Food for Thought
The Gospel reading this week continues Jesus’ debates with the religious leaders in Jerusalem. We saw over the last few weeks that they questioned him about his authority and he responded with three parables. Now they come after him with questions designed to trap him in his words. Again, there is a set of three conversations, as there were three parables.
This week we look at the first conversation. The Pharisees team up with the Herodians and try to trap Jesus with a political dilemma. “Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar?”
This question/trap is loaded with political tension. There is irony in the question itself because the Pharisees and the Herodians stood on opposite sides of this question. The Pharisees were notoriously against Rome and its puppet King Herod. They were waiting for the Kingdom of God to come with power to destroy Rome in apocalyptic glory. Thus, the taxes were wrong. The Herodians were, most likely, a subset of the Sadducees who were pro-Rome and pro-Herod. They saw wisdom in appeasing the Roman overlords in order to preserve the Temple (and their own wealth). Thus, the taxes were acceptable.
By joining forces against their common enemy, they probably thought their question would force Jesus to choose sides in the intra-Jewish political debates of the day. Jesus wisely evades the trap by redirecting and reframing the question. Money and power—and the games people play around them—belong to Rome and all Imperial domination systems. The Kingdom of God that Jesus proclaimed was not an Imperial Domination System. Therefore, let Empire play empire games and let God be about God’s work.
Next week we will see the system/economy that runs God’s Kingdom when the Pharisees ask Jesus what is the greatest commandment. Jesus responds, “love God and love neighbor.” The economy of God’s kingdom is one that leads to mutual flourishing for all people.
Christian Public Leaders today are constantly being lured into this same trap. How are we supposed to show up in the political debates of our context? That is a tricky question, particularly within the supposedly democratic system of the USA, where I live. I hope that we can lean into Jesus’ wisdom and not get sucked into power plays and economic pressures. May we know how to let the love of God and God’s love for our neighbors be what drives our leadership.
Food for Thought
This week we jump from the giving of the Ten Commandments in Exodus 19 to the end of Joshua’s story.
Here’s what we missed:
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God gives the rest of the Law to the people, including instructions for constructing a portable tent that would serve as a physical space in which God’s glory could reside amongst the people, known as the Tabernacle.
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All 600+ laws are contained in the second half of Exodus and the entire book of Leviticus. These laws are the framework for a civilization to flourish within that context.
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The book of Numbers records the stories of how God led the people through the wilderness in a pillar of cloud and fire.
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12 spies went to Canaan. 10 said that there was no way they could defeat the giants in the land. 2 spies—Joshua and Caleb—trusted that God would give them victory.
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The majority doubt condemned that generation to wander for 40 years.
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Numbers records the stories of those 40 years. The people wandered around, ate manna and quail, and had skirmishes with local tribes.
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That generation died off and Moses reframed the law for the second generation. This is recorded in the book of Deuteronomy.
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Moses dies and Joshua, Moses’ faithful servant, takes over leadership. He leads the next generation into Canaan to drive out the Canaanites and claim the land that God promised to Abraham centuries earlier.
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The book of Joshua is a war book. It is difficult to read and difficult to process how God could sanction the violence recorded in its pages. I invite you to explore the course on Joshua at Enter the Bible.
Our text today records Joshua’s final words to the people. He reminds them how the LORD God (Yahweh Elohim) has led the family of Abraham over the centuries. How God promised the land and protected them, even when the people disobeyed God. He reminds them how Abraham served other gods beyond the Euphrates; how God drove out other gods; how God gave them the fruit of land on which they did not labor.
In light of all the God has done, Joshua offers an invitation. “put away the gods that your ancestors served and serve the LORD. Choose this day whom you will serve.”
Joshua declares to the people, “as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”
The rest of chapter 24 is a conversation between Joshua and the people. He warns them to be careful about promising to serve the LORD. If they say yes, then turn to other gods, it will not go well for them. This warning is a set up for the book of Judges. Spoiler alert: it does not go well for the people!
The question remains for us today. Whom will you serve? The gods are alive and well. Money, power and self-indulgent pleasure are the supreme gods of the USA. Most of us live enslaved to them in some way. What does it look like for us to “choose this day whom we will serve?”
Every week I compile all the visual resources on cartoonistbible.com for the lectionary readings on both the Revised Common Lectionary and the Narrative Lectionary. Get them in your inbox every Monday morning.