MARK - My Words (17)

 

Then some of the leading philosophers of the time came to ask Jesus a thorny question.

“What if a woman where to marry.  She has children but her husband dies.  She goes on to marry her brother-in-law, but he also dies.  She continues marrying her first husband’s brothers.  Lastly she dies.  The all meet in heaven.  Which man will be her husband?”

Jesus sighed and replied saying “You have missed the point altogether.  This life is a shadow of the next.  In heaven we will be like the angels, and not live as we do on this ‘mortal coil’. 

Recall; the Creator declared from the burning bush to Moses, ‘I am the Creator of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob’.  The Creator spoke of them as living, not dead.  You need to return to your studies.”

Jesus himself asked a tricky question.  “The religious leaders teach that the one to rescue us will be a child from the house of King David.  But in the record it says that King David spoke of the rescuer, saying:

‘Honoured Lord, Sit next to me, and I will humble your enemies.’  So I suggest that we should consider the ‘rescuer’ to be more than just a royal successor.”  The people were fascinated by these new ideas. 

“Be careful what you believe.  These grand teachers blow their own trumpet.  They make out that they’ve mastered the mysteries of the world.  They also get rich from exploiting the poor.  They are the ones who will be the most severely judged.”

Jesus noticed the people giving money to the temple authorities.  He saw a very poor widow put in two small coins.  He also saw rich people making massive donations.  He pulled his friends aside and noted,

“This widow is the one who is greatest in the eyes of the Creator.  She gives without thinking of herself, whereas the rich give only from their surplus, and the gift doesn’t affect them at all.”

It's fine to have a thorny discussion, but only if it is conducted in love.  These questions were designed to put Jesus on the ground.  'The women' should not marry her brothers wife under Jewish law.  Would she therefore go to heaven?  The nature of heaven is a mind boggling concept from the outset.  Jesus said they were going down a rabbit hole which he refused to follow.  Everyone could see he was right.

Jesus' own biblical challenge needs more study.  The way I read it is that over the years the religious leaders had interpreted the coming of 'the Messiah' to mean an inferior personage with a practical role.  Perhaps this is why the people thought the messiah might be a revolutionary.  Jesus is correcting this position to indicate that the Messiah is at least as great as David himself.  The people understood what he was saying.

It is very easy for Jesus' position to be reduced in our minds.  It's interesting that a google search for Jesus (in the UK) goes, Jesus College, Church of the Latter Day Saints, and finally Gabriel Jesus who plays for Arsenal.

I am also interested in Jesus' view of giving.  The old woman was giving her last pennies to the corrupt, wealthy religious system.  The act in itself was of little value materially, but the act spiritually was immense.  What do we do when our church wants to undertake a costly building project?