HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE IMAGE OF GOD: Mark 12:13-17

SCRIPTURE

Mark 12:13-17 13 And they sent to him some of the Pharisees and some of the Herodians, to trap him in his talk. 14 And they came and said to him, “Teacher, we know that you are true and do not care about anyone’s opinion. For you are not swayed by appearances, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? Should we pay them, or should we not?” 15 But, knowing their hypocrisy, he said to them, “Why put me to the test? Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.” 16 And they brought one. And he said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” They said to him, “Caesar’s.” 17 Jesus said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” And they marveled at him.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2016 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

DISCUSSION

1. Study through Mark 12:13-17 together. What stands out to you and why?

2. Why did these religious leaders send the Pharisees and the Herodians to try and trap Jesus?

3. How is their question a trap?

4. What is Jesus getting at when He says, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s” (v. 17). *see Genesis 1:27 for help

That we are created in the Image of God means at least three things: First, we exist to show what God is like. An image exists to image something. Second, we exist with inherent value. Third, we exist for God. We belong to Him.

5. Which one of these three reasons most stand out to you and why?

Proverbs 24:11-12 says,
Rescue those who are being taken away to death;
hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter.
If you say, “Behold, we did not know this,”
does not he who weighs the heart perceive it?

6. How does the gospel motivate us to “rescue those who are being taken away to death”?

Psalm 82:3-4 says, “Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.”

7. What can we do to help the weak and vulnerable, to seek justice for the weak? What are you going to do?

GOOD WORD

If you’ve had an abortion, you are not too bad for Jesus. If you hate abortion, you are not too good for Jesus. We all need the cleansing and forgiveness only He can give through His work in our place.

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