefore the Lord Jesus gives them an ominous warning, “So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.” Vs. 16 Now immediately following that exhortation the Lord Jesus states likely the cause of their Spiritual complacency revealing it to be rooted in their attitudes about themselves. Which Jesus reveals by saying: “Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked” vs. 17

Notice they were self confident, not God confident, and their confidence was that they were rich and had become wealthy. And because they had become wealthy, they thought they had need of nothing, which is the most pitiable of all states to be in. Given that the Lord Jesus says in the Beatitudes: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.” Matt. 5:3 Therefore prosperity either in our lives and or churches means nothing if our hearts are not right about ourselves and our need for and or dependency on Jesus Christ. For the Scriptures do not endorse those who boost in their wealth and or make that their confidence or lives pursuit (Job 31:25-28; Psalm 49:6-20; Matt. 6:24; Luke 6:24; James 5:1-5). And thus the Laodiceans were the opposite of being humble, something that is explicitly commanded of the rich, not to be haughty, or trust in uncertain riches (See 1 Tim. 6:17-19; James 1:9-11; 4:13-17), which very likely was the cause of their spiritual lukewarm state and blindness. For though they were externally rich, and likely their faith lives and assemblies reflected this. Jesus says they were utterly poor, for they didn't even perceive their own poverty and need. Therefore Jesus says rather frankly to them, do you not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked. Five things, none of which implies being wealthy in the eyes of God as they were so sure about themselves. Now these five rebukes taken in order are, first: wretched. That is Jesus’ first exhortation to them about their spiritual condition. The word Jesus uses here appears only here and in Rom. 7:24 where the Apostle Paul having realized his own sinfulness and helplessness because of it declares himself a wretched man. Therefore though the Laodiceans saw themselves as "rich" and in need of nothing, Jesus essentially declares them bankrupt. For there is nothing worse for us, who having sinned and a sin nature within us, to be in a state of self satisfaction about ourselves; the acknowledged sinner always has hope. But the smug, arrogant, and or self assured stand in a perilous place (Luke 18:9-14).

The next word Jesus uses to describe them is miserable. In the original language this word often means to be pitied. Ironically the Apostle Paul uses it antithetically to reinforce his confidence in the Lord Jesus Christ’s resurrection in 1 Cor. 15:19 where he describes himself and his living and suffering for Jesus Christ as his being the most pitiable of all men, if Christ did not rise from the dead; since then there would be no life to come. Nonetheless Jesus Christ rose from the dead, and thus the Apostle Paul being supremely confident of this and the glorious future for all who trust in the Lord Jesus Christ wants us all to realize this truth for ourselves as well. Now in regards to our context and Jesus’ using that particular word, He is saying of the Laodiceans though they considered themselves all right in the sight of God, they were actually to be pitied. Since their focus seems to have been on themselves and their own prosperity rather then on the Lord Jesus and His plan and purposes for them. Similarly today there are people who thinking themselves “rich” are actually spiritually impoverished. It’s never wrong then to take a spiritual inventory as the Apostle Paul said, to make sure that one is in the Lord (Rom. 8:9).

The next word Jesus uses to describe them is poor; not as people who acknowledged their poverty; that would be commendable, for the Lord loves the repentant sinner, (See Luke 15:11-32). Instead they thought themselves rich and as needing nothing. Yet the word Jesus uses to describe them here is the lowest state of poverty, the destitute beggar. Now this word is frequently used to describe moral or spiritual poverty as well. And thus its use here is to refute their self-satisfaction about themselves. Yes they were rich and wealthy and members in the church. But that does not save anyone. Only repentance towards God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ does.

The fourth word that Jesus uses to describe them is blind. The word Jesus uses is the common word for a blind man. But it is also frequently used to describe someone who is spiritually blind or lacks discernment. In this sense Jesus uses it to describe the Pharisees as “…blind leaders of the blind” also as “…blind guides who strain out a gnat, but swallow a camel” (See Matt. 15:14, 23:16, 24). The Apostle Paul also uses it in his refutation of the Jews for their spiritually blinded and unrepentant state. Yet somehow they considered themselves a guide to the blind, i.e. the Gentiles. Those they considered ignorant of the things of God; yet these had largely embraced and obeyed the teachings of God amongst them (See Rom. 2:19). Therefore though the Laodiceans were not literally blind; like the Jews, they were actually spiritually blind about themselves and their true spiritual condition. Their “riches” and likely their “prosperity” having so puffed them up that they were no longer able to discern their own spiritual poverty and need. And it’s not just them. We too can fall victim to that sort of spiritual blindness. Riches and prosperity, successes and achievements, intellect and giftedness can all have that affect on us and make us think more highly of ourselves then we really should, just as Moses warned the Israelites of that tendency, to drift from our dependency on the Lord and become self-sufficient when prosperity comes and we forget from whom it comes from (Deut.18:17-18).

Now the last word Jesus uses to describe the Laodiceans is naked. No doubt there were some finely clad men and women in that church, but that’s not the type of clothing God is looking for on us. God is looking for the Spiritual underlayment of righteousness. For that is what must lie beneath all of our fine apparel. Therefore both the Apostles Paul and Peter emphasized character, rather than mere outer adornment. For fine clothes can never be a substitute for Godly character (See 1 Tim. 2:9-10; 1 Peter 3:3-6). That’s one aspect of being spiritually clothed. However the other and far more important, at least from a salvation point of view, is Christ’s Righteousness. For unless we are clothed in Jesus Christ’s Righteousness, no matter how hard we strive to obey Him we are only naked before God the Father. For no one can stand approved before God in their own righteousness (Gal. 2:16, 19-21). In order to stand approved before God we must have a righteousness that is equal to His own, which mortally is impossible for us. Since God is eternally Holy without sin, and we are all born into sinful flesh. Therefore we all need not only a Substitute to die in our place to pay for all our sins through the shedding of blood which Jesus Christ has done for us all by His death on the cross. But having all our sins atoned for once and for all time (Heb. 10:14) we need a righteousness that is on par with God's own. And that is why we need Jesus Christ’s Righteousness. Since Jesus being the Son of God, He is equal with God. And thus when God imparts Jesus Christ’s Righteousness to us by our faith in His Person, we can stand forever approved in His Presence (2 Cor. 5:21). That is what Jesus is commending to the Laodiceans to do when He says to them, "I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see." vs. 18
That is get salvation wholly from the Lord Jesus Christ and wholly give yourselves to the Lord in faith, love and obedience. For before practical righteousness can take lasting root in our hearts and lives there must be a change in our person, and that only happens by Jesus Christ’s Person coming into our persons and lives. Therefore Jesus says “…buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich…” For apart from Him and our having faith in Him crucified for our sins remission and raised from the dead for our justification, and thus our being clothed by His Righteousness and Person dwelling inside us, we are spiritually naked (2 Cor. 5:1-5). Therefore Jesus says rather than pursuing a faith life which only leaves you wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked; one which never sees its need to invite the Lord Jesus Christ into ones heart and life, nor sees ones need to live righteously or passionately for Him. “…buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich…” for that faith endures forever (See 1 Peter 1:7-9 and 2 Peter 2:1-11, vs. 5-8).

