Luke 20:20-26 comments: Render unto Caesar what is Caesar's and unto God what is God's

20:20 ¶  And they watched him, and sent forth spies, which should feign themselves just men, that they might take hold of his words, that so they might deliver him unto the power and authority of the governor. 21  And they asked him, saying, Master, we know that thou sayest and teachest rightly, neither acceptest thou the person of any, but teachest the way of God truly: 22  Is it lawful for us to give tribute unto Caesar, or no? 23  But he perceived their craftiness, and said unto them, Why tempt ye me? 24  Shew me a penny. Whose image and superscription hath it? They answered and said, Caesar’s. 25  And he said unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar’s, and unto God the things which be God’s. 26  And they could not take hold of his words before the people: and they marvelled at his answer, and held their peace.

There is another incident with money that is worthy of mention first in talking about this scene.

Matthew 17:24 ¶  And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received tribute money came to Peter, and said, Doth not your master pay tribute? 25  He saith, Yes. And when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying, What thinkest thou, Simon? of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? of their own children, or of strangers? 26  Peter saith unto him, Of strangers. Jesus saith unto him, Then are the children free. 27  Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee.

This is difficult for us who constantly fuss and fume about paying our taxes to swallow. But, we as Christians, are to pay necessary taxes. There is no call for us to overpay, though. And we certainly should elect representatives who will honor our views on how much taxes and what kind should be imposed. This world was not like that, though. There was no representative government. Power was imposed from the top down. Jesus teaches that our focus should be on His kingdom, not holding onto the money the state creates.

Here, in the passage in Luke 20, Jesus makes it quite clear that there is a distinction between what the world imposes on us as its demands and what God requires. We can no more say we have done what God commands by simply giving money or paying our tribute than we can say we have honored our duty to the state by praying to God.

There are things which define us as Christians and Caesar’s money is not one of them. The responsibility that Caesar, our government in type, lays on us in the form of demands on our money is in sharp contrast to what God wants from us.

Micah 6:8  He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

Galatians 5:22  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23  Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 24  And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

Society is run on a fraud that we buy into in order to live. Money today is a fiction of 1s and 0s in a computer but as long as we all agree to play by the fiction things keep moving. It is just like you and I thinking we own our homes. Just try not paying your real estate taxes to see that Caesar, in truth, owns your dwelling place.

God’s standards don’t require anyone to go along with them for them to be real. When the whole world of man turns against God He is still in control and we will still answer to Him. God is not like our banking and economic system which suffered a collapse of sorts in 1929 or our mortgage-lending system which came crashing down, in a manner of speaking, in 2008. He does not need everyone’s agreement to be real because we all answer to Him even if we pretend the judgment on us in this life is simply bad luck or oppression by others rather than a visit from God.

Render unto Caesar….Paul noted some things that we would do well to try to sort out in our heads as Christians lest we waste our time on things that do not commend us to God.

Romans 13:1 ¶  Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. 2  Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. 3  For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: 4  For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.

5  Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake. 6  For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God’s ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.

    7 ¶  Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour. 8  Owe no man any thing, but to love one another; for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. 9  For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 10  Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

    11 ¶  And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. 12  The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. 13  Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. 14  But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for

the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

That being said, government would do well to exercise a light hand lest it force its subjects to resist it. The more oppressive a government is the more it becomes necessary to find ways around its rules, especially when that very government pretends to be a representative one. But, we must remember to whom we belong, who bought us with His own blood.

It was Augustus (Luke 2:1), the first emperor after the fall of the Roman republic, who realized that there was a strong connection between his sovereignty and the production of coinage. Julius Caesar, his adopted uncle, had previously instituted the practice of placing his image on coinage, the first time in Roman history that such a thing had been consistently practiced. As the emperor began to embody the state and its policies the placing of the emperor’s image on coins became an important part of the imperial cult, denoting the emperor as a living god. These coins would have had the image of Tiberius Caesar, the reluctant emperor, who spent part of his reign in a self-imposed exile on the island of Capri.

The back of his coin had the words ‘Pontif Maxim’ or Supreme Pontiff, a title given to Popes in the era in which we live but at that time denoting the Roman emperor as the head of the pagan state religion of Rome. Christ would have been referring to a coin with the image of a pagan high priest on it as well as the emperor of that part of the world. We might think there is little connection between such a ruler and a modern president or prime minister. I’ll let you consider that. But, remember, in America the people as a group are supposed to be king. Even if it is not that way in fact that is the principle. Our president is a hired manager of sorts who works for a specific period of time. He is not a high priest of a pagan religion and ruler of the world who will pass his reign to his descendants. I’m saying that just to warn you not to take my typology in the comments on this passage too far.  

