Isaiah begins this section with a beatific vision of the
future glory of Jerusalem. It will be
physically lifted above the other mountains to become highest and all nations
will come to hear of the Lord, to learn His ways that they may walk in them. We know that John the Revelator saw the same
vision but that this new Jerusalem came down out of heaven after the
destruction of the original Jerusalem along with the rest of the earth and John
saw the same streaming of the peoples to the city. In every way, this passage is uplifting, and
encouragement to the nation and those who love her. Then, however, he moves into the present
which is not so uplifting. The Lord has
rejected His people because they have brought the religious ideas of other
nations into Jerusalem and mixed these with the truth revealed to them at
Sinai. They, instead of being a light to
the nations, have become culturally and religiously like the nations, with the
same values and practices. For this,
judgment is coming, all will first be brought low before it is exalted.
The scribes and chief priests seek to trip Jesus up and get
Him into hot water with the civil authorities.
Their plan begins with much flattery that was easily spotted, “Teacher,
we know that you speak and teach rightly, and show no partiality, but truly
teach the way of God." Really? They have opposed Him all along, questioned
Him and tried to destroy Him but now He speaks and teaches rightly, truly
teaching the way of God. The man who was
constantly questioned about His work on the Sabbath, the man who was thought
impure because of His association with tax collectors and sinners? The man who was said to have a demon and who
cast out demons by the chief demon himself?
Can you just see the wry smile and shaking of the head? Then, the trap, is it lawful to pay taxes to
Caesar. If yes, then He has cut Himself
off from some of the Jews who believe it wrong to recognize Caesar as king, and
if no, Caesar will deal with this insurrectionist. Jesus' example is perfect. The coin must belong to Caesar, it bears His
imprint and likeness, therefore, give to him what belongs to him. We, who bear the image and likeness of God,
must give to Him what is His. They are
using worldly wisdom, He is spiritually wise.
Paul's work in Thessalonica is described in Acts 17 and you can
see that as soon as his word began to bear fruit among some in the synagogue,
among the Greeks and among the leading women of the area, there was organized
opposition from the Jews. Their main
work was to drag one of the leaders of the church there before the civil
authorities and accuse him and the church of "acting against the
decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.” Sounds like what the leaders were attempting
to do in the Gospel doesn't it? Paul
points back to that in this letter, that they suffered at the hands of the Jews
as had other believers where Paul was establishing churches. Paul's anger with the Jews spills out here in
the glee that wrath has come upon them at last!
It is easy to see why Paul would be pleased at this state of affairs
given the litany of suffering he recounts in part in 2 Corinthians 11 but down
the ages there have been some in the church who have used such things as an
opportunity for anti-Semitism. Paul was clearly
speaking not of "the Jews" but those who oppose Jesus and the
preaching of the Gospel. His statements
in Romans 11 stand on their own in this regard.
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