Finally the Lord says in verse eighteen that they Laodiceans need to anoint their eyes with eye salve that is get spiritual discernment, so that they may see. Not only themselves as they really are, but others as well (Matt. 7:1-5). For there are many things that can blind a person’s eyes to the nature of false gods, and or the true cost of discipleship, but also there are those who propagate such things as well (Matt 7:13-20; 2 Peter 2:1-3; 1 John 2:15-17). For there are lots of things that can blind us to the righteous and self denying lives we are to live as Christ's disciples. So I’m going to close by saying apart from Jesus Christ we are all wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked—That is our true spiritual condition apart from Jesus Christ and our standing before God the Father until when come trust in Jesus to save us and cleanse us from all our sins (John 3:16). And having done so Jesus imparts not only a new nature by the Holy Spirit into us but also everlasting life. That is why Jesus in verse twenty extends His invitation to all. Saying to everyone, from the "best" of men and women to the "worst" of men and women to all open our hearts and yeild our lives to Him, 20 “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. 21 “To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. Rev. 3:20

Scripture Quotations
The Holy Bible, New King James Version, (Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, Inc.) 1982.

Mark 12:35-40 Jesus is the Messiah & Warns of the Scribes

35 Then Jesus answered and said, while He taught in the temple, “How is it that the scribes say that the Christ is the Son of David? 36 “For David himself said by the Holy Spirit:
‘The LORD said to my Lord,
“Sit at My right hand,
Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.” ’
37 “Therefore David himself calls Him ‘Lord’; how is He then his Son?” And the common people heard Him gladly. 38 Then He said to them in His teaching, “Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, 39 “the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, 40 “who devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation.”

Devotional
Jesus having responded to the scribes question about which is the greatest commandment in the previous passage. It then concludes by saying that no one dared question Him again. It may have been that with Jesus’ response, people realized the impossibility of doing just what is commanded of us all. For though the scribe who questioned Jesus agreed with His reply, there is no indication that Jesus commended him or anyone as doing exactly that. That is loving God with all ones heart, soul, and strength and loving ones neighbor as oneself. Therefore we are all dependent on the mercies and grace of God given to us through the Lord Jesus Christ who was crucified for our sins and raised from the dead for our justification. So that we all might be justified only by faith in Jesus Christ before God. For no one can be justified before God the Father based on their own obedience or righteousness (Rom. 3:26; Gal. 2:16). Jesus then having answered the scribe while teaching in the Temple now says of them, “How is it that the scribes say that the Christ is the Son of David? 36 “For David himself said by the Holy Spirit:
‘The LORD said to my Lord,
“Sit at My right hand,
Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.” ’
37 “Therefore David himself calls Him ‘Lord’; how is He then his Son?”

Notice first that the scribes had wrongly asserted to the people that the Christ is the Son of David rather than the Son of God. And thus they had wrongly given to David a higher status then that of the Messiah. A serious and fundamental error in their theology, to assert to a mortal man a higher status then the Lord Himself! So then the Lord Jesus refutes their error by citing Psalm 110:1. That’s one part of the passages implications. That David by the Holy Spirit clearly sees himself as having the Messiah as his Lord. Not that he was or would be the Messiah’s father. And thus he does not exalt his person as the scribes were doing, as if salvation were because of, or through David himself. The other is that it is the LORD (that is the Covenant Name of God, YHWH or Yahweh) who is the One who exalts the Christ to His Right hand until He makes His enemies His footstool. Therefore the Lord Jesus Christ Himself who knows the hearts of all men, new theirs, “Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.” And thus Jesus asks them a question: “Therefore David himself calls Him ‘Lord’; how is He then his Son?” vs. 37

Now there is no response from the scribes in regards to Jesus’ question. There never is. For their type only like to ask questions; that they might snare people in doctrinal quagmires, but they never answer them. So their exchange concludes with the Scripture simply saying that the common people heard Jesus gladly. Unlike the scribes and Pharisees who always seemed to have a “bone to pick” with Jesus and His doctrine (See John 7:14-24) which is ironic given their lack of understanding of Psalm 110, which is a Psalm of the Messiah and His Triumph over his enemies. Thus never satisfied with the truth, they constantly viewed Christ with suspicion. Not because He did something worthy of such scrutiny rather because He openly challenged their interpretations of the Scriptures when wrong. As well the Lord Jesus refused to keep their non-Scriptural traditions, passed down to them from their fathers which they imposed upon themselves and the people. So they eyed Jesus as a threat, not a friend. Yet in contrast to them, the common people heard the Lord Jesus Christ gladly. Since Jesus Christ by His understanding of the Word of God; which alone is infallible. He brings to light the Scriptures to the common people, making God and Himself readily accessible to them and to all. While they often do not. They may have knowledge of the Word of God but not knowledge that leads one into a grace based relationship with God the Father through the work of Jesus Christ the Son. Instead the Word of God and it's paramount purpose often becomes lost on them, and those they instruct, in their zeal for their traditions. Yet Scriptures most important purpose is to bring people to reconciliation with God and thus Spirit and eternal life by faith in Jesus Christ. That is the simplicity of the gospel. Anyone then who willfully conceals their purpose through their “religion” or their "traditions" or anything else neither loves God, or their neighbor as themselves.
Now within the quoted Psalms passage is God the Father speaking with Christ the Son saying to Him, “Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.” Thus we get a clear picture of the Father-Son relationship in the Old Testament. Which David by the Holy Spirit brings forth for us. Though the passage is emphasizing the Sovereignty of God and the assured victory that not only Christ has over His enemies. But also David and every believer has because of our relationship to God the Father through Him (1 John 2:13-14; 4:4; 5:4 etc.). Now the passage itself is also a direct prophetic reference to the ascension of Jesus Christ back to the Father until God makes all His enemies His footstool. Something that begins to unfold with Jesus Christ’s ascension back to the Father forty days after His resurrection from the dead (Acts 1:1-11). Which made possible the Holy Spirits outpouring and thus our regeneration, that is the Holy Spirit transformation of everyone who believes in Jesus Christ as Lord (John 7:37-39; Titus 3:4-7). And thus our salvation becomes realized with Jesus Christ’s Presence dwelling within us by the Holy Spirit, whom we receive by Faith In Jesus Christ’s Person (Eph. 1:13-14). So first Jesus must gather the elect in Himself in every generation, before God the Father renders the second half of the verses implications unto its finial completion. “Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.” Now with the Jesus’ ascension back to the Father. Jesus’ intercession for all believers likewise becomes realized to us (See Rom. 8:34; Heb. 4:14-16; 1 John 2:1 etc.). Yet Jesus’ ascension back to God the Father is not the end. For their awaits for us all who believe the Promise of Christ’s return; (or second coming) when He will bring with Himself everyone who has died believing in the Lord to meet with, and be permanently reunited with everyone who believes and is remaining alive on earth with Himself. Therefore as Jesus Christ's crucifixion was the climatic event of history for mankind's redemption from sin and death so Jesus Christ's Second Coming will be the climatic event in history for our deliverance from this present evil age and the bodily death that accompanies it. For on that day we will be forever in the Presence of the Lord Jesus Christ and lost loved ones. The Apostle Paul says of that day and the Lord’s return: 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words. 1 Thess. 4:16-18