Luke 20:9-19 comments: the husbandmen

20:9 ¶  Then began he to speak to the people this parable; A certain man planted a vineyard, and let it forth to husbandmen, and went into a far country for a long time. 10  And at the season he sent a servant to the husbandmen, that they should give him of the fruit of the vineyard: but the husbandmen beat him, and sent him away empty. 11  And again he sent another servant: and they beat him also, and entreated him shamefully, and sent him away empty. 12  And again he sent a third: and they wounded him also, and cast him out. 13  Then said the lord of the vineyard, What shall I do? I will send my beloved son: it may be they will reverence him when they see him. 14  But when the husbandmen saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, This is the heir: come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours. 15  So they cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What therefore shall the lord of the vineyard do unto them? 16  He shall come and destroy these husbandmen, and shall give the vineyard to others. And when they heard it, they said, God forbid. 17  And he beheld them, and said, What is this then that is written, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner? 18  Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder. 19  And the chief priests and the scribes the same hour sought to lay hands on him; and they feared the people: for they perceived that he had spoken this parable against them.

Jesus continues His teaching in the temple turning back to the people with a parable that is obviously about God trying to reach the Jews, sending His prophets whom they treated shamefully, and then Christ, their Messiah, whom they would kill. As writers like De Coulanges in his landmark work entitled The Ancient City: A Study of the Religion, Laws, and Institutions of Greece and Rome wrote the eldest son in a family possessed the authority of the father and when he acted on the father’s behalf it was the same as if the father himself had acted.

In the context of this parable Jesus quotes something from the Old Testament. When Jesus quotes a verse from a Psalm or other Old Testament book whether in teaching or from the Cross we would do well to read the context, not just the verse, to see how it applies to Him.

Psalm 118:1 ¶  O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: because his mercy endureth for ever. 2  Let Israel now say, that his mercy endureth for ever. 3  Let the house of Aaron now say, that his mercy endureth for ever. 4  Let them now that fear the LORD say, that his mercy endureth for ever. 5  I called upon the LORD in distress: the LORD answered me, and set me in a large place. 6  The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me? 7  The LORD taketh my part with them that help me: therefore shall I see my desire upon them that hate me. 8  It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man. 9  It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes. 10  All nations compassed me about: but in the name of the LORD will I destroy them. 11  They compassed me about; yea, they compassed me about: but in the name of the LORD I will destroy them. 12  They compassed me about like bees; they are quenched as the fire of thorns: for in the name of the LORD I will destroy them. 13  Thou hast thrust sore at me that I might fall: but the LORD helped me. 14  The LORD is my strength and song, and is become my salvation. 15  The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tabernacles of the righteous: the right hand of the LORD doeth valiantly. 16  The right hand of the LORD is exalted: the right hand of the LORD doeth valiantly. 17  I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD. 18  The LORD hath chastened me sore: but he hath not given me over unto death.

    19 ¶  Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them, and I will praise the LORD: 20  This gate of the LORD, into which the righteous shall enter. 21  I will praise thee: for thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation. 22  The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. 23  This is the LORD’S doing; it is marvellous in our eyes. 24  This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. 25  Save now, I beseech thee, O LORD: O LORD, I beseech thee, send now prosperity. 26  Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the LORD: we have blessed you out of the house of the LORD. 27  God is the LORD, which hath shewed us light: bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar. 28  Thou art my God, and I will praise thee: thou art my God, I will exalt thee. 29  O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

Christ as the cornerstone can also be found prophetically here.

Isaiah 28:16  Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.

Now note in Zechariah this prophecy, keeping in mind the reference to the BRANCH and the fact that Joshua is in Hebrew “Jehovah is Salvation” while Jesus is the same from Greek.

Zechariah 3:1 ¶  And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. 2  And the LORD said unto Satan, The LORD rebuke thee, O Satan; even the LORD that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire? 3  Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel. 4  And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying,

Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment. 5  And I said, Let them set a fair mitre upon his head. So they set a fair mitre upon his head, and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the LORD stood by. 6  And the angel of the LORD protested unto Joshua, saying, 7  Thus saith the LORD of hosts; If thou wilt walk in my ways, and if thou

wilt keep my charge, then thou shalt also judge my house, and shalt also keep my courts, and I will give thee places to walk among these that stand by.

    8 ¶  Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou, and thy fellows that sit before thee: for they are men wondered at: for, behold, I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH. 9  For behold the stone that I have laid before Joshua; upon one stone shall be seven eyes: behold, I will engrave the graving thereof, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day. 10  In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, shall ye call every man his

neighbour under the vine and under the fig tree.

