We’re so used to reading the Bible as personal “words from God” to us as private individuals, that we forget it’s designed to guide societies. Matthew looks squarely at the destruction of the Temple by the Romans in AD 70. He sees it as God’s judgment on the Jews. He sees the Temple’s destruction as God taking away the special position of the Jews – taking away their assignment to establish God’s kingdom of justice and mercy.

Opposition to Jesus unites three traditionally warring groups: the Herodians, the Sadducees, and the Pharisees. Think of them like members of political groups.[1]

Then, they put to him the carefully worded question: “Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” It’s the type of question lawyers ask witnesses. A question for which the answer is either yes or no.[4] A question which often leads into a trap.

Amy Carmichael is a legend among missionaries. She was an Irishwoman who served for decades in India. She saved children from sexual slavery. She was bedridden for 20 years before she died.

[The protesters] literally were a light in the darkness; but a person carrying a candle along a dark street is also an easy target … the candles … made it obvious that the protesters were unarmed. “To hold a candle, you need both hands—one to hold the candle, and the other to keep it from being blown out,” a protester explained. “You can’t hold a rock in your other hand.”

Psalm 129 is the scream of an oppressed people – like Malaysian Catholics whose internal weekly newspaper is barred from calling God “Allah”; like Malaysian non-Muslims struggling to get planning permission for their buildings; like the Malaysian government hiding the truth about the abduction and disappearance of pastors and non-mainline Muslims.

What goings-on do people read in the world? Three pairs of words come into my mind: success-failure, calmness-storminess, health-sickness. Perhaps Buddhists have best stated the most pressing question: why is there suffering and how should we respond to it? I say this partly because many writers[4] and actors[5] whom I admire say they’ve adopted Buddhism.

… I think of how adherence to dietary laws divides society, makes it more difficult to build communities. I think of how sensitive people are to words like “weaker.” I think of how necessary truth is, in God’s plan to establish his Kingdom of God on earth. And I think of two principles framed by Lutheran theologians: status confessionis and adiaphora

You’re at the door, to leave the building. A man is standing there, as gatekeeper. He says only those who “name one ancient Christian whose name doesn’t appear in the Bible” can leave. … Whose name will you give?