That is the Lord Jesus' promise to every believer. That not even death will separate us from Himself or our loved ones who died believing in the Lord. It's going to be an awesome day when we see our Lord Jesus IN FULL VICTORY who saved not only us, but all those whom we love as well in the Lord. For the first Christians who had actually walked and talked with and ate and drank and laughed and cried with Jesus, and maybe even held Jesus’ hand and thus felt the hand of God on theirs or looked deeply into His eyes. The Promise of His return must have been deeply longed for. For though Jesus sent the Holy Spirit as our Comforter, and so much more, there is something about the human person, our person, that longs to be in personal touch, and in communication with, God our Savior. If you have ever lost a loved one to death then you know that looking at a picture of them does not satisfy the longing ache of your heart to be with and see them again. Neither does a conversation with them in a dream, for suddenly you awake and realize that their truly gone. How much more does this longing occur when one has sat done and personally talked with God, Love Incarnate, who took on flesh in the Person of Jesus Christ so that we all might know Him.

The Apostle Paul’s words here then are an expression of his, and us all who have come to experience the love of God and the loss of loved ones who belonged to the Lord; heartfelt longing to be reunited with them in the Lord. No longer suffering the aliments and weaknesses of our mortal flesh and minds, no longer having to endure the ridicule and gossip of the unjust, or the scorning of our faith by the ungodly. No longer having to resist sin and Satan; no longer having to endure spiritual assaults, sleepless nights, or labor unto weariness, no longer having too… For on that day we will be reunited with our Lord and Savior and our loved ones who died in the faith. And we will not only see them, we will all be like Jesus Christ in His resurrection Glory. And thus we will know Him no longer just by Holy Spirit communion, but in Person, in His Kingdom where there is no injustices, no evil, no gossip, no sin, or temptations towards it, just perfect love and peace. That is what we long for, God’s Kingdom come. Not just in our person's, but in every aspect of life. Now that was a mighty digression for sure but sometimes we need to do that to get a broader picture. Yet even in that digression we haven’t even touched on the finer points of the Lord’s second coming, or His rapture of the church, before the tribulation period and His setting up the millennial Kingdom. But that’s for another day. So then Jesus having rebuked the scribes for exalting David over the Messiah, that is Himself and the people having heard Him gladly. Now warns the people of the scribes, “Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, 39 “the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, 40 “who devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation.” Vs. 38-40

The impact of Jesus’ Words on a culture that revered the scribes and Pharisees as the most pious of all men must have been startling to His hearers to say the least. Consider then Christ’s Words, for He begins by saying beware of the scribes, rather than commending them to the people as examples to follow. (In Matthew the Pharisees are placed in the forefront, hence their mention here by me as well). Thus Jesus says beware of them. For though their purposes functionally was different, they were quite similar in regards to their character and conduct. And thus the passage entails not just them specifically but also anyone in any generation who makes serving God a means to one’s own end. Though they act outwardly like the most pious and religious of all men. Inwardly they are, as Jesus describes them elsewhere ravenous wolves (Matt. 7:15-20). See how Jesus describes them, first He says they desire to go around in long robes, that is in official religious garb that identifies them as men of religion, which does not mean they are men of faith as Matthew 23 clearly reveals. For outer adornment is never to be the measure of ones' faith in God. For in contrast to their dress, Christ’s or His Apostles by their adornment didn't make themselves known as priestly men, yet they were the most pious and priestly of all men; which they were identified as being because of their Spirit, character and conduct, not because of their dress. For if you think you can identify God's servants simply by their clothing, whether by their wearing religious grab or wearing something else you will get duped (Consider Matt. 23:27-28; 1 Cor. 4:11-12; Rom. 8:9). For Satan has his own emissary's who transform themselves into ministers of righteousness (not that they practice it, just that they hypocritically preach it) therefore their end will be according to their works (see 2 Cor. 11:13-15).

Second thing Jesus says of the scribes and Pharisees is that they “love greetings in the marketplaces” that is they not only like to be seen as religious men, but they like to be admonished in the public forum as religious men. Men others pay homage to publicly as such. Something that never marked the early Apostles, since that honor belongs to Christ alone. Indeed the principal that is to govern all member's of Christ's Body is that on those members we think less honorable on these we are to bestow greater honor seems lost on them, while they bath themselves in receiving honor and accolades (See 1 Cor. 12:22-25). Consider then the Apostle Peter when he by the Holy Spirit’s move went to meet with Cornelius the Gentile that the Scripture says “As Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him. 26 But Peter lifted him up, saying, “Stand up; I myself am also a man.” Acts 10:25-26  Therefore obey your church leadership, (with discernment) for that is commanded of us all, but do not put them on pedestals of worship as some do (Heb. 13:17).

The third thing Jesus says that defines the scribes and Pharisees is that they love, “the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts” vs. 39  That is they love the privileges that go with their positions, i.e., the best seats in the synagogues and the best places at the feasts, i.e. seats of honor at dinner engagements and such. In regards to their taking the best places and seats it likely never enters their mind that there might be someone who is elderly or hard of hearing, or disabled, or weak of sight that could really benefit from the seat. Or that there might be someone truly more honorable themselves whom God wants to honor and place in that seat. Now in regards to this the Lord Jesus taught in a parable that taking the lowest place always ensures that one receives honor later; while taking the best places here and now may result in being ask to make way for another later (See Luke 14:7-11). “For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” Luke 15:11

Jesus then concludes His warning of the scribes and their conduct by emphasizing both their greed and their hypocrisy; saying that they are those “who devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation.” Vs. 40 In other words they prey on the most vulnerable; here Jesus emphasizes their exploiting widows and for a pretense making long prayers, something that Jesus warns us about, in His teaching us how to pray, saying that God does not hear hypocritical and unbelieving words though they be many, God hears simple and honest prayers and confessions done in faith. That is where we must start with faith in Jesus Christ and obedience towards Him by keeping His and His Apostle's commandments for that is what we are called to do. Not dress up like religious people or seek privileges through it. But rather conduct ourselves as true people of God, in humble faith, righteousness, grace, truth and most importantly in Christ’s love.

Scripture Quotations
The Holy Bible, New King James Version, (Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, Inc.) 1982.

Mark 12:28-37 "What is the Greatest Commandment?"

28 Then one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, “Which is the first commandment of all?” 29 Jesus answered him, “The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one. 30 ‘And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. 31 “And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” 32 So the scribe said to Him, “Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth, for there is one God, and there is no other but He. 33 “And to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” 34 Now when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, He said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” But after that no one dared question Him.

