Narrative Lectionary Key Verse for Today
“Jesus said to them, ‘Give to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s.’ And they were utterly amazed at him.”
NL Daily Devotion for Tuesday, March 5, 2024
by R. M. Fergus, Clergy Stuff
I’ve heard this a million times. Okay, I exaggerate. But it’s a lot. And when I’ve processed it, I’ve always focused on Jesus’ profound statement and the way he craftily worms his way out of an obvious trap. But this time when I read it, what jumped out at me was, “And they were utterly amazed at him.”
These people who tried time and again to get Jesus to slip up and offend the right person to get him removed from the scene are left “utterly amazed.” Completely surprised. Totally gobsmacked. Entirely filled with wonder. They literally had not seen his reply coming. And it makes me wonder exactly what was going through their heads at that point. It doesn’t seem to me as though they were angry about it. Like, “Oh, drat. Foiled again by that clever rabbi!” Frankly I imagine they were in awe of him. Deeply respectful. Thoughtful about what he had said and what it actually meant. Maybe more than one of them started to re-think their own ideas about who Jesus was or what he was about.
Having read these words of Jesus and many others “a million times”, am I still “utterly amazed”? Do they astound me and fill me with wonder? Do they make me question my ideas and inspire me to think differently? Sometimes yes. But I am a strong advocate for reading scripture with others, of digging into texts, discussing them and allowing ourselves to hear them as if for the first time, whether through the eyes and hearts of another person or for ourselves. God, please help me to be like the Pharisees and Herodians at the end of this story. Open my eyes to the wonder of Jesus’ words and all of your holy scripture. Amen.
How can I “keep it fresh” when reading the Bible?