Friday of the Fourteenth Week in Course 2024
There are several basic and critical functions of any government, once a region of the world has established one. Israel–the northern Kingdom after the breakup of David’s kingdom after the terrible mess Solomon left–was such an area. A successful government has borders, and has control over them. This slows down invading armies, certainly, but more importantly it moderates imported people and goods. Secondly, governments mint currency and keep its value stable to enable their citizens to purchase what they need and plan for expenses. If money loses value unpredictably, like ten percent one year and fifty the next, businesses and families are all hurt. Thirdly, governments defend their people and keep order. This means they have to have weaponry and boats and people to wield them. So they must have government revenue, either by taxing property or income or collecting tariffs. Do those things well and the government will be respected. Do them badly and the people get angry and one way or another dismantle that government. A better one does not automatically spring up. Sometimes the result is total chaos.
The system in place in Judea and Galilee at the time of Jesus was pretty oppressive. The Romans governed with the assistance of Jewish collaborators. Matthew was such a tax collector. He had to give the Romans so much money each month or other period of time, and he then imposed that amount plus some for expenses on the people. It was absolutely taxation without representation. But there were only sporadic revolts because the Romans–in today’s parlance–had the guns. The people were miserable, but that was the price they paid for keeping their religious practices and institutions. The masters of those institutions also collaborated with the Romans, to keep order and the Temple observances intact. Moreover, those religious authorities like the Pharisees did not care for people like Jesus calling their practices into question. So when Jesus associated himself with turncoat Jews like Matthew, they took offense. But Jesus was bringing a message of repentance and love of God and neighbor to everyone, so of course he had to go to the obvious sinners first. He came to call the so-called righteous, but first they had to admit that they were sinners, just not so obvious ones as the tax gatherers.
The prophet Amos, centuries earlier, preaching to the people of the north, maybe even just a few miles from where Jesus would later minister, was also calling everyone to repentance. Notice how he was berating the leaders of his time for their economic injustice. They allowed merchants to do business on the Jewish feasts, when Torah forbade work for pay. They cheated by shaving off metal from the coins. We call that inflation. They sold the needy in many ways, refusing to love their neighbor as themselves.
Each age of man must ask the same questions. We do as well. Are we treating everyone fairly, or cheating them to increase our material wealth. If so, we are making ourselves targets, either from public prosecutors in this life, or the day of judgement in the next. We must constantly repent of any sin we are guilty of.