Devotional
The passage continues with the Sadducee's departing and a scribe upon hearing the Sadducee's reasoning together and perceiving Jesus had answered them well thought to ask Jesus a question of his own. Now like the Sadducee's the scribes question was not something he was seeking an answer to. But rather a question by which he could test Jesus’ orthodoxy. Now Jesus’ response to the scribes question is to quote from Deuteronomy 6:4-5, which is known in Jewish circles as the shema, which means hear!, and is still to this today recited as orthodoxy amongst both Jews and Christians. Therefore in no way does Jesus depart from this foundational teaching of the Word of God, that contains within it, the Oneness of the Godhead or Trinity; which the Old Testament Scriptures clearly reveals as three distinct Persons within One Godhead (Gen. 1:26-27; Ps. 2:7; 110:1; Isaiah 48:16 etc.) just as surely as the New Testament does.
Now this precursor statement by God before giving Israel His commandments stands juxtaposed to the polytheism practices and beliefs of the pagan cultures that seemingly surround God’s people everywhere and in every generation. Thus Israel from its inception as the covenant bearing people of the One true God were to worship the Lord God and Him alone. Thus Jesus in so citing this passage to the scribe is not only affirming God’s Word, but specifically the Oneness of God’s Person. Now the second half of the first command is: ‘And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. Vs. 30 That is mankind’s highest duty, to love the Lord our God with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our mind and with all our strength. Thus with our entire person, that is fundamentally what we are created for, to love God. Yet in loving God one must first get to know God on the deepest and most personal level and this one can only do by believing in His Son. That is how one enters into a personal relationship with God which then makes loving Him something that becomes a desirable reality in our lives. The first and greatest commandment then directs us into a right focus, pointing us exclusively to the magnificence of God Himself; that there is no greater Person for loving adoration and obedience then He Himself (1 John 5:3). Thus all that is within us is to be directed towards loving Him. Loving God then and all that entails must always override every other relationship and duty that one has in their life. Which is what Jesus made abundantly clear of being His disciple; that earthly relationships and duties must never supplant our loving relationship and duty to Himself and the gospel, and thus God the Father; whose Son we are to love and serve, that is paramount (Matt. 10:34-39; Luke 14:25-35). Therefore God's Person is the One whom we must render our highest love and loyalty to. And this we do by holding to the exclusivity of His Person in faith and obedience as both the Law (Deut. 13) and the Lord Jesus Christ declares of God having given Him Authority over all flesh so that He might grant eternal life to as many as God grants Him:  "And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent." John 17:3 Therefore God’s Person is the One whom we must always love the most. Now Jesus having reiterated the first and greatest commanded follows that by saying “And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” Vs. 31

Jesus’ giving us as the second greatest command to love ones neighbor as oneself is from Leviticus 19:18. Jesus quoting from there the last half of the verse as a follow up command to His affirming Loving God as mankind’s highest duty; our second highest duty then is loving those who bear His image to us, that is our neighbors as ourselves (1 John 4:20-21). For all the Law, including the Ten Commandments "....and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law." Rom. 13:9-10

Therefore consider Jesus Christ’s Words and actions for He always exemplified this while commanding that as a priority of the Kingdom of God, whether this other believers, or even one's enemies (Matt. 5:44). Loving one's neighbor is a reality of having been born again by His Spirit (John 13:34-35; 1 John 3:10, 14). Loving people then is in the eyes of the Lord priority one, next to, or maybe prove of loving God. Now in order to love ones neighbor as oneself one must see all people as equal to oneself. Since Jesus makes no distinction between people, as one more deserving of God's love then another, since He bore the cross for us all. “For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” Rom. 3:23 Think then about the implications if Jesus’ command was obeyed it would end every social plight and injustice that has plagued mankind since Adam Eve left the Garden to try to find their own way apart from the presence of God. Yet the sinful desires and selfish heart of mankind keeps on insisting on it's own ways; on putting oneself first before God and obeying Him as well as before one's fellow person, and thus you have the current state of affairs in the world; which always leads us to the necessity of the gospel. Since the heart of the problem is the human heart, sinful and unregenerate it neither loves God as Jesus commands, nor others as oneself. Therefore it must first be transformed by love of God through the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ before the love of God can be manifested through the life which seeks to obey Him. Since love for God and ones fellow person cannot take lasting root in a person’s heart and life unless one is brought into a reconciled peace and union with the Source of all Love and Peace and that is God Himself. Which begins with our reconciliation to God by Jesus Christ’s atonement for our sins on the cross where He bore the judgment of them, since it is both our sins and our sin nature which alienated us from God and inevitably makes us hostile towards God. Then by His resurrection life, where He paved the way for us to likewise receive new and everlasting life by His Holy Spirit who transforms our soul and spirit and thus brings us into a loving and peaceful relationship with God.
Therefore we must first receive the reconciliation that God worked for us through His Son, then having been giving a new heart we can begin to live out the Lord Jesus Christ’s commands in the power of the Holy Spirit and manifest His fruits in our lives which not only transform our persons (Gal. 5:22-23) but also will have a major impact on those around us. Now in loving people, both the Lord Jesus Christ and His Apostles give us some tangible commands on just how we can do that. In the gospels the Lord Jesus' 'parable of the Good Samaritan clearly tells us just what loving ones neighbor or fellow person must look like. And it’s not “religious piety” which in the interest of “purity” turns ones back on ones fellow person in their time of need. Rather it is getting ones hands dirty by getting involved when someone has been brought down by life’s circumstances (See Luke 10:27-37 also consider Matt. 25:31-46). The Apostle John said of Christian brotherly love: “But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? 18 My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.” 1 John 3:17-18 The Apostle James likewise thought little of religion that showed partiality to the rich and influential, but neglected to show compassion on and respect towards the poor (James 2). Or Jesus’ parable about the prodigal son which clearly reveals to us the heart of God towards any sinner when they, or better we likewise return to Him, then there is jubilation in heaven. For the angels of God rejoice over just one sinner who repents, rather than ninety nine "just" persons who think they have no need of repentance (Luke 15:7, 11-32). How about you? Does your heart swell up with love and joy and rejoice at the mercy and grace of God as the angels in heaven do when just one sinner repents and returns home? Or does it swell up with something reflecting more of mans anger as the older brother did in Jesus’ parable of the prodigal son? For how we respond to the pardoning grace of God when it is extended to others (whom we feel don't deserve it) can be a reflection of our love (or lack thereof) for our neighbor as ourselves. In regards to this Jesus did'nt mince words about those who receive God’s pardoning grace for their sins, yet refuse to pardon another’s transgressions, saying, they shouldn't expect to be released from their own indebtedness to God when they sin, until all is repaid (See Matt. 18:21-35).

