Daily Office

Proper 6: Tuesday: What do we owe the Emporer?

Today's Readings:

• Psalm 78:1-39
• 1 Samuel. 1:21-2:11
• Acts 1:15-26
• Luke 20:19-26

Hannah 'lends' Samuel to the Lord. Isn't that interesting? As a member of God's creation, Samuel and Hannah already belong to the Lord, but Hannah's dedication is similar to our modern promises made when we baptize infants: we promise to raise them in the Lord. Hannah goes to the extreme by letting Samuel grow up in the Church. Her prayer demonstrates the foundational nature of God's existence.
Peter recounts the betrayal of Judas and the death of Judas. Peter describes this in a different manner than the Gospel of Matthew. Peter's account (well, this is and extension of the Gospel of Luke, so it's Luke's account) describes Judas' death as vengeance from God, but in Matthew Judas commits suicide. This is another reminder that the early Christian Church was not unified in their story or beliefs. Another sign: over a hundred people cast lots to determine who would replace Judas in the Twelve. Already there is a political division: the Twelve and the Rest. There are divided views, otherwise Matthias would be chosen unanimously or not have had competition. What happened to the people who supported Joseph (also called Justus or Barsabbas)? The Church was not unified, and the Bible that we know today is the result of the winners in the historical battles for the identity and control of the Christian Church.
Anyway, back to Luke's Gospel. Jesus avoids another clever trap. Jesus tells the scribes to give to the Emporer what is the Emporer's, and give to God what is God's. It's a clever answer that mystifies his detractors. Everything comes from God: every gift and talent. So whatdo we owe the emporer? SInce we don't live in a monarchy, we might as well as "What do we owe to the material world?" It's a bit of a jump, but it's how I understand the deeper meaning of the question. Jesus taught us that we cannot have two masters. We cannot serve both, but the scribes live ina world that straddles loyalties to the Emporer and to God.
What do we owe God? What physical thing? Hannah cannot give Samuel to God because God already owns him, and Hannah, and us. What God wants from us is love, loyalty, and relationship. He does not want sacrificial animals or statues. There is nothing we can make as a gift to God. The gifts we can give God are immaterial.
Stepping back a bit, Jesus also told us that are two great commandments: Love God with all your heart, mind, and soul; Love your neighbor as yourself. What should we give the emporer? Love. Christian Love. The English language is too limited to avoid adjectives here. I think there are eleven different words in the Bible that are translated as 'Love' in English editions. Maybe the love we need to give to the emporer (or leaders of the world, or anyone else) is agape love. To God we give the sacrifice of thanksgiving, which means getting past our human ego and thanking God for all the gifts of this world.

posted by Josh English @ 12:55 PM