Those of us who were here last week saw how Luke wrote this chapter so that we, his readers, can be really, really wise. Luke doesn’t want us to learn from our mistakes; he wants us to go one better than that – he wants us to learn from the mistakes of others before we even make them ourselves.
Jesus told a parable about a vineyard that had tenants. The tenants thought they owned the place, and so mistreated the servants sent to collect some of the fruit, and finally they killed the owner’s son. The owner kicked them out of his vineyard, and gave the vineyard to a new set of tenants.
Jesus was talking about the Jewish people. Privileged with the most unbelievable promises of blessing, yet refusing to give back to God the fruit of devoted lives. And they are about to kill God’s son, which means that 40 years later God will throw them out of the vineyard as Jerusalem and its temple are destroyed. The era of national privilege for the Jews will end, and the vineyard of God’s promises will be offered to new tenants – to us! To people of every race who will bow before Jesus as the one who has all authority.
It’s a story that shows God to be immensely kind. Kind to give the Jews so many chances to repent. Kind to give his vineyard to us having already had to kick out the first set of tenants. God is patient, merciful and incredibly gracious. But as we find ourselves in this privileged position of being the new tenants in God’s vineyard, Luke is wanting to warn us that we could easily make the same mistakes that the Jews made. If they presumed upon God’s kindness, so could we. And so Luke chapter 20 offers us the chance to be truly wise, and to learn from the mistakes of these Jews.
So what were their mistakes? Last week we thought quite a bit about the first mistake they made, as they rejected Jesus’ authority. You’ll remember that the Jewish leaders are not able to kill Jesus directly because of his phenomenal popularity, so they’re up to one dirty trick after another to try and trip him up. This morning we come to their next two dirty tricks, as they ask trick questions first in the political arena and then in the theological arena. And as we’ll see, these are really two further attacks on his authority.
So these Jews found ways of trying to diminish Jesus’ authority. And if we would avoid their mistakes, we need to allow Jesus to have all the authority that he’s got. And if we’re going to do that, and not diminish his authority one bit, then we’d better listen to Luke as he teaches us about the sly ways in which these Jews managed to whittle away at Jesus’ authority, and then steer clear of those sly ways.
They ask Jesus’ two questions, so I’ll give us two headings this morning – one for each question.
Don’t lessen the authority of Jesus in the name of loyalty to the state
First, Don’t lessen the authority of Jesus in the name of loyalty to the state. Don’t lessen the authority of Jesus in the name of loyalty to the state.
Verse 21: “Teacher, we know that you speak and teach what is right, and that you do not show partiality but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth.” That’s absolutely true, although I don’t think the spies believed a word of it! Here comes the question: “Is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” “Is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”
The word they use for taxes shows that they are referring to the Roman tribute – a small amount of money, but it was paid directly to Rome. It was hated because it stood for the Roman rule they had to put up with.
So where’s the catch? Well they effectively ask him an either / or question. Should we be loyal to Caesar or should we be loyal to God? Which is it? And there’s a double catch. Whichever side of the dilemma Jesus’ picks, he’s in hot water and they’ve got him. Jesus can’t get off the fence safely.
You see on the one hand, according to verse 20, they want him to say something that will incriminate himself before the governing authorities. Something like: “Caesar or God? Well obviously I’m going to go for God every time!” And then they can go: “There you are Pilate. You heard him. He didn’t go for Caesar. That’s got to be worth 90 days detention without charge”.
But then on the other hand, according to verse 26, they want him to say something that will incriminate himself in public, before the people. Something like: “Caesar or God? We don’t live in an ideal world do we – you’ve got no choice. You have to be loyal to Caesar.” And then they can turn around to the crowds and go: “There you are folks – not quite as worth listening to as you thought is he?”
They give him a choice. Caesar or God. Which is it? Either or? And whichever one he picks, he’s in trouble.
And Jesus replies and says: It’s not either/or at all. It’s both/and. It’s not loyal to Caesar or loyal to God. We need to be loyal to Caesar and loyal to God. The word in verse 25 that we have as “give” – give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s is a word that suggests paying back a debt. They have things that they owe to Caesar – give them to him. They have things that they owe to God – give them to him.