Therefore loving ones neighbor as oneself always entails forgiveness, as Jesus said in giving us the Lord’s Prayer: "And forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us." Matt. 6:4 Which if we are obedient stands justaxposed to seeking vengeance or judgment on them, by whatever means a person would to do that, as the Law also says: “You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD.” Lev. 19:18 For the ministry of reconciliation, that is the gospel of God’s grace through the substitutionary death of Jesus Christ on the cross on our behalf demands nothing less of us. For when we receive the grace of God by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, whether as people who grew up in the church and kept all the rules outwardly. But inwardly we became rather adept at masking our own inner evil tendencies. Or as sinners who never knew anything else. Everything that the gospel entails must be born out of a heart with a desire for reconciliation with God and others. For peace cannot happen without it, nor can community, and certainly not Christian community. Therefore we are first commanded to be ministers of reconciliation as Jesus exemplified by His life and through His death on behalf of not righteous people in the sight of God, but sinners. So then we must be people of reconciliation extending the grace and love of God to all. Now in saying that, not all will want to be reconciled as Jesus said in Matt. 18:15-20 of an irreconcilable brother. As well there are people who want the grace of God, but sadly just to carry on in their sinful lives. But that is not the grace of God that the gospel, nor we are to offer. God's grace entails repentance and faith as Jesus commands (Mark 1:15) by which He by His Spirit and through His shed blood transforms and justifies the poor in the spirit (Matt. 5:3, Rom. 5:9; Col. 1:14, 19-20). Therefore let us as the Apostle Paul said, also say: "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.” Rom. 1:16-17

Scripture Quotations
The Holy Bible, New King James Version, (Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, Inc.) 1982.

Mark 12:18-27 Jesus Teaches On the Ressurection

18 Then some Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Him; and they asked Him, saying: 19 “Teacher, Moses wrote to us that if a man’s brother dies, and leaves his wife behind, and leaves no children, his brother should take his wife and raise up offspring for his brother. 20 “Now there were seven brothers. The first took a wife; and dying, he left no offspring. 21 “And the second took her, and he died; nor did he leave any offspring. And the third likewise. 22 “So the seven had her and left no offspring. Last of all the woman died also. 23 “Therefore, in the resurrection, when they rise, whose wife will she be? For all seven had her as wife.” 24 Jesus answered and said to them, “Are you not therefore mistaken, because you do not know the Scriptures nor the power of God? 25 “For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. 26 “But concerning the dead, that they rise, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the burning bush passage, how God spoke to him, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? 27 “He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living. You are therefore greatly mistaken.”

Devotional
The chief priests having failed in their attempt to trap Jesus in His Words by employing the Pharisees along with the Herodians (that is those followers of Herod) with their trick question on the lawfulness of paying taxes to Caesar or not; that is the lawfulness under the law of Rome and lawfulness under the law of Moses. Jesus having undone their scheme by replying to them: “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” Mark 12:17 And having marveled at His response they go their own ways (Matt. 22:22). And with their departure the Sadducees now approach Jesus with a question of their own. Based on the Law of Moses but ultimately meant to undermine Jesus. Again these series of inquires that come in a sort of rapid fire succession at Jesus in this section of the gospel are not honest inquires as Jesus welcomes all faith inquiries; these are craftily worded theological snares meant to entrap Jesus with His responses, and thus discredit Him before the people.
Now the Sadducees (the religious leaders from the upper classes in Israel), were particularly skilled at this sort of thing. Well educated and having a Greek or Hellenistic world view, they lived very privileged lives, even while under Roman rule. And in contrast to the Pharisees, the Sadducees strictly held to the Law of Moses as the only canonical Scriptures. They did not accept the oral tradition as the Pharisees did; and as modern Rabbinic Judaism does. While the Lord Jesus only taught from the Law and prophets and Psalms; in other words the entire Hebrew Bible or the Old Testament as we now know it (Luke 24:44-49); which were as Jesus said until John the Baptist, (Luke 16:16) upon which the Lord Jesus Christ as the fulfillment of them preached the Kingdom of God, (Mark 1:14-15), which He commands we proclaim as well (Matt. 28:18-20). Though He commanded His followers who were primarily, pre-Pentecost Jews, to obey those who sat in Moses seat (Matt. 23), until that age was ushered into their lives with the Holy Spirit’s outpouring and the church age began (Acts 15; Rom. 6:14). “For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” John 1:17 Not that the Old Testament Scriptures don’t speak to us who believe in Jesus, for they clearly do since they are given by Holy Spirit Inspiration as well, and both reveal to us Christ’s Person as well as God’s moral will for us all. And even future prophecies for Israel yet to be fulfilled, as well as the inherent wisdom, knowledge and discernment both of God and from God through them. But they must now always be interpreted in light of the New Testament Scriptures and God’s Word and Will given directly to us all through His Son the Lord Jesus Christ and His Biblical Apostles. Therefore: 16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Tim. 3:16-17

Returning then back to the Sadducess, for they present a strange irony to us, in that they said they believed the Scriptures, yet they did not believe in the resurrection from the dead, nor of the immortality of the soul.
And as such they did not believe in heaven and hell and the judgment to come, as the Scriptures declare and Jesus clearly taught and warns about (Mat. 5:22, 27-30; 10:27-28; 18:6-9). For both rewards and punishments will be rendered to each person according to their works at the resurrection for both believers and non-believers, for there will be a new heaven and earth in which righteousness dwells (Isaiah 65:1-25; 66:22-24; Matt. 25: 31-46; Luke 14:12-14; John 5:24-30; Rom. 2; 1 Peter 3:11-13; Rev. 11:16-18; 22:12-13 etc.). You wonder why people live godless and immoral lives, it is because they either do not believe in the resurrection of the just and the unjust as Jesus clearly says there will be, or they have never heard about. So when you preach a salvation message don’t forget the resurrection, not just of Christ; which is of course is foundational to our redemption from sin and death, but the resurrection of life for those who believe in Jesus and the resurrection to eternal condemnation to those who do not.

As well the Sadducees did not believe in angels or spirit’s (Acts 23:8), nor Divine Predestination (as Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon says of them), which again just reveals their unbelief. Since you cannot pick and choose what you will believe about God’s Word and believe in Him, for to reject segments of God’s Word is ultimately to reject God Himself (Consider Isaiah 66:2; Isaiah 8:20; Jeremiah 8:8-9; 23:29; 2 John 2:9-11). Apparently “They believed in free will—that people are responsible for their own prosperity or misfortune. They interpreted the law literally and tended to support strict justice as opposed to mercy toward the offender.”*** In regards to this they clearly follow the error revealed through the tragedy and suffering of Job. Whose “friends” extensive and at times arrogant theological discourses on why Job was suffering during his time of misery, only caused them to go on to condemn an innocent man (Job 42:7-8).
Now the Law clearly declares the Angel of the Lord guiding Israel out of Egypt with Moses (Num. 20:16); as well as in their future conquests of Canaan under Joshua (Ex. 23:20-33; Joshua 5:13-15). Not to mention His appearances found in the Law to Abraham, Sara, Hagar, even Balaam. But more relevant to our study, Moses in the burning bush passage which will be the passage from the Law that Jesus will cite to the Sadducees in refuting them (See Ex. 3:2-6). But that’s getting ahead of ourselves, so let us return to the passage to refresh our memories, which began by saying that some Sadducees, “…who say there is no resurrection, came to Him; and they asked Him, saying: 19 “Teacher, Moses wrote to us that if a man’s brother dies, and leaves his wife behind, and leaves no children, his brother should take his wife and raise up offspring for his brother. 20 “Now there were seven brothers. The first took a wife; and dying, he left no offspring. 21 “And the second took her, and he died; nor did he leave any offspring. And the third likewise. 22 “So the seven had her and left no offspring. Last of all the woman died also. 23 “Therefore, in the resurrection, when they rise, whose wife will she be? For all seven had her as wife.” Vs. 19-23

