納稅給凱撒的問題
（太22‧15－22；路20‧19－26）
後來，他們打發幾個法利賽人和幾個希律黨的人到耶穌那裏，要就着他的話陷害他。
他們來了，就對他說：「夫子，我們知道你是誠實的，甚麼人你都不徇情面；因為你不看人的外貌，乃是誠誠實實傳神的道。納稅給凱撒可以不可以？
我們該納不該納？」耶穌知道他們的假意，就對他們說：「你們為甚麼試探我？拿一個銀錢來給我看！」
他們就拿了來。耶穌說：「這像和這號是誰的？」他們說：「是凱撒的。」
耶穌說：「凱撒的物當歸給凱撒，神的物當歸給神。」他們就很希奇他。
復活的問題
（太22‧23－33；路20‧27－40）
撒都該人常說沒有復活的事。他們來問耶穌說：
「夫子，摩西為我們寫着說：『人若死了，撇下妻子，沒有孩子，他兄弟當娶他的妻，為哥哥生子立後。』
有弟兄七人，第一個娶了妻，死了，沒有留下孩子。
第二個娶了她，也死了，沒有留下孩子。第三個也是這樣。
那七個人都沒有留下孩子；末了，那婦人也死了。
當復活的時候，她是哪一個的妻子呢？因為他們七個人都娶過她。」
耶穌說：「你們所以錯了，豈不是因為不明白聖經，不曉得神的大能嗎？
人從死裏復活，也不娶也不嫁，乃像天上的使者一樣。
論到死人復活，你們沒有念過摩西的書荊棘篇上所載的嗎？神對摩西說：『我是亞伯拉罕的神，以撒的神，雅各的神。』
神不是死人的神，乃是活人的神。你們是大錯了。」
最大的誡命
（太22‧34－40；路10‧25－28）
有一個文士來，聽見他們辯論，曉得耶穌回答的好，就問他說：「誡命中哪是第一要緊的呢？」
耶穌回答說：「第一要緊的就是說：『以色列啊，你要聽，主－我們神是獨一的主。 30你要盡心、盡性、盡意、盡力愛主－你的神。』
其次就是說：『要愛人如己。 』再沒有比這兩條誡命更大的了。」
那文士對耶穌說：「夫子說，神是一位，實在不錯；除了他以外，再沒有別的神；
並且盡心、盡智、盡力愛他，又愛人如己，就比一切燔祭和各樣祭祀好的多。」
耶穌見他回答的有智慧，就對他說：「你離神的國不遠了。」從此以後，沒有人敢再問他甚麼。
今天我們一次聽三個故事，這段故事記得在馬可福音的12章，我把它稱為「耶穌舌戰群儒」。耶穌在這裡用非常精闢的比喻跟智慧，一次跟三組人馬來辯論，並且都有精彩的回答。來看看這三段故事給我們的智慧。其實每一段故事都可以寫一篇講道，我們這邊先整體地去分析一下每個故事裡的智慧。
首先，法利賽人用一個狡猾的手段想要陷耶穌於困境之中。他們先用虛假的讚美放在耶穌頭上，但其實想要的是讓耶穌無法回答，讓他在眾人之前讓他地位一落千丈。耶穌看出他們的奸詐，就借了一個銀幣來解說。
錢幣代表一個國家的國力和勢力範圍。當時的羅馬帝國相當強盛，所以在錢幣上也印了凱撒的名號，以及他的頭像。對於猶太人來說，納稅給凱撒是他們相當厭惡但又不能不做的事情。奮銳黨，也就是猶太人的一些復國份子，是堅持不要納稅給凱撒的。如果耶穌在這時候說要納稅給凱撒，那麼猶太人一定會對他大失所望，並且把他視為猶太人的叛徒。但如果他公開拒絕納稅，那麼他馬上就會被羅馬政府逮捕。這是一個精心策劃的陷阱。
而耶穌的回答不僅僅是回應他們的刁鑽，也確定了一些重要的原則。首先，耶穌並沒有否認需要納稅這件事情，因為地上的政府是上帝所賜予的權柄，所以我們其實要順服政府，當這個政府有責任符合照顧地上居民的責任，維護國家和平，並跟隨上帝的原則的話，順服這個政府是應該的。羅馬書13章7節 (7凡人所當得的，就給他。當得糧的，給他納糧；當得稅的，給他上稅；當懼怕的，懼怕他；當恭敬的，恭敬他。) 和提多書3章1-2節 (你要提醒眾人，叫他們順服做官的、掌權的，遵他的命，預備行各樣的善事。 不要毀謗，不要爭競，總要和平，向眾人大顯溫柔)，保羅也提到關於政府管理人民這件事情是從上而來的權柄，所以在一般正常的情況下，我們是要順服政府的。
而這個時候耶穌也同時回答了，他說，凱撒的東西給凱撒，這個是對的，因為一個國家的錢幣就代表這個國家的勢力，所以給凱撒納稅，營運政府，這個其實是符合地上的原則的，但同時間因為人有上帝的形象，所以其實我們每一個人都應當歸回上帝。在這裡耶穌既回答地上政權的合法性，也回答了我們真正該要順服的是來自天上的上帝的旨意，這是馬丁路德所提到的一個神學觀點，叫做「兩個國度」（Two Kingdom）的這個觀念。一個基督徒其實同時間是兩個國家的人民，一個是地上的國家，另外一個是天上的國家，而我們當尊崇的是更高的天上的國家的原則，而活在地上的國家則為地上的事情來盡責任。
這句話回答出來，法利賽人沒話可說，非常精彩的第一輪交鋒。
而第二個問題，則是由撒都該人所提出來。撒都該人其實也是猶太人的一派人，他們人數不多，通常出生於貴族。他們跟羅馬人走得比較近，所以很多時候是被法利賽人瞧不起或者是被敵對的，因為法利賽人認為他們跟俗人再一起，不是聖潔的生活方式。在耶穌來之前法利賽人和撒都該人其實是處於一個敵對的狀態，他們是水火不容的，但奇妙的事情是耶穌一來了，他們居然連手為了要抵抗耶穌，我們看見世界的勢力會聯合起來要抵抗來自天國的真理。
而撒都該人也不遵從很多法利賽人所提倡的口傳律法，他們只信摩西五經，就是摩西所寫下來的五本經書，所以撒都該人認為，在摩西五經裡面沒有記載復活的事情，所以他們就不認為有復活這件事情。這時候我們應該已經看見了撒都該人正在自打耳光。他們已經不信復活這件事情，卻又拿復活來當一件事情問耶穌。耶穌的也很直接的回答他們說，你們沒有搞懂，摩西在出埃及記的荊棘篇早就提過了，上帝不是死人的上帝，是活人的上帝。摩西寫書的那時候的亞伯拉罕，以撒，雅各，在四百多年前就已經離開地上的世界，而是在天上的世界。耶穌在這個時候就徹底的告訴他們說，你們沒讀懂摩西的書，摩西早就提過關於復活的事情了。
第二場精彩的交鋒，耶穌再一勝。