For Luke 20:19 see Isaiah as well.

Isaiah 8:13  Sanctify the LORD of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. 14  And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 15  And many among them shall stumble, and fall, and be broken, and be snared, and be taken.

The important prophecy of Christ from Psalm 118 is also referred to in the following New Testament passages.

Matthew 21:42  Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?

Mark 12:10  And have ye not read this scripture; The stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner:

Acts 4:11  This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.

1Peter 2:7  Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, 8  And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.

The religious leaders understanding is opened and they know that the parable Jesus spoke was an indictment of them and those who ruled before them. They do not grab Jesus then as they feared the people. See how in your understanding the word and can also be thought of as but in the context of verse 19? The religious leaders are concerned about mob violence against them if the people bought into what Jesus is saying. Josephus told us in his writing of how volatile the situation was in Judea and how riotous people could be sparked by almost anything to violence. Hence, Roman rule could be oppressive by necessity. Here, Jesus has launched a broadside against the religious elite, as they understand it, and they want Him gone.

Finally, see how verse 15 prophecies that Jesus will be executed outside of Jerusalem. First, from what Moses left us;

Exodus 33:7  And Moses took the tabernacle, and pitched it without the camp, afar off from the camp, and called it the Tabernacle of the congregation. And it came to pass, that every one which sought the LORD went out unto the tabernacle of the congregation, which was without the camp.

Leviticus 4:12  Even the whole bullock shall he carry forth without the camp unto a clean place, where the ashes are poured out, and burn him on the wood with fire: where the ashes are poured out shall he be burnt.

Then, from Paul’s writing in Hebrews;

Hebrews 13:11  For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp.12  Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate.13  Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach.

Luke 20:1-8 comments: by what authority?

20:1 ¶  And it came to pass, that on one of those days, as he taught the people in the temple, and preached the gospel, the chief priests and the scribes came upon him with the elders, 2  And spake unto him, saying, Tell us, by what authority doest thou these things? or who is he that gave thee this authority? 3  And he answered and said unto them, I will also ask you one thing; and answer me: 4  The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men? 5  And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then believed ye him not? 6  But and if we say, Of men; all the people will stone us: for they be persuaded that John was a prophet. 7  And they answered, that they could not tell whence it was. 8  And Jesus said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.

Jesus uses the popularity of John the Baptist here in this encounter with the chief priests, scribes, and elders. It is a masterful argument in its simplicity as He deals with this interruption before continuing to teach the people. By asking the question Jesus places them in a difficult position where either way they answer the question works against their agenda.

The authorities saying that they do not know the origin of John’s authority to say what he said underscores the political nature of their ways of thinking. If a Pharisee, scribe, or elder admitted that what John the Baptist said and did was from God they would be ostracized from their peers. If they said it was not from God they would face a riot. There was really no way out that their conniving minds could find.

The condition of a person’s heart determines whether they are willing to hear the truth. Modern Christians, especially conservative and traditional ones, often try to employ argument on behalf of Christ to try to win someone over. And yet, people do not come to Christ by argument. They come to Christ by a changed heart. There are people who practice a religion whose god is so weak he needs them to kill non-believers for him. He has no power over reality because he is an invention of a crazed psychopath’s imagination. There are people who believe that there are only secular, political answers to the questions of life and they are not just atheists in not seeing evidence for God’s existence and sovereignty but they are anti-theists in that they display a religious zeal to keep others from believing what they don’t believe.

Jesus did not acknowledge any authority over Him by these religious leaders who came upon him, violently and suddenly, demanding an answer, by giving them one. Later, He will do the same in denying Herod’s authority over Him in any respect by remaining silent in the face of Herod’s questions.

You should understand that when confronted by the two types of people I mentioned just a moment ago, among others, that there are people who attempt to dominate by demanding from you an answer that they will not hear, that they have already eliminated as a possibility from their mind. Do not argue with them. There are those among their ranks, very few admittedly, who will see the logic and beauty of Christ’s Gospel because of the testimony of your life in the way you live and in your ability and willingness to publish the Gospel, the working of the Holy Spirit in their spiritual heart, and their previously unrealized willingness to receive the Gospel. But, you will not win them by arguing with them. In doing so you only give them power. It is similar to when someone teaches self-defense they teach a person to not let themselves become engaged in a conversation with a stranger because just talking with a person intent on doing one harm gives them power and an advantage.