Now under the Law of Moses to maintain inheritances as God gave them. A brother was in the event of his married brother’s dying without an heir, to take his brother’s wife to himself, as his wife, and raise up an offspring for his brother’s name, so that his brother’s name would not be cut from Israel (Deut. 25:5-10). However the Sadducees in presenting this scenario to Jesus about the brothers and whose wife the woman would be in the resurrection since all seven had her. Are not declaring that they believe there will be a resurrection. Rather there hypothetical scenario is meant to make a spectacle of Christ, by catching Him in an impossible moral dilemma. For if all plays out as they have outlined it. Then as they have so craftily pre-reasoned, all seven brothers having had her, all would be married to her in resurrection. Not a very likely scenario. Now Jesus in refuting them initially says two things to them that first exposes their unbelief; but more importantly gives us some rather tangible insights into the resurrection and what eternity will be like. Now notice first that Jesus in refuting them will say that they do not know the Scriptures, nor the power of God (vs. 24). Though again they were highly trained and educated. And they held the majority in the Sanhedrin counsel; the religious counsel that ruled over Israel’s religious affairs. As well being the exclusive segment of Judaism from which the high priests were drawn; themselves claiming ascendency through Zadok the high priest, from King David and Solomon’s reigns.** Yet the Lord says rather frankly to them that they know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God. An astonishing statement given that they held the highest places in religious Judaism. Therefore don’t ever think that by simply having a title and or a few letters of educational accreditation beside ones name indicates that such a person is either saved, or God fearing, or even qualified to lead in Jesus Christ’s church. For though God may call someone to seminary or a Bible college, such institutions in of themselves have no God given priority in directing His church. For it is the Holy Spirit who alone equips, empowers and calls, (not seminaries) and in this He often chooses those deemed least capable by this worlds (or maybe even their own) standards (see 1 Cor. 1:26-31).
For in God's eyes it's ones heart and faith that is far more important than all the religious accreditation's one attains too. Far more important than ones intellect, strength, social standing, achievements or whatever else would make draw people to them. As the Old Testament judge and prophet Samuel quickly learned when seeking God's King and Ruler for Israel. 6 So it was, when they came, that he looked at Eliab and said, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is before Him.” 7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 1 Sam. 16:7-8

Now the word Jesus uses of the Sadducees not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God; is a word that indicates an utter lack of discernment on their part. In other words they have neither seen or perceived just what the Scriptures declare to them, and just how greatly they unleash the power of God in those lives who believe. And so Jesus goes on to say to them, 25 “For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven” That is the first tangible insight that Jesus gives us all, and we take to heart, since the One who has always been there and knows exactly what goes on there, is revealing to us that in heaven’s realm, the redeemed, that is those who believe and are saved by Lord will in some way be like angels of God. Marriage then between a man and woman is something that is confined to the earthly sphere, not heavens. Thus the Sadducees premise that all seven of the brothers would be married to the woman in the resurrection is fundamentally flawed. For as Jesus says, none will be, because marriages do not occur there; they serve God’s purposes here on earth, giving both relational intimacy as God said in the beginning: … “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.” Gen. 2:18
As well as providing us with a forum for healthy, passionate, and committed relationships which again lay a foundation for procreation and thus the basis for the family and loving, nurturing, maturing, responsible, relationships within it; which then spill over into communities, and of course greater society. All born out of committed heterosexual marriages, which again provide stability for all. That is a part of the basic moral fabric that God has sown into life itself, for mankind’s well being. Cast it aside for self gratification and the consequences are broken hearts, lives, relationships and eventually societies.
Jesus then having undone the Sadducees plans to trap Him in a moral dilemma about marriages in the resurrection; by revealing to them and us that there simply aren’t any. Now goes on to say of the dead, that they do indeed rise, which the Sadducees denied since there is no direct reference to this in the Law. Nonetheless the Lord Jesus cites to them a very familiar passage, from the Law to prove that this is so. Saying: 26 “But concerning the dead, that they rise, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the burning bush passage, how God spoke to him, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? 27 “He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living. You are therefore greatly mistaken.” vs. 26-27

Notice first Jesus says “have you not read in the Book of Moses…” that is have you not understood, what you have read. For when Jesus says God spoke to Moses, Jesus uses a verb in the original language that is used only in the definite past tense (Strong’s). Indicating that God’s speaking with Moses was in the past. However Jesus immediately contrasts that by using a verb in the original language that puts God’s speaking of being the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, in the present tense. Indicating that when God spoke to Moses of being their God. He was referring to this in real time. Not in some distant past experience. In other words they are currently with Him and He is the God of them. For Jesus concludes His Words to them and their lack of understanding of the resurrection by saying: “He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living. You are therefore greatly mistaken.” Vs. 27 Simply stated then a Living God doesn’t have dead subjects. Thus both the resurrection of the dead and the immortality of the soul are clearly seen in the Law and Jesus’ Words.

Now Jesus having said that God is the God of the living, the question then needs to asked, are you alive? Not physically that is something we all experience as Jesus said in John’s gospel chapter three of being born of water and blood, but spiritually? Which is what Jesus was referring to when He said to Nicodemus there that unless you are born again, that is born from on High by the Spirit of God through faith in Jesus Christ’s Person you cannot see the Kingdom of God. And that is what God through the Lord Jesus Christ compels everyone to do, “Be born again!” that is believe in His Son the Lord Jesus Christ crucified for our sins and raised from the dead for our justification. For when you do God will send His Spirit into you, and He will bring you to life, for your sins having been washed away by the blood of Christ’s Person, your person will now be fit for God’s Person dwelling within you, by His Holy Spirit who alone brings us to life. As Jesus said of Him who brings us to new and everlasting life and union with Christ the moment we believe: “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.” John 6:63

Therefore by faith in Jesus Christ’s Person; to the exclusion of all others; we receive by the grace of God the Person of God within us. Have you then come to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ? “For there is no other Name given under heaven amongst men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12

If you have, why not confirm your faith in Christ before God and man and confess the Lord Jesus Christ before both. As the Scriptures declare: 9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 13 For “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.” Rom. 10:9-10; 13