第三個問題，這個律法師丟出一個大哉問：這麼多誡命之中，哪一條最重要？換個方式來講，在當時律法有相當相當的多，就算是把申命記跟民數記的律法算一算，都有好幾百條。還不算當時極度繁雜的口傳律法和各種規定。要從這麼多律法裡面挑出最重要的，這也是一個非常要為難耶穌的一件事情。
而這裡耶穌又直接講到兩個最重要的核心，重點分別是出於申命記6:4節，以及利未記19:18。耶穌也告訴我們上帝真正在乎的總原則是愛，如果你能夠先愛上帝與愛的源頭接連上，你就擁有了上帝的愛，用這樣的愛來愛人的時候，你就可以像孔子所說的，隨心所欲而不逾矩，這其實也是孔子在追求的境界，只是他不認識上帝，所以他所能達到的就是仁，而不是耶穌犧牲自我的愛。律法的原則就是，如果你能夠明白愛上帝，從上帝那邊得到愛，以後來用這樣的愛去愛人的話，你做任何事情都不會走偏，做什麼都可以了。所以耶穌把誡命的核心思想講清楚了，全心全意愛上帝，接下來愛人如己。而保羅在加拉太書5:14也重複了這一句話：一切的律法都包含在愛人如己這句話之中了。
第三場精彩的交鋒，耶穌完勝。
這三個故事在講的事情其實都是一樣的，我們當思想的事情不是律法的規範，而是原則上的理解和掌握。基督徒已經擁有了自由，擁有了愛，擁有了被赦免的寬恕。我們不應當再把自己的生活或是別人生活用律法再次來捆綁，我們得注意的原則就是，我們是否有活出愛的生活？我們是否有愛上帝？我們是否有愛我們的鄰舍？我們是否有彼此相愛？當我們行一切事做一切事是處於愛的動機的時候，我們就擁有了安全的保障，並且且能夠知道我們所做的是符合上帝的心意。
耶穌舌戰群儒，一次打三場，而且三場都有非常精彩的回應。這三個故事的值得我們一讀再讀，好好來思想一下其中的含義。感謝各位的聆聽，明天把第12章耶穌的來歷，他是誰的子孫，以及最後的一些教訓來分享。
Paying the Imperial Tax to Caesar
Later they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to Jesus to catch him in his words.
They came to him and said, “Teacher, we know that you are a man of integrity. You aren’t swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are; but you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not?
Should we pay or shouldn’t we?”
But Jesus knew their hypocrisy. “Why are you trying to trap me?”he asked. “Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.”
They brought the coin, and he asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?”
“Caesar’s,” they replied.
Then Jesus said to them, “Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.”
And they were amazed at him.
Marriage at the Resurrection
Then the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to him with a question.
“Teacher,” they said, “Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man must marry the widow and raise up offspring for his brother.
Now there were seven brothers. The first one married and died without leaving any children.
The second one married the widow, but he also died, leaving no child. It was the same with the third.
In fact, none of the seven left any children. Last of all, the woman died too.
At the resurrection whose wife will she be, since the seven were married to her?”
Jesus replied, “Are you not in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God?
When the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven.
Now about the dead rising—have you not read in the Book of Moses, in the account of the burning bush, how God said to him, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’?