We had a lovely time in Cornwall last month. The only downside was that it rained every single day apart from a couple of quite nice days. We had an absolute carload of luggage with us – which was a good thing because a lot of the space was taken up with clothes for sunny weather and clothes for cold, wet weather. Before we went away, we didn’t have a debate that went: “Which is it to be? Shall we take clothes for warm weather this year or clothes for wet weather?” We didn’t take clothes for sunshine or clothes for rain. We took clothes for sunshine and clothes for rain. And a good thing too because we needed both.
Now as I said, this is a direct attack on Jesus’ authority. They’re trying to make Jesus say that you need to be disloyal to God or disloyal to Caesar – you can’t be loyal to both. Whichever he picks, it makes him look incompetent and it makes it appear that you can’t follow him. But Jesus won’t have it. He asks his followers to be loyal to God and to the state. His authority is intact. The key it to realise what we owe to whom. “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.”
It’s back to packing for our holiday in Cornwall again. If we were going to be comfortable whatever the weather we needed to pack clothes for rain and for shine. But we also needed to put the right clothes on for any given day. On a sunny day wear the light clothes, on a wet day the warmer clothes.
“Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.” Loyal to God. Loyal to Caesar. But give the right things to the right person. As I say: Don’t lessen the authority of Jesus in the name of loyalty to the state.
What does this mean for us in practice? One thing it means is that we are not submitting to Jesus’ authority if we don’t give the state what we owe it. There are things that the state has the right to demand of us, and submission to Jesus requires us to give to Caesar what is Caesar’s. The two things that come to mind are taxes and laws, but I’m sure you’ll think of others.
Taxes, like income tax. If we leave things off our tax return, we’re not giving to Caesar what is Caesar’s. Taxes like VAT. If we buy something a bit cheaper by paying in cash, we are not giving to Caesar what is Caesar’s. And if we’re not giving to Caesar what is Caesar’s then we’re not submitting to Jesus’ authority.
Taxes… and laws. Laws like planning laws. If ever we’re tempted to short-circuit the planning application process because we’re serving the gospel then we’re not giving to Caesar what is Caesar’s. Or laws like motoring laws. If ever we’re tempted to drive at 80 on the motorway or 70 on a single carriageway or 40 through a built up area because we are about the Lord’s work – then we’re not giving to Caesar what is Caesar’s.
That’s one thing this means in practice. But the other thing it means is that we are not submitting to Jesus’ authority if we don’t give to God what we owe him, but give it to Caesar instead. Like putting on the winter woollies during a heat wave. This will be hard for us to notice, because the need to be good citizens of this country and good subjects to our government has been drummed into us from an early age – and quite right too. We must give to Caesar what is Caesar’s. But if we give to Caesar what is God’s then we’re not submitting to Jesus’ authority.
Let me give us some examples. I think it’s alarming that many schools are replacing the teaching of RE as a core subject with lessons in citizenship. This means that the schools will teach our young people to give things to Caesar. Of course they will – Caesar pays for the education. But the schools will not teach our young people to give to God what is God’s. We are going to have to do that.
The other thing that the state today dislikes is Jesus’ exclusive claim to be the way to God. The state wants religious harmony, and so hates the idea that those of other faiths and of no faith need to hear about Jesus if they are to be spared from eternal torment. Which means that, as the years pass, we will face greater and greater pressure not to evangelise those of other faiths. But again, this is where we need to keep the spheres apart. We need to give to Caesar what is Caesar’s – yes – but we also need to give to God what is God’s.
Jesus asked for a coin from his questioners and asked whose image and likeness was on it. Now consider our children. Or consider the people we know or meet who do not share our Christian faith. Whose likeness and image is on them? Genesis 1:26 tells us the answer to that. God said “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness.”. Then we must give to God what is God’s.
That’s the first question that Jesus is asked, which Luke records to say to us Don’t lessen the authority of Jesus in the name of loyalty to the state.
Don’t lessen the authority of Jesus in the name of loyalty to the Scriptures.
The second says this to us: Don’t lessen the authority of Jesus in the name of loyalty to the Scriptures. Don’t lessen the authority of Jesus in the name of loyalty to the Scriptures.
