Hello, I’m Daniel Westfall on the channel “Pray With Me”.

In Mark 12, the Sadducees, a sect of Judaism that didn’t believe in the resurrection, told Jesus this story.

A married man died without leaving children. Following the law of Moses, his brother married the widow, but he died too. Five more brothers married her and died. Finally the exhausted woman died. 

“Who will be her husband in the resurrection?” the Sadducees asked, suggesting that Jesus’ whole idea of the resurrection was plainly ridiculous.

Jesus replied, “When people are resurrected, there won’t be marriage. They will be like the angels” (Mark 12:25). 

Two questions:

1. Where did Jesus get this information? Not from the Old Testament, which says almost nothing about resurrection. And he didn’t have artificial intelligence to hallucinate an answer for him. 

2. Was Jesus saying that when we are resurrected, we lose our identity as men and women? Will our resurrection transition us to another gender, or to no gender at all?

After teaching the Sadducees about resurrection marriage, Jesus commented on their resurrection-denial theory. 

He said, “Do you remember the burning bush, hundreds of years after Abraham died? When God said to Moses, ‘I am the God of Abraham’”. To Moses, Abraham was long dead, but to God, Abraham was still alive.  

Jesus concluded, “You’re wrong not to believe in the resurrection, because everyone who ever lived is alive to God.” 

Thinking about Jesus’ interpretation, it seems to me “I am the God of Abraham” can mean different things. Like, “I am the God who spoke to Abraham when he was alive. And now that he’s dead, I’m speaking to you, Moses.” 

Or God’s statement could mean, as Jesus interpreted it, “Lots of people appear dead to you, but everybody is alive to me.” 

Jesus put a lot of weight on the words “I am the God of Abraham”. He interpreted the present tense to mean Abraham was still alive to God. Many scripture interpreters try to imitate Jesus by squeezing deep meaning from every noun, verb, and preposition in scripture. Few are as succinct or as convincing as Jesus. 

Let’s pray. 

O father, whatever gender means in the resurrection, whatever Jesus understood in the grammar of scripture, we believe you are the God of the dead and the living. That you are the God of resurrection. 

Take these dying lives we live, have compassion on us as we debate scripture and grieve for the dead and wait for our end to come. Guide us on our fleeting journey. Draw us into resurrection life with you.

Amen. 

I’m Daniel, on the channel “Pray with Me”.  

YouTube channel: Pray with Me – YouTube

Hello, I’m Daniel Westfall on the channel “Pray With Me”.

In Mark 12, the Pharisees compliment Jesus: “Teacher, we know you are a man of integrity, and you teach God’s truth without wavering” (Mark 12:17).

Lovely. 

But it was only flattery, followed by a loaded question, “Is it right to pay tax to Caesar?” 

Rome had occupied the Promised Land God gave to Israel. If Jesus recommends paying taxes, his popularity tanks. If he recommends not paying taxes, Rome will crucify him as a rebel.   

Jesus said, “Show me the tax money” (Mark 12:15), and he asked, “Whose image is on the coin?” 

“Caesar’s,” they replied. Jesus said, “So what’s your problem? Give Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give God what belongs to God” (Mark 12:17).  

Let’s consider three ways of interpreting this story. 

Roman Catholics say that all authority, religious or secular, is instituted by God. Secular governments are not only supposed to prevent murder, theft, chaos, and abuse, they are to maintain peace and order. Religious authority comes from the pope, Christ’s representative on earth. 

This interpretation takes Jesus’ comment about taxation as a general principle that  Christians must support secular governments and religious authorities–especially when the religious authority is the pope.  

In another interpretation, Gandhi said Jesus’ statement was ironic. He said that when they showed Jesus the coin, Jesus replied with withering scorn, “You honor Caesar by keeping his picture in your pocket, spending his money, and receiving the benefits of Roman rule? The whole trajectory of your life supports Caesar’s system, and you squabble about taxes?” Gandhi believed Jesus’ teaching supports non-cooperation with the ruling powers. (Wikipedia, Render Unto Caesar (June 8,2025))

A third interpretation divides life into two categories: things that belong to God and things that belong to Caesar. The difficulty? How to fit everything into the right slot. 

