That's Not Even a Question

Scripture: And they came and said to him, "Teacher, we know that you are sincere, and show deference to no one; for you do not regard people with partiality, but teach the way of God in accordance with truth. Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?" Mark 12:14

Observation: The scribes and Pharisees continue to try to trap Jesus with questions. This first question remains interesting for so many reasons, but partially because they preface it with praise. They honor Jesus by addressing him has 'teacher', and discuss his sincerity, honesty, truthfulness, and fairness. They also recognize that he truly does teach "the way of God in accordance with truth." With that statement, they then ask ... should they pay taxes to Ceasar?

To be clear, there is nothing is the scriptures - neither the laws of Moses, the history of Israel, nor the prophets - that gives Israel any guidance about paying taxes to Ceasar. They are never told to rebel against any nation that has taken possession of them ... in fact, when their nation is destroyed and exiled, Daniel teaches them to actually pray for the nation that rules them.

The fact is, there is no connection between "the way of God in accordance with truth" - the word of God - and this question about taxes. This is a non-question as it pertains to Messiah, or any other Jewish teacher of the word of God.

Application: I feel like I have thought long many times on this rather simple questioning of Jesus. It is amazing how Jesus saw through the questioning. Yet this is another interesting insight ... this question isn't even really a question. It would be like saying ... 'Jesus, I know you are a great teacher of the Lord's truth; how long should I cook a 15 pound turkey?' That is a question ... and it has a correct answer that requires knowledge ... but it has nothing to do with being a teacher of God's word.

As I have (probably) said before, the trap was seeking a way to get Jesus to express an opinion on a divisive topic. And today, we have SO very many divisive topics! Answering questions about most divisive topics has nothing to do with the Lord. If it isn't covered in the bible, it probably isn't something I should be debating publicly.

Prayer: Lord, it seems like so often that the answer to the cliched question 'what would Jesus?' is 'nothing'. You wouldn't engage, wouldn't respond, wouldn't debate, and wouldn't order. You would simply reposition the conversation in a manner that encourages peace while expressing love. May we all find a way to do that more often. Amen.