There are several times when Jesus denies some group’s authority over Him by asking a question and not arguing but simply stating a fact and walking away or simply refusing to answer at all and remaining silent as prophesied in Psalms 38 & 39 and Isaiah 53. Two examples will suffice, I think.

First, later in Luke with Herod in a passage showing that the enemies of Christ may hate each other for other reasons but will put aside their enmity in their hatred of Him, and you for trusting in Him.

Luke 23:6  When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked whether the man were a Galilaean. 7  And as soon as he knew that he belonged unto Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who himself also was at Jerusalem at that time. 8  And when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceeding glad: for he was desirous to see him of a long season, because he had heard many things of him; and he hoped to have seen some miracle done by him. 9  Then he questioned with him in many words; but he answered him nothing. 10  And the chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused him. 11  And Herod with his men of war set him at nought, and mocked him, and arrayed him in a gorgeous robe, and sent him again to Pilate. 12  And the same day Pilate and Herod were made friends together: for before they were at enmity between themselves.

The second is coming up regarding money. There is no argument, simply a question and a statement, neither of which were answerable by Christ’s enemies. Just imagine for yourself an unanswerable question you can ask when confronted. For instance, an atheist or agnostic, which is an atheist who is hedging his bets, says there is no God. You ask, “well, if there is no God then why is there something rather than nothing? Things don’t create themselves.”

Luke 19:41-48 comments: prophecy of Jerusalem's destruction in AD70

19:41 ¶  And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, 42  Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes. 43  For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, 44  And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation. 45  And he went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold therein, and them that bought; 46  Saying untothem, It is written, My house is the house of prayer: but ye have made it a den of thieves. 47  And he taught daily in the temple. But the chief priests and the scribes and the chief of the people sought to destroy him, 48  And could not find what they might do: for all the people were very attentive to hear him.

Here is a prophecy of the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans in AD70. Josephus, a Jewish general who went over to the Romans, gave us the history of that event if we can believe what he wrote. The siege and destruction of Jerusalem was the main event of the First Jewish-Roman War that ended not only in the disaster to the city but the destruction of the Temple, as well.

What was called Herod’s Temple, the Second Temple with the first destroyed by the Babylonians hundreds of years previously, will be destroyed. The Jews will suffer for rejecting their Messiah and for fabricating a false religion, a house of cards built on the Mosaic Law, not too different from what many Christians have done.  It seems to be a character trait of mankind, making it up as they go along. But, some historical writers say that the destruction of Jerusalem marked the great shift away of Christianity from its Jewish roots.

Verse 46 is a reference to two verses in the Old Testament.

Isaiah 56:7  Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people.

Jeremiah 7:11  Is this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, even I have seen it, saith the LORD.

Notice how word substitution between Testaments helps define words. See thieves in verse 46 substituted for robbers in Jeremiah 7:11.

Luke 19:28-40 comments: a triumphal entry

19:28 ¶  And when he had thus spoken, he went before, ascending up to Jerusalem. 29  And it came to pass, when he was come nigh to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount called the mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, 30  Saying, Go ye into the village over against you; in the which at your entering ye shall find a colt tied, whereon yet never man sat: loose him, and bring him hither. 31  And if any man ask you, Why do ye loose him? thus shall ye say unto him, Because the Lord hath need of him. 32  And they that were sent went their way, and found even as he had said unto them. 33  And as they were loosing the colt, the owners thereof said unto them, Why loose ye the colt? 34  And they said, The Lord hath need of him. 35  And they brought him to Jesus: and they cast their garments upon the colt, and they set Jesus thereon. 36  And as he went, they spread their clothes in the way. 37  And when he was come nigh, even now at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen; 38  Saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest. 39  And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto him, Master, rebuke thy disciples. 40  And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.

Here is a scene of triumph before sorrow. A prophecy goes;

Zechariah 9:9  Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.

It is interesting that no fuss is recorded at the disciples’ appropriation of this man’s animals (Matthew 21 also mentions the mother of the colt.) But, God owns all creatures and we simply are stewards of His property.

Psalm 50:7 ¶  Hear, O my people, and I will speak; O Israel, and I will testify against thee: I am God, even thy God. 8  I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices or thy burnt offerings, to have been continually before me. 9  I will take no bullock out of thy house, nor he goats out of thy folds. 10  For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. 11 

I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine.

Luke 12:6  Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God?

Speaking of stones in verse 40, an interesting word study is apparent here.

Isaiah 55:12  For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

Notice the following metaphor;

Matthew 3:9  And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.

Certainly, God could do this. After all, we are made out of the dust of the ground as per Genesis 2:7. It is not hard to imagine God making rocks and stones have sound come out of them if something as complicated as life can come from inert elements of the earth by His command.