When my church needs money, they don’t ask, “What are those pictures on the money you’re donating? Surely they’re not corrupt politicians? We don’t want that kind of money in our church!” No indeed. My church says, “Your money belongs to God. Give some to the church, no matter the picture, and we’ll give you a receipt so Caesar can give you a tax break.” 

My money and I participate actively in Caesar’s kingdom and Christ’s. But my heart and mind belong to Christ, not Caesar.

Let’s pray. 

O Father, as willing participants in world commerce, we enjoy protection and tax deductions from secular governments. 

Help us not to give more to Caesar than we should. Our hearts belong to you. Our trust is not in armies and presidents and constitutions because our salvation is a gift from you alone. 

Politicians are nefarious, governments capricious, money fleeting, and philosophies illusory. But your throne, O God, is forever and ever.

Help us find our place in your kingdom, in this world and the next.  

Amen. 

I’m Daniel, on the channel “Pray with Me”.  

YouTube channel: Pray with Me – YouTube

Hello, I’m Daniel Westfall on the channel “Pray With Me”.

In Mark 12, Jesus tells a story about a man who plants a vineyard, rents it to farmers, and goes on a trip. When he sends a servant to collect rent, the farmers beat him up and send him away. The owner sends another servant who is also abused. A third servant, the farmers kill.  

Finally the owner sends his son. The merciless farmers kill the son, dispose of the body, and say, “The vineyard is ours!” 

Jesus said, “What do you think the owner will do? He will come and kill the farmers and give the vineyard to others” (Mark 12:9).

Some comments. 

Jesus was building on a story the Old Testament prophet Isaiah told about a man who planted a vineyard. When it produced only bad fruit, the owner gave up his plans and destroyed the vineyard. Isaiah concludes,
    God’s vineyard is the nation of Israel. 
    He looked for justice, but saw bloodshed; 
         for righteousness, but heard cries of distress. 
             (Isa 5:7) 

In Jesus’ version of the story, it’s not just the vineyard-nation that’s a problem. Jesus points to the tenants, those occupying and managing the vineyard. The religious leaders, in charge of the Jewish religion, were deeply offended. 

But were they so deeply offended that they might kill the son who was trying to collect rent? Jesus thought so. He was the son. 

A second comment. Why wasn’t Jesus more friendly to the Jewish religion? After all, it’s the religion God gave Moses. It’s based on the Jewish scriptures. It’s the religion the Pharisees studied and followed. Sure, they made mistakes, but doesn’t everyone? 

Jesus’ complaint? The Pharisees did religion without growing in their understanding of God. They were trying to own the vineyard rather than see themselves as renters and stewards of God’s property. 

Now let me look in a mirror: I understand their problem. Me? I want to own the scriptures. I want to interpret them and tell everybody exactly what they mean. I want an organized, well-funded church. I don’t need Jesus telling me I’m wrong. I just need him as a saviour. In short, my approach to religion is uncomfortably close to that of the Pharisees. 

Let’s pray. 

O Father, you gave us scripture and commentaries and preachers and churches that create the religion we follow, and tell us what you want us to do. 

But where are you in our religion? Are you in the songs we sing, the sermons we preach,  the sacrifices we ask of ourselves and others? Are you chairman of the board? Are you chief financial officer?  

Help us find you as we practice religion. Help us recognize your presence. Teach us to know you and love you. 

Amen. 

I’m Daniel, on the channel “Pray with Me”.  

YouTube channel: Pray with Me – YouTube

Hello, I’m Daniel Westfall on the channel “Pray With Me”.

In Mark 11, after Jesus drove foreign-exchange merchants and livestock dealers out of the temple, the leaders asked him, “Who gave you authority to do that?” (Mark 11:28). 

Jesus knew they wouldn’t believe his answer, so he replied with a question, “Was John the Baptist’s baptism from heaven? Or did humans invent it?” (Mark 11:29-30). 

The temple leaders said to each other, “Careful, this is a trick question. If we say John’s message was from heaven, he’ll say, ‘So, why didn’t you believe it?’ But if we say John’s message was human, we’ll get stoned because everyone thinks John was a prophet” (Mark 11:31-32). 

So they answered, “We don’t know where John’s message was from.” 

Jesus replied, “Then neither will I tell you where my authority is from” (Mark 11:33).

