Jesus Remembered: Christianity in the Making, vol. 1

THE QUESTION OF JESUS SELF-UNDERSTANDING
Mark 12.13-17 GTh 100 Pap. Eg. 2
13 And they sent to him some
of the Pharisees and some of the
Herodians, to entrap him in his
talk. 14 And they came and
said to him, 'Teacher, we know
that you are true, and care for no
man; for you do not regard the
position of men, but truly teach
the way of God. Is it lawful to
pay taxes to Caesar, or not? 15
Should we pay them, or should
we not?' But knowing their
hypocrisy, he said to them,
'Why put me to the test? Bring
me a coin, that I may see it'. 16
And they brought one. And he
said to them, 'Whose likeness
and inscription is this?' They
said to him, 'Caesar's'. 17
Jesus said to them, 'Render to
Caesar the things that are
Caesar's, and to God the things
that are God's'. And they were
amazed at him.
They showed Jesus a gold (coin)
and said to him, 'Caesar's
agents demand taxes from us'.
He said to them, 'Give to Caesar
what belongs to Caesar; give to
God what belongs to God; and
give to me what is mine'.
515.3
. . . came to him to tempt him,
saying,
'Teacher Jesus, we know
that you have come from God,
for the things which you do bear
witness beyond all the prophets.
Tell us then: Is it lawful to
render to kings what pertains to
their rule? Shall we render it to
them or not?' But Jesus,
knowing their mind, said to
them in indignation, 'Why do
you call me teacher with your
mouth, when you do not do
what I say? Well did Isaiah
prophesy of you when he said:
This people honour me with its
lips, but their heart is far from
me; in vain do they worship
me, (teaching as doctrines
merely human)
commandments'. . . .
Few if any doubts are entertained as to the authenticity of this episode; 111 GTh
100 looks like an abbreviated oral variation, climaxing with the key core saying
slightly elaborated; and Pap. Eg. 2 may attest either further independent oral
variation or perhaps oral knowledge of Mark (7.6-8 as well as 12.13-17). The ex-
change occasioned by a question put by some Pharisees and Herodians is not
overtly messianic, but was certainly of inescapable political significance. 112 Why
would such a question be put to Jesus, unless it was considered that his opinion
might be regarded as significant or at least that his answer might provide oppor-
tunity to denounce him as a political threat? Potential messianic claims and ten-
sions lurk only a little way below the surface.
d. 'Cleansing the Temple' (Mark 11.15-17 pars.)
The likelihood that Jesus' dictum regarding the Temple's future provided the
grounds for his arrest naturally draws attention to the event which the Synoptics
report as having taken place a few days earlier — traditionally known as 'the
cleansing of the Temple' (Mark 11.15-17 pars.). 113
111. Funk, Five Gospels 102; Acts of Jesus 125-26; Lüdemann, Jesus 83.
112. See also W. Horbury, 'The Temple Tax', in Bammel and Moule, Jesus and Politics
265-86. The specific mention of Herodians (only here in Matthew, but also in Mark 3.6, never
in Luke) heightens the political overtone (see above, §9.3c[4Y).
113. There is a broad consensus that John has set the account at the beginning of his
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