Now you can do this in prayer to God by saying to Him that yes you believe and want to receive the Lord Jesus Christ His Son into your heart and life. And you can also do this before man by declaring to your family; friends; co-workers your decision to put away your old sinful life and to take up the cross, as Jesus says, and follow Him into eternal life. Which one often does by getting baptized in a Christ believing church and making a public declaration of one’s faith in Jesus as Lord, then serving Him there or wherever He leads you to do so. For God will equip you and appoint you to your own service for Him as the Scriptures says: “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” Eph. 2:10 Now this may unfold immediately, or this maybe a process, as God's plans and purposes unfold for your life. But rest assured if God has saved you then He has a plan and a purpose for your life. Your part is to simply avail yourself to Him and let His Spirit begin to prepare you and conform you into Christ-likeness for all the purposes God has already predestined you to serve the Lord Jesus in. Which is an exciting and at times will be a challenging way of living. Yet knowing that God is making you not only fit for His eternal Kingdom; that is the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. But He is going to make your life meaningful and have an eternal impact on the lives He will touch through you here and now. For when you come to a saving knowledge of God through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, God makes an eternal commitment to you, to be not only your God but also your and Father, through all your successes and failures as the Scriptures declare: “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” 6 So we may boldly say:
“The LORD is my helper;
I will not fear.
What can man do to me?” Heb. 13:5-6

Have you then made your decision for the Lord Jesus Christ? If not why not do that? Instead of pursuing what does not satisfy the deepest longings of your soul turn to or return to the Lord Jesus Christ and call on His Name and begin life anew. For if you forsake your life for the Lord Jesus Christ you will find life anew, brand new, a Spirit filled life that cannot be equaled or compared to, which does not end in death, as the life lived for sin or in unbelief does. But in eternal love, life, and peace found only in the God of love, life, and peace, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Scripture Quotations
The Holy Bible, New King James Version, (Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, Inc.) 1982.

Additional Resources Consulted:
Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon, (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.) 1995.
Nelson’s illustrated Bible dictionary, Logos Library System, (Nashville: Thomas Nelson) 1997, c1995.
Ronald F. Youngblood, general editor; F.F. Bruce and R.K. Harrison, consulting editors.

Mark 12:13-17 Pharisees and Herodians seek to catch Jesus in His Words

13 Then they sent to Him some of the Pharisees and the Herodians, to catch Him in His words. 14 When they had come, they said to Him, “Teacher, we know that You are true, and care about no one; for You do not regard the person of men, but teach the way of God in truth. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? 15 “Shall we pay, or shall we not pay?” But He, knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, “Why do you test Me? Bring Me a denarius that I may see it.” 16 So they brought it. And He said to them, “Whose image and inscription is this?” They said to Him, “Caesar’s.” 17 And Jesus answered and said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” And they marveled at Him.

Devotional
The chief priests and elders having been rebuked by Jesus and His Authority through God’s Word now rather dubiously seek to continue their hostility towards Jesus through the Pharisees and the Herodians. Not that they themselves didn’t want to hurt Jesus, they had every intention of killing Him, but because they feared the crowds they sought to destroy Him subtly. Therefore rather than submitting to the Lord and trusting in Him as sent from God as His son to His vineyard; that is the nation of Israel of which they were then rulers and leaders over. They again redouble their efforts to try to undermine Jesus’ Person and Authority; this time through the Pharisees and Herodians. Early on the scribes who came up from Jerusalem to Jesus’ native Galilee tried the same; to destroy His Name and reputation amongst His own people when they slandered Jesus to the crowds there by saying that He was casting out demons by Beelzebub. For which Jesus said: 28 “Assuredly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they may utter; 29 “but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is subject to eternal condemnation”— 30 because they said, “He has an unclean spirit.” Mark 3:28-30 So now they employ the same tactic, destroy the Man’s reputation and credibility amongst the people, all because they wanted to take vengeance on Jesus for His Words again them, but also to preserve themselves and their own places under Roman rule. Now that the chief priests went to some of the Pharisees and the Herodians to execute their latest scheme has implications beyond it. Since it is by their own evil desires to destroy Jesus that God will fulfill His plans for His Son, and thus His purposes through Him, for both the Jews and Gentiles. That is in the immediate, the uniting of deeply held and diametrically opposed religious and secular views in ancient Judaism with one common goal; the destruction of Jesus. Jesus’ stirring the pot to a boiling since His arrival in Jerusalem with His Messianic entry in Jerusalem on a lowly donkey with multitudes praising Him; then His cleansing the Temple before declaring a parable against the leadership there, is doing just, uniting all the various factions in Israel with one common goal, to crucify the Christ. So that through their hatred of God and His Son, God might establish His plans for the entire world. Not that they themselves in anyway thought they were hostile to God; they thought they were God's in their seeking to destroy Jesus (John 8:42-47).
So while they are scheming new ways to catch Jesus in His Words they are actually just giving Him opportunity to declare God’s Word, and thus establish the gospel within their midst to those who will hear and heed His Words. For God’s plans are never thwarted by mans. Neither by powers on earth, or by powers of hell. Believers then should always take that to heart for whatever earthly or demonic powers would do to try to thwart God’s plans for you, rest assured God can undue or turn on its own head into fulfilling His will for you, and for all. As God promises in His Word.

No weapon formed against you shall prosper,
And every tongue which rises against you in judgment
You shall condemn.
This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD,
And their righteousness is from Me,”
Says the LORD. Isaiah 54:17