He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. You are badly mistaken!”
The Greatest Commandment
One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”
“The most important one,”answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’
The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”
“Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him.
To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.”And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions.
Today we're going to listen to three stories, found in Mark 12, which I call "Jesus' Verbal Duel with Scholars." In these encounters, Jesus engages in profound discourse and wisdom, debating with three groups and delivering brilliant responses. Let's delve into the wisdom conveyed by these three narratives. In fact, each story could be a sermon in itself, but for now, let's analyze the wisdom embedded within each one.
Firstly, the Pharisees attempted to ensnare Jesus using cunning tactics. They began with false flattery, seeking to trap Jesus into a dilemma where he couldn't respond, thus causing him to lose face in front of the crowd. Seeing through their deceit, Jesus employed a denarius to illustrate his point.
The coin symbolized a nation's power and influence. At that time, the Roman Empire was mighty, hence the coin bore Caesar's name and image, signifying Roman authority. For the Jews, paying taxes to Caesar was a detested yet obligatory duty. The Zealots, a faction advocating Jewish sovereignty, staunchly opposed taxation to Caesar. If Jesus had advocated paying taxes to Caesar, he would have disappointed the Jews, likely being viewed as a traitor. Conversely, openly refusing to pay taxes would have led to immediate arrest by Roman authorities. It was a meticulously planned trap.
Jesus' response not only addressed their cunning but also affirmed some crucial principles. Firstly, Jesus didn't deny the necessity of paying taxes because earthly authorities derive their power from God. Therefore, it's our duty to submit to the government when it fulfills its responsibilities to care for its citizens, maintain peace, and adhere to God's principles. As Paul mentioned in Romans 13:7, "Render to all what is due them: tax to whom tax is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor." Additionally, Titus 3:1-2 advises believers to "Remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed, to malign no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing every consideration for all men." Paul emphasizes that governmental authority is ordained by God and, under normal circumstances, we are to submit to it.
With this response, the Pharisees were left speechless, marking a brilliant conclusion to the first round of verbal sparring.
The second question was raised by the Sadducees, another sect within Judaism. The Sadducees, often of noble birth, were relatively few in number and had closer ties with the Romans. Consequently, they were often looked down upon by the Pharisees for their association with gentiles, considered a less holy lifestyle. Before Jesus' arrival, the Pharisees and Sadducees were in a state of hostility, diametrically opposed to each other. However, remarkably, upon Jesus' appearance, they joined forces against him, demonstrating how worldly powers unite to resist heavenly truth.
Unlike the Pharisees who adhered to oral traditions, the Sadducees only accepted the written Law of Moses, specifically the first five books known as the Pentateuch. Consequently, they denied the concept of resurrection, as it was not explicitly mentioned in the Pentateuch. It's evident here that the Sadducees were essentially contradicting themselves. Despite their disbelief in resurrection, they posed the question of resurrection to Jesus. In response, Jesus directly refuted their misunderstanding by pointing out that Moses, in Exodus, had already alluded to the concept of resurrection when God referred to himself as "the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." Jesus clarified that these patriarchs were not merely dead, but alive in the heavenly realm, emphasizing their continued existence beyond earthly life.
In this second captivating exchange, Jesus emerged victorious once again.
In the third question, a legal expert posed a profound inquiry: among the myriad commandments, which is the most important? To put it into perspective, the legal framework of the time was extensive, with hundreds of laws even when considering the combined regulations from Deuteronomy and Numbers alone. This doesn't even include the exceedingly complex oral traditions and various additional regulations of the time. Choosing the most crucial commandment from this vast array was indeed a daunting task, one that challenged Jesus.
Here, Jesus directly addresses the two core principles, emphasizing passages from Deuteronomy 6:4 and Leviticus 19:18. He reveals that the overarching principle that truly matters to God is love. By first loving God and connecting with the source of love, you receive God's love. When you love others with this love, you can, as Confucius said, act according to your heart's desire without transgressing boundaries. This state of being is what Confucius pursued, albeit without recognizing God, hence achieving benevolence rather than Jesus' sacrificial love. The principle of the law is this: if you understand how to love God and receive love from God, and then love others with that love, you will not go astray in anything you do. Therefore, Jesus elucidates the core essence of the commandments: to love God with all your heart, soul, and mind, and to love your neighbor as yourself. Paul reiterates this in Galatians 5:14, stating that all the law is fulfilled in the single commandment to love your neighbor as yourself.
In the third captivating exchange, Jesus emerged victorious once again.
These three stories all convey the same message: our focus should not be on legalistic regulations but on grasping and embodying principles. As Christians, we already possess freedom, love, and the forgiveness of sins. We shouldn't bind ourselves or others with the law; instead, we should focus on whether we are living lives of love. Do we love God? Do we love our neighbors? Do we love one another? When our actions are motivated by love, we have security and assurance that what we do aligns with God's will.
Jesus engaged in verbal duels with various groups, winning all three encounters with remarkably insightful responses. These stories are worth revisiting and contemplating their significance. Thank you all for listening. Tomorrow, I will share more about Jesus' lineage in Chapter 12, along with some final teachings.
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