Here the crowd of disciples announces Christ as king. The Pharisees are not pleased with that. This isn’t something they want their Roman overlords to hear.

John 11:45 ¶  Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him. 46  But some of them went their ways to the Pharisees, and told them what things Jesus had done. 47  Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles. 48  If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation.

In fact, a crowd of Jews will assert their loyalty to Rome, that they do not have a king other than Caesar,...

John 19:15  But they cried out, Away with him, away with him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar.

…even condemning themselves to torment and suffering in this life for centuries to come…

Matthew 27:25  Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.

It is a blessed thing, though, that many verses show us that God is not done with His people, that nation He chose out of the Gentiles at Ur nearly two thousand years before Christ.

Luke 19:11-27 comments: a parable on using what you've been given

19:11 ¶  And as they heard these things, he added and spake a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear. 12  He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. 13  And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come. 14  But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us. 15  And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading. 16  Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds. 17  And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities. 18  And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds. 19  And he said likewise to him, Be thou also over five cities. 20  And another came, saying, Lord, behold, here is thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin: 21  For I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up that thou layedst not down, and reapest that thou didst not sow. 22  And he saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow: 23  Wherefore then gavest not thou my money into the bank, that at my coming I might have required mine own with usury? 24  And he said unto them that stood by, Take from him the pound, and give it to him that hath ten pounds. 25  (And they said unto him, Lord, he hath ten pounds.) 26  For I say unto you, That unto every one which hath shall be given; and from him that hath not, even that he hath shall be taken away from him. 27  But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me.

The disciples are following Jesus to Jerusalem fully expecting His power to be revealed and His kingdom to be made manifest in a physical, tangible sense on earth right in front of them. Christ then speaks a parable about the consequences for the Jews of rejecting Him. This would apply to all mankind as well. The nobleman presents himself to his subjects who reject him. He has supplied his own servants, and, remember, He is talking with His Jewish disciplies here, with a gift that they are to use on his behalf. In the end, those who reject the nobleman’s rule over them will be executed and that servant who does not exercise his talents in the world will lose even what they have. A similar parable is told in Matthew 25 but in the context of them not knowing when Christ would return as He discusses the end times when asked in Matthew 24:1 when they will come about.

He has already told them in 17 that the kingdom of God for them lies within their hearts but they have been expecting a conquering Messiah who will remove the Roman yoke of bondage from their necks and restore Israel to a place of prominence. Even after His resurrection they say;

Acts 1:6  When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?

Jesus had told Governor Pilate;

John 18:36  Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.

Notice the now is my kingdom not from hence. But, His kingdom will come to this world and many will suffer for their rejection of Him.

Matthew 3:12  Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.

God exercises His power over our existence in every heartbeat He makes happen. But, Jesus is not now exercising direct and physical, political rule over the kingdoms of the world although the Bible says that there will come a time for that.

Revelation 11:15  And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.

The direct application is for Christ’s Jewish disciples in the days coming to His Crucifixion and after His Resurrection and ascension to Heaven. But, we’ve been given gifts which we are to exercise on His behalf also. We are His ambassadors, perhaps a front infiltrating in Satan’s world of men and women to prepare Christ’s coming. An analogy can be made to a commando unit landing behind enemy lines. Or, more simply, like the prophets and John the Baptist who announced Him. Our gifts are not all physical. In fact, the proof or fruit of the Holy Spirit living inside of us is outlined in Galatians 5 in contrast against the demands of the flesh and the consequences of living in it.

Galatians 5:13 ¶  For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. 14  For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 15  But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another. 16  This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 17  For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. 18  But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. 19  Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,

20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21  Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. 22  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23  Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 24  And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 25  If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26  Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.

In addition to the fruit of the Spirit we have each been given gifts of abilities. Each of these are particular to us individually and one does not have what the other has and two with the same do not have it in the same measure.

Romans 12:1 ¶  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. 3  For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. 4  For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: 5  So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. 6  Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; 7  Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; 8  Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness. 9  Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. 10  Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; 11  Not slothful in

business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; 12  Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; 13  Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. 14  Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. 15  Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.

The error on our part is in doing nothing. It is not about being successful as God provides the success.

1Corinthians 3:5 ¶  Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? 6  I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. 7  So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. 8  Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. 9  For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building. 10  According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.

Or, as Jesus said so clearly;

John 3:27  John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.

John 15:5  I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

We are like the servants who received the pounds and were tasked to make them work for the master. As the Baltimore preacher Sewall Smith asked in a sermon on John 6:9, “What are you going to do with your five and two?”