Eight Days That Changed The World

Jesus made it a simple quid pro quo, you answer my question and I will answer yours. Jesus posed this question; as long as we are talking about authority, did John the Baptist gain his authority to baptize from God or from men? The priests and teachers stepped aside and discussed the question. They reasoned it was too risky to say John’s baptism was from God, for then Jesus would ask them why they did not receive John’s baptism. But if they said his baptism was not from God, that it was concocted by men, then the mob would turn on them because they believed John the Baptist was a prophet from God so they turned to Jesus and said:

We don’t know. Jesus said, neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things. Mark 11:33

Bang Gavel…. Case Dismissed

With the priests and teachers of the law silenced by a single question, the Pharisees and Herodians stepped up to take their shot. Their strategy was to place Jesus in a catch 22 by asking him a politically charged question. His answer would either bring Rome’s wrath down on him or turn people against him.

They asked Jesus:

Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Should we pay or shouldn’t we? Mark 12:14-15

Jesus saw the trap immediately and asked them to bring him a Roman coin. He held up the Denarius and asked them who’s whose portrait is inscribed on this coin. They replied, “Caesar’s of course”. Then Jesus said:

Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and (give) to God what is God’s. Mark 12:17

His answer stunned and silenced them. In one sentence Jesus had told them to pay their taxes as good citizens of earth and give their lives to God as citizens of kingdom of heaven.

Bang Gavel…. Case Dismissed

A teacher of the Law thought he had the unanswerable question that would baffle and silence Jesus. The teachers of the Law had reduced the Old Testament to 613 commandments. All of them, they reasoned, were from God and therefore, all must be equally binding and important. So he posed this question to Jesus. Of the 613 commands of God, which one is the most important? Jesus responded as if he had asked him to name the first book of the Bible. Without hesitation Jesus said:

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it; Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.

In four sentences Jesus answered the unanswerable question and gave this arrogant young man a profound theology lesson. Walking with God is about two things… Loving God like you love no one else and loving your neighbors as you love yourself. Every other command or prohibition from the mouth of God is simply a sub-point to help us do these two things.

Bang Gavel…. Case Dismissed

One by one the religious leaders tried to discredit Jesus and reveal some fatal flaw in him and one by one Jesus answered their questions and left them speechless. The Old Testament law said that the Passover Lamb must be examined and found flawless. These religious leaders came to discredit Jesus, but in the end, unwittingly, they examined God’s Passover Lamb from every angle and found him without flaw and without blemish. Those that wanted to kill Jesus left the temple that day empty handed, frustrated, and unaware that the person who would deliver Jesus into their hands would not come from their inner circle, but from His.