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Article Archive |
2008
Third Option
by Jim Morris
Jesus walked into political turmoil on the Tuesday of His Passion Week. Unlikely political partners, Pharisees, Herodians and Sadducees, banded together “to trap him in his words” (Matthew 22:15).
The Pharisees could be considered the Right Wing Conservatives of Judaism. Their ranks were filled with members from every tribe of Israel. They were patriots dedicated to upholding both the written Law of Moses and the oral traditions of the elders. To their credit, they believed in a spiritual realm, angels, demons, and the hope of the resurrection. Unfortunately, their traditions often blinded them to the truth found in the written word of God.
The Sadducees could be considered the Left Wing Liberals of Judaism. Coming from the tribe of Levi, they were priests who were supposed to represent the people before God. Unfortunately, they refused to accept the whole written word by believing only the first five books of the OT as authoritative and binding. To make matters worse, they interpreted them so literally that they excluded the possibility of a spiritual realm. They rejected a belief in angels, demons or the resurrection (Acts 23:8). Unlike the Pharisees, they readily compromised the faith to receive benefits from the Roman government. The Herodians were in league with them because they supported the Roman rule of the Herods.
The first trap revolved around an ethical question: “Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” (Matthew 22:16-22). It was a test of loyalty. Would Jesus be loyal to the God of Israel or to the pagan Caesar of Rome? Paying the taxes would make Jesus appear disloyal to God but refusing to pay would make him appear as a rebel. It was an ethical dilemma that would get Jesus in trouble either way. However, Jesus chose the “Third Option.” He used the coin used to pay taxes to illustrate his position. Since Caesar had his image on the coin it was right for him to receive it back. However, since God has his image on every person it is right for Him to receive it back, too.
The second trap centered on a theological question: “Now then, at the resurrection, whose wife will she be of the seven, since all of them were married to her?” (22:23-33). It was a test of logic. The resurrection was absurd to them. Jesus chose the “Third Option.” He exposed their ignorance of God and the scriptures. First, at the resurrection, human existence will be quite different. People will be like the angels who live without marriage. Second, all of humanity is alive before God. God is a spiritual being and so are we. Though our spirits leave our earthly bodies at death, we are still alive before God. Therefore, He is still the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
Conservatives and liberals still lay traps. When put into a dilemma why not choose the “Third Option”? His name is Jesus!
05-28-08
# 22
