Monday, February 14, 2005
The Venerable Cyril, Isapostolos, Teacher of the Slavs
Kellia: 1 Kings (1 Samuel) 6:1-16 Epistle: 1 Peter 2:21-3:9 Gospel: St. Mark 12:13-17
St. Mark 12:13-17, especially vss. 14, 15: "Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or
not? Shall we pay, or not?" Today's reading begins a series of accounts that describe the efforts of His enemies to destroy
the Lord Jesus (see Mk. 11:18; 12:12-13). Their methods were to pose "trick" questions to lure Him into treasonous,
blasphemous, or libelous remarks which they could then use to have Him tried and executed. In this account, the Pharisees
and the Herodians, the religious puritans and the political officials, challenged Him (Mk. 12:13). They framed their
question in the context of the sovereignty of God, observing that the Lord Jesus did "not regard the person of men, but
[taught] the way of God in truth" (vs. 14). This said, they then asked if God's people should or not pay taxes to an
idolatrous government. The question of the Pharisees and Herodians appears to be about Caesar and taxes, but in actual
fact it sought to pit loyalty to God against obedience to the Imperial government. Christ showed the error of thinking of
God as an alternative to Caesar. Comparing the infinite God to a human ruler is to apply over-simplified, human
categories, and to force the knowledge of God into manageable human concepts. Impossible! As Vladimir Lossky learned
from St. Gregory of Nyssa: "...every concept relative to God is a simulacrum, a false likeness, an idol."
The Pharisees and Herodians were engaging in "reductionism"- simplifying complex ideas or issues to the point of
minimizing, obscuring, or distorting reality. As rational creatures, we finite humans are incapable of speaking definitively
about the essence of God except in negative or superlative statements - uncontainable, incomprehensible, all-wise,
almighty. As St. Gregory the Theologian says, "...to define Him in words is impossible." God is not some "thing" to be
compared to other things, such as governments. He exists beyond all thought categories.
Therefore, one may learn what to render to God only as God reveals Himself and His will. Otherwise, God and His will
remain incomprehensible. On the other hand, it is quite possible to comprehend what a Caesar expects. Emperors mint
coins with their own images. They issue decrees "...that all the world should be registered" for taxation (Lk. 2:1). They
tax.
The motive behind reductionism is always a vain attempt to manage God. If one could reduce God to ideas and principles
comprehensible to humans, then the essential unknowability of God would be eliminated. Simplistic thinking has "god"
conveniently in hand, and adapts "god" however it will. The Saints who know the Lord are unalterably opposed to such
theology. Isaiah, for instance, says, "...as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and
My thoughts than your thoughts" (Is.55:9).
In his Gospel, St. Mark faces us with a choice between reductionism or celebrating the incomprehensibility of God. Let us
stand with the true Prophets of God and reject self-serving theologizing: "They have belied the Lord, and said, 'It is not He;
neither shall evil come upon us'"(Jer. 5:12). True faith always says, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him" (Job
13:15). In teaching us about hope in God, Solomon said: "The hope of the righteous shall be gladness: but the expectation
of the wicked shall perish" (Pr. 10:28). The wicked do not expect God to interfere, but He frustrates their ways. The
Prophet Malachi said frankly: "You have wearied the Lord with your words; yet you say, 'In what way have we wearied
Him?' In that you say, 'Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the Lord and He delights in them'" (Mal. 2:17).
Our ways are not hid from God, for "His understanding is unsearchable" (Is. 40:27-28).
For Thou art God ineffable, inconceivable, invisible, incomprehensible, ever-existing and eternally the same, Thou and
Thine Only-begotten Son and Thy Holy Spirit. Glory to Thee!
