Christian's Responsibility to the State

In this part of the sermon: Martin begins by setting the sermon's context in Mark 12:13-17, reviewing the immediate historical and theological background of Jesus' Passion Week and the hypocritical questions…

Martin uses the analogy of a Rubik's Cube to explain that Christ's earthly life and ministry are a puzzle without significance apart from the meaning of his death, emphasizing the centrality of the cross.

I trust we understand with fresh appreciation the great central truth that Jesus was born to die, and that all of his life, all of his life, all of his life, all of his life, all of his life, all of his life, all of his life, all of his life, all of his life, all of his earthly life and ministry are without real significance. They are a puzzle that we cannot solve. They are a theological Rubik's Cube that we can never match up, apart from the significance of his death, the death to which he deliberately moved in laying down his life a ransom for many. And in our studies of Mark's Gospel, we ha...

3:13 - 4:37 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Render or pay back unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and unto God the things that are God's.

Martin quotes Dabney to define Mark 12:17 as an 'epitomizing passage,' meaning it condenses the general teaching of Scripture into a pregnant statement, highlighting its comprehensive nature.

And focus upon that text as it sets forth the fundamental directive of Jesus concerning men's responsibilities to the civil order and to God. In other words, we're going to open up, unpack, and apply in greater fullness the text that is central to this passage, and it is, of course, verse 17, and Jesus said, Render or pay back unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and unto God the things that are God's. Now in the oft-debated and very delicate and vexing question of paying taxes, loyalty to the government, and a host of other questions that fit into those categories, this passage is nothin...

7:20 - 8:45 Read in full sermon

Driving home: This statement did far more than rebuke the hypocrisy and presumption of those who asked it. It answered not only that question of theirs to all earnest men of that time, as it would present itself to their minds, but it…

Martin quotes Edersheim's 'Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah' to underscore the tremendous and strategic importance of Jesus' statement, arguing it settles the principle for all time and circumstances.

render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God, the things that are God's. And as I've meditated on this passage off and on over the past weeks, I am convinced that this statement of our Lord is seminal to the rest of the entire New Testament and apostolic teaching concerning the Christian's responsibility to the state. Edersheim, in his masterful work on the life and times of Jesus the Messiah, commenting on this passage, shares this view of its tremendous and strategic importance. He writes, This statement did far more than rebuke the hypocrisy and presumption of those who asked...

8:45 - 10:10 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: He details the historical context of Roman rule in Palestine, describing Herod the Great's reign, building projects, and the system of taxation. Martin highlights that this pagan…

Martin quotes Michael Grant's biography of Herod the Great to summarize Herod's complex character and ambition to maintain Jewish prosperity while cooperating with Rome, providing context for Roman rule.

On the one hand he attempted to rule in a civilized, rational and constructive manner. On the other he was placed plagued with a violent disposition. And at the end of his career he lost command of events and fell victim to the matrimonial intrigues he brought on himself by his polygamous relationships. To sum up in a sentence this kaleidoscopic character this many colored, many faceted, many angled character we can hardly do better than to use the words of his recent biographer Michael Grant his ambition was to keep the Jews intact and prosperous in their own country without losing the cooper...

14:19 - 15:46 Read in full sermon

The point: Make conscience of knowing what the distinct claims of Caesar (the state) and God are, and determine to render both as an act of obedience to Christ.

Martin uses the examples of the Zealots (who resisted Rome for God's sake) and the Herodians (who loved Roman lifestyle over God's law) to illustrate the false dichotomies Jesus cut down, showing how both groups failed to properly render to Caesar and God.

result when men do not and will not recognize this basic principle articulated by our Lord when the church and state overstep their God assigned boundaries horrible results follow you see these people that came to Jesus that day never could conceive of someone having true zeal for God and joyfully paying his taxes at one and the same time they had set up a false dichotomy if you have true zeal for God then you will long for the re-institution of the reign of God that is the theocracy and the reconstituted rule of David and his dynasty and therefore the way you show that that is the thing you a...

31:55 - 33:23 Read in full sermon

The point: Pay taxes, even if there is no representation or control over how the money is spent, as a legitimate claim of Caesar.