The second question comes from the Sadducees; we don’t know a lot about them, but Luke tells us the most important thing we need to know. They say there is no resurrection. OK – these are the “when I die, I rot” people.
Their question revolves around one of the laws in Deuteronomy. Imagine you are a single man, but your brother is married but has no children. If he dies and still has no children, that law would require you to marry his widow. And the first child you had with his widow, now your wife, would have to have your brother’s name, not your name. That way, his name, his reputation, his line gets to carry on.
I can see that being quite an important law to the Sadducees, can’t you? After all, they believed that your dead brother was gone, never to be seen again. The least you can do for him is to make sure he has some children to carry things on?
So here’s the question. Not just two brothers, but seven brothers. The same woman is married to each of them in turn. All seven brothers die. The woman dies. And in spite of all that, not a single child was born to any of them. And the question is: Jesus, you say that when people die they are raised back to life. OK. Then which of them will be her husband when that happens.
Do you see what they’re saying? You believe that people are raised from the dead. We don’t believe that – we think you’re wrong. And here is a passage in the Bible that shows that you are wrong, because what you believe looks frankly ridiculous in the light of that passage. There!
This last week, the year’s crime figures came out. According police figures, robberies are on the up. But according to the British Crime Survey, snatch thefts are going down. When you have contradictory reports like that in the public domain, it is enough to make any politician who speaks on crime look like they haven’t got a clue what they’re talking about. Whatever they say, someone else can go: But look at such and such a report – it says something different. No wonder the Home Office wants a complete revamp of the way crime figures are presented!
The Sadducees are treating Jesus a bit like that. They’re saying to him: What you say is all very well, but have a look at this part of the Bible. It says something different. In other words, they are not allowing him to teach them. They don’t like something he’s just said, so they turn to a passage of Scripture and say, “We prefer this bit, thank you, Jesus.” That’s why I’ve given this section of the chapter the heading: Don’t lessen the authority of Jesus in the name of loyalty to the Scriptures – that is exactly what the Sadducees were doing.
Now, Jesus answers the Sadducees head-on with a two-pronged answer. The first thing he shows them is that they’ve misunderstood their text. The passage they think shows that resurrection is a ridiculous idea doesn’t show that at all! Why not? Have a look at verse 34: “The people of this age marry and are given in marriage. But those who are considered worthy of taking part in that age and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry not be given in marriage, and they can no longer die.” In other words, men and women pairing off one-on-one in marriage is something that is only for this age. When it comes to the resurrection, that will no longer happen. “Therefore, Sadducees, you’ve misunderstood your text. The fact that one woman could have had seven husbands during her lifetime does not mean that she will have seven husbands at once when she is raised. Realise that, and your problem disappears.”
That’s the first prong of Jesus’ answer to the Sadducees. He shows them that the text they have just turned to, when it is understood properly, does not contradict what he is saying. The second prong to his reply is to take them to another text that says precisely what he is saying. Verse 37: “But in the account of the bush, even Moses showed that the dead rise, for he calls the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ He is not God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.”
“OK Sadducees,” he says, “now turn in your Bible to Exodus chapter 3. First, let me remind you of something you learnt in your Ladybird Book of Old Testament. When God says he is someone’s God, that means he is their God, he is committed to them in a covenant relationship, he knows them, he will keep his promises to them, he will look after them. OK, still with me, Sadducees? Now, in Exodus 3, who does God say he is committed to in this way? That’s right, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Who died at least 300 years before this occasion. 300 years after the death of Jacob, God appears to Moses and says that he knows Jacob and is committed to Jacob as his God. It seems,” says Jesus, that the “When I die, I rot” thesis falls down. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob may have died, but they still have quite a future ahead of them.”
And so Jesus has shown, pretty decisively, that waving the Bible at him to make him go away doesn’t work. The Sadducees come and say: We disagree, because of text X. Jesus says: Then you’ve misunderstood text X. Text X doesn’t disagree with me at all, when you understand it properly. Instead, you want to have a look at Text Y. It says exactly what the same thing as me. Jesus’ authority is intact because what he is teaching is utterly consistent with the Bible, and can even be found in the Bible.