Some comments on this curious turn of events. 

First, it’s not obvious to everyone when God is at work. The temple leaders had spent a lifetime studying their scriptures and practicing their religion. There’s no way they wanted questions from  a rude 33-year-old newbie who had zero training and no credentials. They didn’t appreciate Jesus trespassing on their turf and criticizing the way they ran the temple.

I wonder, are we aware and receptive when God is on the move? Or like the temple leaders, do we want to practice our religion undisturbed by hard questions?

Second, Jesus didn’t give a straight answer to a simple question. He could have said his authority came from God. Instead, he responded to a question with another question. 

Many of my questions Jesus doesn’t answer either. Why does God permit so much evil? Why doesn’t he answer more prayers? Why is the church so weak and ineffective? Maybe, like the temple leaders, I’m too foolish or ignorant or unbelieving to receive the real answers to my questions.

My third comment is that Jesus wanted the temple leaders to focus on something other than their sly questions. He showed them God was at work outside the confines of their temple religion. God was at work in Jesus’ miracles. He was at work in Jesus’ outraged response to temple abusers. God was at work in John the Baptist’s preaching and baptizing. But the temple leaders? They just couldn’t see God working in unexpected ways and through unconventional people like Jesus and John. 

Let’s pray. 

Our father, we have endless questions. But our duty is simple and clear. To believe in Jesus. To love others. To pray.

So we set our questions aside. We invite you to overturn the tables of our comfortable religion. As Jesus cast out the abusers in the temple, cast out our sins. Quash our self-serving, self-preserving instincts, and let us lose our lives and find them in the cross. 

Amen. 

I’m Daniel, on the channel “Pray with Me”.  

YouTube channel: Pray with Me – YouTube

Hello, I’m Daniel Westfall on the channel “Pray With Me”.

In Mark 11, after parading into Jerusalem, Jesus cursed a fig tree. Then he drove money-changing hucksters out of the temple. Feel the passionate anger in his words, “This is supposed to be a house of prayer. But you’ve made it a den of robbers!” (Mark 11:17, quoting Isa 56:7 and Jer 7:11).

William Barclay (The Gospel of Mark, The Daily Study Bible (Edinburgh: St. Andrews Press, 1975), 272-275) describes the situation this way. The inner temple, the court of priests, was hidden behind three levels of access. First: the court of the Gentiles, open to anyone. Next: the court of women, open to Jewish women. Third: the court of Israelites, the place of sacrifices. 

At Passover, people came from around the world to worship, pay the temple tax, and make sacrifices. The family of Annas, an ex-high priest, saw these tourists as a business opportunity. They needed local money to pay their temple tax and a supply of doves to make sacrifices. Sweet! Where better than the outer court of the temple to charge exorbitant exchange rates and sell doves at extortionate markups to people who came to worship!

Jesus didn’t think so. He said the outer court should be a place for people to pray, not a place to take advantage of them. So he acted violently, scattering money and overturning display tables, driving out the astonished businessmen.

The common people enjoyed the show. But Jesus’ anger offended the temple leaders. Who does this guy think he is? How dare he criticize us! We’ll interpret the law and determine what is and isn’t allowed in the temple. 

After leaving the temple and finding peace and quiet overnight, the next day Jesus and the disciples saw the fig tree. It was withered from the roots up. The disciples said, “Wow!” Jesus said, “If you have faith, you can tell a mountain to throw itself into the sea. In fact, whatever you ask in prayer, believe you have received it, and it’s yours” (Mark 11:22-25). 

Let’s pray. 

Jesus, we understand your clearing of the temple, but not your immense anger. Our society is full of Christian commercialism–religious books and art and magazines and music and posters and souvenirs. It can’t all be wrong, can it?

Jesus, were you angry at the commercialism, or at its location? Do you see in us some money-grubbing, grasping, and commercial part of our hearts that offends you? 

Our faith does not wither trees or move mountains. Our faith does not receive whatever we ask in prayer. 

O Jesus, change our hearts, move the mountains within us, change our plodding performance to vibrant faith. Teach us to live in the power of your kingdom. Teach us to ask and believe and receive. 

Amen. 

I’m Daniel, on the channel “Pray with Me”.  

YouTube channel: Pray with Me – YouTube