1. Mandy gave us important context for the story of Saint Martin of Tours as she talked about the nature of the Roman army within its historical and cultural space. The Roman army was a scary, elite, and powerful arm of Imperial Rome. She went on teach about the themes of the gospel of Mark that develop around the inherent conflict between the gospel of Jesus and the gospel of Caesar.
The gospel of Caesar had, at its core a message that “domination proves divinity.” In response, Mark’s gospel seems to say, “you occupants of the realm of Caesar, you’ve heard Caesar’s gospel; you’ve experienced Caesar’s domination. Now, meet a different non-dominating king who is actually God’s son.” Mark’s thesis, Mandy taught, is essential that Jesus is the anti-Caesar.
Where in our culture today can you identify the same threads of the message that domination proves divinity or, perhaps, superiority? Are there things that we, as a culture (or you as a human), cannot seem to avoid, and have, at least in some ways, chosen, instead, to worship? What do you think about any places you can identify in which that is or has been true?
2. In Mark 12:13-17, Mandy paraphrased the question that the Herodians & Pharisees ask of Jesus like this: “will you cower before the commanding empire, acquiescing to their perpetual demands? Will you standby while your people are unjustly policed and subjugated by soldiers on the streets? Or will you rebel, and risk the crackdown?”
But, Mandy taught, Jesus doesn’t answer the question because they are putting the question in the framework of Caesars kingdom. They are asking, “who dominates who?”
Mandy paraphrased Jesus’ response like this: “you mean the narcissist who puts his face on everything he can brand? Put Caesar back in his place. He may rule you, dominate you, tax you, steal your money through tariffs and whimsical promises; he may crucify you, but he is no god. He’s just another tin-pot tyrant.”
Where can you see yourself in the Herodian and the Pharisees and the question they ask? What does Jesus‘s response speak to you? What is it? You can learn from examining this exchange in context?
3. Below are several important quotes from the end of Mandy’s sermon. For this final question, please review each of them one-by-one, and then discuss them. You can ask these equations about each:
What do these words bring up for you? How do they make you feel? Where do you find resistance within yourself? Where do you find hope? What else is there to find underneath the layers? What questions are you left with?
“Jesus‘s point is that yes, we are all hopelessly enmeshed in the kingdoms of this world. We will be taxed, commodified, conscripted, and colonized. Cesar may have his cross, his whip, his sword, and his taxation, Cesar has no claim on me. The me that is God‘s image does not cower before these implements of war and weapons of desecration. They may hurt my flesh, but they chip and shatter on the indestructible image of God within me.”
“Sometimes the most powerful thing we can do when we have no political power is to live by a set of values and principles that exposes the lie of the empire.”
“There is no more countercultural value system than love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control.”