The image on a coin Mk 12:13-17

GOSPEL OF MARK SERIES.

THE BIBLE: GOSPEL OF MARK SERIES ICON.

 

During 2019, each week, I will write a weekly post about the Gospel of Mark, as I review and explore each of the 16 chapters and how it may be applied in our daily lives. If you are following this series for the first time, you will find this series under Scripture- New Testament- Gospel of Mark. 

Click here to read the first post in the series. I have written this series in different years (2012, 2015, 2018) with some irregularity, but am determined to complete this series this year since I am more than half way through this Gospel.

My goal is to understand and pray the Gospel of Mark. I hope you will join me on this journey as we travel through the liturgical season.  In today's post we explore chapter 12:13-17 which is called The image on a coin.

THE IMAGE ON A COIN.

The priests, scribes, and elders failed in their attach on Jesus (11:27-33), so they send some Pharisees and some Herodians to trap him and discredit him before the people.  The Pharisees were zealous for the strict observance of the law of Moses that was adapted to their own times.  The Herodians were political nationalists, supports of Herod Antipas.  Both groups seemed to show tolerance towards the presence in Israel of the Roman occupying power.  Neither was actively rebellious against Roman occupation as the zealots were.

Their flattery of Jesus, as one who teaches faithfully ‘the way of God’, may reflect the popular estimation of him, at least among those coming from Galilee.

The question about taxes is an attempt to upset Jesus.  If he answers yes, the people of Jerusalem will reject him as a collaborator with the Romans.  If he answers no, the Roman authorities in Jerusalem will take action again him.  As before with the Jerusalem leaders, He answers by putting His own question, asking whose image is on the money they use in Jerusalem.

On a silver Roman denarius at the time was the image of the Roman Emperor Tiberius (4-37 AD) and the words, ‘Tiberius Caesar, son the divine Augustus, the high priest.  These were blasphemous words for a Jew.  Nevertheless, the Jews used Roman coins, thereby admitting Roman authority, even though they changed the foreign money into Jewish coins for their temple offerings.

Without directly answering their questions, Jesus makes His teaching clear. Since the image of Caesar is on the coins then in some way it belongs to Him, so give it back to Him.  The just demands of secular authority are to be respected. Since men and women are made in the image of God, as every Jew believed, then each one belongs to God and is called to give oneself back to God.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

In our journal and/or our discussion group we may wish to reflect on this passage as follows:

• Name the key points that you have learnt about the person of Jesus in this passage of scripture?

• Imagine that you are one of the disciples- What do you see and hear and feel. What can I learn from this?

• Imagine being Jesus telling the disciples and the and knowing that they did not understand- what would you have felt?  

• What is reading the Gospel passage with the eyes and ears of disciple mean to me?

• How does Jesus make clear His teaching to me in this passage?
  
• Consider a situation in your life today where the parable of Jesus about the image on a coin might have a meaning for you.
  
  
• Pray for people called to be God’s servants and messengers in places and situations where they are treated badly. Is there a situation or a person in your parish who is treated badly for doing the right thing?
  
• Consider how much my faith gives a special ‘taste’ to my day to day living as a Christian, that is, one who follows Jesus as the Christ?
  
• What are the areas in my life I need to bring to Jesus in the light of this parable? What questions do I want to ask Him?

• Am I willing to look into myself with honesty and ask how much do I grasp what it means to be a true disciple of Jesus in the light of this teaching? 

• Is my faith in the divine power of Christ, whom we follow, large enough to make us ready to follow the teachings of Jesus?