Now we know what the Pharisees are; they are strict legalists that make weighty measure of little matters, and often little weight of what God says are the weightier matters (see Matt. 15:1-20; 23:1-39; Luke 16:14-18). The Herodians on the other hand were loyalists or supporters of the Herod's and their evil legacy. And thus they were driven by their lust for secular power and the perks thereof; not religious power. And in contrast to Pharisees, who were at least outwardly pious, the Herodians made no attempt to be so. Simply stated they were licentious in their lives and ruthless in their drive for power, and thus they emulated much of what drove Rome’s hierarchy, which they were subservient too under the Herod's. Now Jesus warns of both the leaven (i.e. doctrine) of the Pharisees and Herod. Herod’s leaven might be loosely surmised as “the ends justifies the means.” While the Pharisees leaven is "hypocrisy" that makes much use of the burdensome traditions and commandments of men while making little use of God's commandments when these conflict with their own, or their own agenda's. Therefore like the Pharisees the Herod's wanted their places maintained while they were under Roman rule. And that is what brings them together in an evil collaboration to try to stop what they perceive as a mutual threat to their mutual well being. Previously they collaborated once before in Galilee when Jesus healed a man with a withered hand in a synagogue; but there is was the Pharisees who sought out the Herodians (Mark 3:1-6). So the chief priests and elders in Israel in employing them play a shrewd hand. Combining strict religious authority, with loyalist secular, to find a fault with Jesus so as to bring an accusation against Him. For if Jesus acquiesces to the Pharisees generally held notions that submission to Rome is treason towards the God of Israel; then He loses all credibility amongst His own people that He is indeed the Messiah. While if He commands that His followers should not pay taxes to Caesar, then the Herodians have grounds for making a case against Him through Roman law. And thus the means by which the Pharisees and Herodians seek to entrap Jesus is very carefully thought out and worded. The basis for it coming in the form of a question of the legality of paying taxes to Caesar or not. Legality under the Law of Moses, and legality of not doing so under Roman law. And so they begin by asking Jesus: “Teacher, we know that You are true, and care about no one; for You do not regard the person of men, but teach the way of God in truth. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? 15 “Shall we pay, or shall we not pay?” vs. 14-15
Now their statement to Jesus that He was true, and that He cared about know one, that is He did not regard the person of men, is more then their acknowledging that Jesus did not show partiality too anyone. It is an attempt by them to trap Him by His own integrity in doing so (as the King James Bible Commentary states). For again if He acquiesces to either sides view then He loses all credibility; but if He remains resolute then they will have grounds to go before the Roman authorities to lay a charge against Him. And it’s all utterly hypocritical given that their “masters” having failed in their attempts in calling Jesus’ Authority into question; which they inwardly came to acknowledge as coming from God; are now seeking to assail His Sinless character through them. And this through men (the Herodians) whose lives were spent in courting the favor of the power brokers in ancient Israel by doing their ruthless deeds for them. Now the Scripture says of Jesus in repsonse to their question about paying taxes to Ceasar, "...But He, knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, “Why do you test Me? Bring Me a denarius that I may see it.” vs. 15 Now the verb translated knowing is a primary verb which means only “to know” unequivocally in the perfect tense. And being given in the perfect tense; which in Greek means it is a past tense verb with results continuing on into the present, Jesus already knew their hypocritical plot even before they hatched it. Yet Jesus requested that they bring Him a denarius which was the state coin of Rome, which must have delighted the Pharisees. Since Jesus did not request the regional currency issued by the Herod’s. An official coin that was devoid of a graven image in an attempt to keep the second commandment in the Law forbidding graven images; which was recognized by Rome and of course widely accepted amongst the Jews. No instead the Lord Jesus requested they bring Him the official state coinage of Rome. And having brought it to Him, Jesus simply asks them: “Whose image and inscription is this?” They said to Him, “Caesar’s.” 17 And Jesus answered and said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” And they marveled at Him. Vs. 16-17

Now Jesus’ response is the basis of what we have in Romans 13 as the definitive chapter on believers submission to authority because all authority has its origins in God. That is the essence of Jesus’ Words here to both the Pharisees and the Herodians and ultimately to us. “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” For ultimately all governance is given by God. Therefore if this is taxes then pay them their taxes. For that is why the Lord Jesus Christ requested the Roman coin with Caesars’ image on it. To show them and us; that though unjust men may rule in governance; all authority has its origins in God and thus we are to honor the office, if not the man or women in it, for in so doing we honor God. Now to the Jews who frequented notions of, or actively sought out means to rebel against the then ruling Roman authorities and their agents, this was a radical departure from the thought of the day. Nonetheless submission to and honoring of all authority; whether this is parents, grandparents, school teachers; employers, civil magistrates, police or whatever other forms of governance we may encounter in our lives is our duty as Christians and is not only found in the Law of Moses but is clearly a stable of New Testament theology. That is why this remembrance day we must honor our nation’s troops because in many ways they exemplify the highest obedience to the first half of Jesus’ command in that they are willing to give their lives for the state and the citizens within. Therefore this Nov. 11 we who are privileged to live in Canada please take a moment and remember the past and current veterans. And as Christians let us put aside our opinions on the validity or non- validity of military service and instead offer up a prayer for their and their families well being; for their healing and comfort from the physical wounds and emotional scars that many have incurred and are enduring in their latest service of this great country of ours.

Now the second part of Jesus’ commandment render “…to God the things that are God’s.” Is tied with the first but is also independent of it; in that there are things that God requires of us that the state does not. And thus obedience to the state does not disavow these; just as obedience to God does not disavow our God required duties to the state; to pay our taxes, to obey and pray for all ruling authorities, and to live peaceably within our communities (1 Tim. 2:1-2; Titus 3:1-2). Therefore whatever things God requires of us as disciples of His Son the Lord Jesus Christ we should most gladly render. For the Christian duty is as Jesus said two-fold, rendering to the state and rendering to God therefore we are bound to obey God through both. Though I realize there remains the possibility that the state may command something of me that would put me into conflict with God. But living in Canada I have not yet encountered anything that the state requires of me that puts me into conflict with God. Though there are many things that the state sanctions as "lawful" that God's law does not and thus I will not such as homosexual "marriages", abortion, legalized gambling and pornography to name a few. For these things are clearly hostile to God's moral law and destroy and enslave the lives of men and women something that the state should not do, but does by it's sanction of these things. Which is why the church of Jesus Christ must always be a voice against such things; expecially where we have a voice because of democratic rule. Nonetheless the state does not require that I do these things. Therefore I'm not for church and state alignment, for the states agenda; and it's moral agenda will never align itself with the church of Jesus Christ and God's agenda which is to liberate men and women from sin and give them life through the gospel. Therefore I'm always for obedience towards God and the state, where the state does not require of me that which is hostile towards God as Jesus commands and the New Testament church clearly taught and exemplified (Rom. 13; 1 Peter 2:15-17; 2 Peter 2:9-10; Jude 5-10).

Now the most important thing that we can do in obeying God is to receive His Son the Lord Jesus Christ into our lives. For that is the beginning of becoming a disciple of Christ and experiencing the life changing power and presence of God within us. Therefore the Lord Jesus Christ invites us all to receive Him and eternal life through Him by repentance and faith, by turning from our sins and believing in Him as God’s Son who was willingly crucified for us so that we could be forgiven and freed from our sins through His death on a cross by which we die to sin with Him when we believe in Him having been baptized into Him (Rom. 6) and thus we have new and everlasting life imparted into us the moment we believe in Him (Eph. 1:13-14). “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” 2 Cor. 5:17

Now Jesus’ crucifixion death was only the beginning of His restoring us back to God. For three days after His burial in a rock cavern tomb Jesus rose from dead so that by His resurrection from the dead He could vanquish death forever from those who believe in Him, as Jesus says: "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me though He may die, he shall live." John 11:25 Therefore Jesus Christ’s resurrection life, is the life that He not only imparts in us who believe in Him, but is the life that believers are now called to live out by His Indwelling Spirit within us which brings us to life and union with Christ. For the Christian life cannot be lived out in one's own strength or power. Nor can ones own righteousness make one good enough to be accepted by God. It requires both God's Righteousness imputed to us, and His Power imparted into us by faith in Jesus Christ's Person. Therefore please consider our Lord Jesus gracious invitation to receive everlasting life through Him and His Work alone. 28 “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 “For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matt. 11:28-30

Scripture Quotations
The Holy Bible, New King James Version, (Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, Inc.) 1982.

Other Resources Consulted
King James Bible Commentary on Mark 12:13-17
Nelsons Bible Dictionary: “Money in the Bible”