Don’t lessen the authority of Jesus in the name of loyalty to the Scriptures. Because Jesus is loyal to the Bible, and the Bible is loyal to Jesus… I’ll say that again. Don’t lessen the authority of Jesus in the name of loyalty to the Scriptures. Because Jesus is loyal to the Bible, and the Bible is loyal to Jesus.
So what does this mean in practice for us today?
It means we can never take a passage of the Bible to Jesus and say to him: “There you go. This passage says you are wrong.” If we try it, Jesus will always disagree with us. He won’t disagree by saying: “No, I’m right and the passage is wrong.” He’ll say: “No, I’m right and the passage is right.” It’s both/and again, not either/or. He’ll say, “If you understand the passage rightly, and if you understand me rightly, we agree.”
In other words, we must never take two passages of the Bible, and say: “Jesus says this one. So I’ve got no time for that one.” If ever we do that, we are lessening Jesus’ authority, because Jesus says “this one” and “that one”.
Let me give us some very common and concrete examples.
There are passages in the Bible that say that God loves us. There are passages in the Bible that say that God hates sin. But it is so common to hear people say that because Jesus says “God loves us”, we shouldn’t talk too much about the passages that say “God hates sin”. Oh, people don’t often deny the fact that God hates sin – that’s too obvious. Just that we shouldn’t talk about it too much. But if we start to talk to like that we are not allowing Jesus to teach us. We are lessening his authority just like these Sadducees. Because Jesus, in his authority, agrees that God loves us. And Jesus, in his authority, agrees that God hates sin. And if we play down either we are lessening his authority.
Here’s another example that you will meet. There are passages in the Bible that tell us to love one another. There are passages in the Bible that say that hetero-sexual sex outside of marriage is wrong, or that homosexual sex is wrong. But you will hear people say, ever so often, that because Jesus says that we should love one another, we should not pass such unloving moral judgements. Yet again, this lessens Jesus’ authority. It stops Jesus from having his way amongst us by playing one text off against another.
One final example; again, frighteningly common. Sometimes you hear people say that they love the New Testament, and particularly the 4 gospels, but find the Old Testament outdated and less useful. But Jesus’ personally endorsed both halves of our Bible, and so this lessens his authority.
I could have picked dozens of other examples, as I’m sure could you. The point is that if Jesus has authority, then we are not at liberty to manufacture choices for ourselves. We live in a day and age that loves the idea of choice. Will I bank with NatWest or LloydsTSB. Will I go to York or Brunel next year. Will we send our children to Ravensmead or Wood Lane. We love choice. But we can’t treat Jesus like the weather forecast – if we don’t like what the BBC are saying, turn over to ITV and see if it’s any more cheery!
If we are going to follow Jesus, if he is going to have authority, then we need to submit to every text in Scripture. Don’t lessen the authority of Jesus in the name of loyalty to the Scriptures.
Conclusion
So, let’s tie things up. How much authority does Jesus have? The answer is that all authority on heaven and earth has been given to him. Various religious leaders come and question this in Luke chapter 20. But by the time we get to the end of the passage we’ve just been looking at, the authority of his questioners is in tatters, while Jesus’ authority is more sure than ever.
The Jewish people rejected Jesus authority. As a result, they were thrown out of God’s vineyard. They no longer have that privilege as a race. Instead, God in his kindness, has let his vineyard out to new tenants, to us. To anyone, Jew or Gentile, who will come to Jesus in repentance and faith. And so Luke is warning us not to repeat this mistake. Not to take our turn to reject Jesus’ authority.
Last week we saw the danger of undermining his authority personally. This morning we’ve seen the dangers of undermining his authority because we want to be loyal to the state, or because we want to be loyal to the Scriptures. Dangers we must resist.
No, Jesus runs this world. He has every right to tell us what to do, and the onus is on us to open our Bibles and allow him to do so. The question that we all face every day – both as individuals and as a church – is this: Will we submit to his authority as he tells us what to do, or will we try and wriggle out of it, try and whittle his authority away, in the kinds of ways that Luke is warning us of.