Rapture Fever

6
A GHETTO ESCHATOLOGY
And they send unto him certain of the Phanlees and of the Herodians,
to catch him in his words. And when they were come, they say unto him,
Mastez we know that thou art true, and carest for no man: for thou
regardest not the person of men, but teachat the way of God in truth: Is
it luwful to give tribute to Caesac or not ? Skull we give, or shall we not
give? But he, know”ng their hypocrisy, said unto them, Why tempt ye me?
bring mea penny [denanon], that I mq see it. And they brought it. And
he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscri@on? And they
said unto him, Caesark. AndJesus answm”ng said unto them, Render to
Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are
God’s. And thq marvelled at him (Mark 12:13-17).
There are few passages in Scripture that are quoted more
enthusiastically by pietists, statists, and humanists than this one:
“Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the
things that are God’s.” Why? Because this passage initially
seems to separate the kingdom of God from the kingdom of
Caesar, thereby granting autonomous authority to Caesar.
Once Caesar has received this supposed grant of authority,
however, he and his disciples seek to expand that kingdom.
Step by step, law by law, tax by tax, intrusion by intrusion, the
messianic kingdom of the State grows at the expense of the
messianic kingdom of God. No judicial barrier to Caesar’s king-