Passage
Mark 12:13-27 (ESV)
Joseph Before Pharaoh
Genesis 41:1-36
Key Verse: 41:28
The Divine Wisdom of Christ
Date: May. 29, 2016
Daily Bread
Key Verse: 12:27
He is not God of the dead, but of the living. You are quite wrong.”
First, the imperial tax (13-17). The Pharisees and Herodians tried to catch Jesus with a "no win" scenario: "Is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not?" If Jesus said "yes", then he would be perceived as supporting the Roman occupation. If he said "no", then he could be accused of starting a rebellion. They thought they had Jesus, but the Lord's wisdom prevailed. It was not a "yes" or "no" question. We are to be givers to both God and government. Christians are to support and obey civil leaders because their authority comes from God. We are also to give to God what is rightfully His - all of our heart, mind, soul, and strength.
Second, the truth of the resurrection (18-27). True wisdom is based on a knowledge of scripture and the power of God. The Sadducees approached Jesus with a far-fetched situation that was meant to dispel any belief in the resurrection. However, if they had known and believed the scriptures, they would have realized that God is the God of the living, not the dead. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are not dead, but alive and present with the Lord. Jesus told the Sadducees, "You are badly mistaken!" We are too if we doubt God's promise of eternal life for those who put their trust in Jesus. He has the power and the authority to give life.
Prayer: Father, give us the wisdom of Christ in our hearts.
One Word: Trust Jesus, the Wisdom of God