Martin uses the phrase 'American as apple pie' to critique the idea of 'taxation without representation' as a biblical justification for violent revolt, arguing that such concepts may be culturally ingrained but unbiblical.

taxation without representation as a means of violent revolt where do you find that in the Bible who was representing Christ in his apostles up there at Rome you see we buy junk that has no roots in the Bible maybe as American as apple pie but a curse on it if it violates the word of God Caesar the things that are Caesars and in the context the specific concern was this tax that was and you had no voice or vote in whether or not it would be levied that Jesus had give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar he's got a right to ask a tax but I don't control it that's right but those to spend for you th...

37:47 - 39:15 Read in full sermon

The point: Recognize human government as an ordinance of God, regardless of its form or specific rulers, and do not propagate revolution or liberation theology.

Martin points to the 'moral and spiritual morass' of the United States, arguing that political freedoms alone do not bring salvation but can lead to greater sin, contrasting it with the idea of 'liberation theology'.

in England it was written to Rome with Caesar on his throne never forget it and he says verse three rulers are not a terror to the good work but to the evil would you have no fear of the power do that which is good and you shall have praise from the same for he is a minister of God to you for good but if you do what is evil be afraid for he bears not the sword in vain he is a minister of God and avenger for wrath to him that does evil in rendering to Caesar the things that are Caesar's what am I to do I'm to recognize the institution of human government as an ordinance of God and that does not...

39:15 - 40:41 Read in full sermon

The point: Study the word of God to understand what the state has a right to require and what God requires, to avoid idolatry of the state or anarchy.

Martin notes that Paul, even from his Roman prison cell facing execution, did not instigate armed rebellion against Rome in his letters, illustrating the biblical stance against violent overthrow of government.

to have his head locked off by a Roman executioner he did not pen a third letter to Timothy and say the government has now become corrupt use all your influence to gather the people of God into a power to resist Rome and overthrow Rome the letters written from his Roman cell don't contain a shred of evidence that he sought to instigate armed rebellion against the powers that be and he wrote no fewer than four letters from his prison cell that are in the bible now friends I didn't write the bible but I am called to preach it render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's God has given to human g...

45:05 - 46:31 Read in full sermon

The point: Render to God all the claims of His law and gospel, having no other gods before Him, and obeying His commands even if it means suffering or death at the hands of the state.

The story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refusing to worship Nebuchadnezzar's idol is used to illustrate rendering to God what is God's, even when it means defying the state and facing death.

his law alone if I am to give to God the things that are God's then I must have no other God's before him suppose the state steps in and says we'll be God well that's exactly what the state tried to do with the three Hebrew children didn't they the state said Nebuchadnezzar three Hebrew children say uh huh oh Nebi you tell me to polish my boots honor to whom honors do you tell me to pay my taxes I'll do it you tell me to worship you as God can't do it because we are rendering to God the things that are God's and God has said thou shall have no other God's before me you'll go to the furnace the...

46:31 - 47:59 Read in full sermon

The point: Render to God all the claims of His law and gospel, having no other gods before Him, and obeying His commands even if it means suffering or death at the hands of the state.

The story of Daniel praying despite the king's decree is used to illustrate rendering to God what is God's, even when it means defying the state and facing punishment.

his law alone if I am to give to God the things that are God's then I must have no other God's before him suppose the state steps in and says we'll be God well that's exactly what the state tried to do with the three Hebrew children didn't they the state said Nebuchadnezzar three Hebrew children say uh huh oh Nebi you tell me to polish my boots honor to whom honors do you tell me to pay my taxes I'll do it you tell me to worship you as God can't do it because we are rendering to God the things that are God's and God has said thou shall have no other God's before me you'll go to the furnace the...

46:31 - 47:59 Read in full sermon

The point: Acknowledge your infinite debt to God for failing to keep His holy law and render what is due to Him.

Martin contrasts the healthy fear and respect for police he experienced growing up in the post-war generation with the disrespect shown during the 1960s riots, illustrating the importance of fear of civil authority as a restraint on sin.

Caesar, Romans 13 says that he is God's menace to evil it is the instrument of God and therefore Paul says we better be afraid we must not only do it for conscience sake but be afraid that is one of the marked differences I have seen in this post war generation let's get used to it when back in the 60's they had the draft card burning and the riots on the campuses the little bit I saw on television because I don't believe we had a TV at the time but occasionally I would be somewhere I could see it I remember how it used to make my blood just chill within my veins to see smart alecky 18, 19 yea...

50:55 - 52:21 Read in full sermon