Sunday, November 27, 2011
Sunday School lesson for the day:
Matthew 22:17, the famous "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's" encounter, is not about paying taxes. Jesus is saying, "I'm trying to explain something important & all you do is show me your stupid money."
The Synoptic Gospels have many stories like this.
"I'm trying to explain something important & all you do is ask me how to join the club."
"I'm trying to explain something important & all you do is ask me what the rules are."
"I'm trying to explain something important & you think children can't understand it."
"I'm trying to explain something important & all you do is demand I perform miracles."
"I'm trying to explain something important & you think I'll be annoyed because you didn't do a good job arranging the cookies on the tray."
"I'm trying to explain something important & you're pissed off because I didn't tell you first."
Jesus looks at a Roman coin & the guy with his face on the coin thinks putting his face on the coin proves he's divine. But Jesus, who has an inside knowledge of such claims, knows that every individual person on the planet is more precious to God than the whole freakin' Roman Empire.
"Go away," Jesus says to the bigshots with the trick questions, "you don't get it, don't bother me with this bullcrap."
Of course, Jesus made particular claims for himself & his mission. But his refusal to be distracted for long by politicians, ideologues, snobs, celebrity mongers, sightseers, & scripture-quoting savants is typical of great spiritual teachers.
"If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be." Thomas Jefferson
The Synoptic Gospels have many stories like this.
"I'm trying to explain something important & all you do is ask me how to join the club."
"I'm trying to explain something important & all you do is ask me what the rules are."
"I'm trying to explain something important & you think children can't understand it."
"I'm trying to explain something important & all you do is demand I perform miracles."
"I'm trying to explain something important & you think I'll be annoyed because you didn't do a good job arranging the cookies on the tray."
"I'm trying to explain something important & you're pissed off because I didn't tell you first."
Jesus looks at a Roman coin & the guy with his face on the coin thinks putting his face on the coin proves he's divine. But Jesus, who has an inside knowledge of such claims, knows that every individual person on the planet is more precious to God than the whole freakin' Roman Empire.
"Go away," Jesus says to the bigshots with the trick questions, "you don't get it, don't bother me with this bullcrap."
Of course, Jesus made particular claims for himself & his mission. But his refusal to be distracted for long by politicians, ideologues, snobs, celebrity mongers, sightseers, & scripture-quoting savants is typical of great spiritual teachers.
Labels: blogging against theocracy, love, Mahalo, religion
