Breaking the Word

Someone in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, tell my brother to share the inheritance with me." He replied to him, "Friend, who appointed me as your judge and arbitrator?" Then he said to the crowd, "Take care to guard against all greed, for though one may be rich, one's life does not consist of possessions." Then he told them a parable. "There was a rich man whose land produced a bountiful harvest. He asked himself, 'What shall I do, for I do not have space to store my harvest?' And he said, 'This is what I shall do: I shall tear down my barns and build larger ones. There I shall store all my grain and other goods and I shall say to myself, "Now as for you, you have so many good things stored up for many years, rest, eat, drink, be merry!" But God said to him, 'You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you; and the things you have prepared, to whom will they belong?' Thus will it be for the one who stores up treasure for himself but is not rich in what matters to God." (Lk 12:13-21)

Jesus refuses to be a judge between brothers. Brothers are fighting for their right to share of property. Only people of greed fight for property and they go to judges to demand for shares. Jesus also says that life does not consist in possessions. Right from day one Jesus was very sure of his moves. God was everything for him and Godly kingdom.

Parable also communicates the same message. Man might think that all what he has (possesses) will make him happy and live long. But life is not in his control. There is someone beyond him and his planning. It is God who controls the events of life. Man cannot plan for his life. Man may have everything he wants but to plan for the future is not in his hands. He has to fall into the plan of God.

The rich man is not the one who possesses lots of things on this earth. Richness consists in possessing things of God. Jesus was sure of this and he continued to preach on this. He lived his life also accordingly. We are in this world but we do not belong to this world. We are all creatures of God and we are to return to God. Only those who are aware of this and live accordingly are truly rich. 

Then the Pharisees went off and plotted how they might entrap him in speech. They sent their disciples to him, with the Herodians, saying, "Teacher, we know that you are a truthful man and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. And you are not concerned with anyone's opinion, for you do not regard a person's status. Tell us, then, what is your opinion: Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not?" Knowing their malice, Jesus said, "Why are you testing me, you hypocrites? Show me the coin that pays the census tax." Then they handed him the Roman coin. He said to them, "Whose image is this and whose inscription?" They replied, "Caesar's." At that he said to them, "Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God."  (Mt 22: 15-21)

Pharisees were against Jesus. They joined hands with anyone who would also fight against Jesus. They knew that Jesus was preaching the kingdom and all he said was true. They were trying to trap him to find fault with him. So far all what he said was true and they indirectly agree to what Jesus has taught and has done. There was truth in his speech and there was kindness, mercy, love in his deeds.

Paying tax to Rome would imply that he has taken side with the social force and acknowledged the Roman Empire. The Pharisees totally opposed Romans so also there were groups who opposed the presence of Romans in Israel and they were fighting against them. Since Jesus had not said anything about Romans they thought that he was on their side and hence they wanted him to answer openly and thus trap him.

Jesus’ answer pulled the carpet from under their feet. They did not expect this answer from. Jesus strongly rooted in God and for him God meant everything. Living in the society one cannot deny the society and the social and civil duties. That is why Jesus when prays for the Disciples in the Gospel of John, he would say that they (disciples) are in the world but do not belong to the world.