Every Saturday morning, Steve snuggles up on the couch with the girls and reads the Torah portion for that weekend. There is always a section from one of the Books of Moses, a section from one of the prophets, and one or two chapters from the Gospels. This schedule allows us to methodically work through all 5 books of Moses, an abundance of important sections from the prophets, and all 4 of the Gospels in a year. (See torahportions.org for a schedule and an audio bible link)
A lot of the time is filled with squirming, jockeying for couch position, random questions about the weekend, complaints about morning breath...you get the picture. But occasionally...occasionally there is an awesome insight into the scriptures by one of our girls. And then, of course, there is unexpected hilarity too.
I don't know how to explain the following twist on the story of Jesus' teaching about paying taxes to Caesar. It was given, of course, by my youngest. I will just tell the story of what happened this morning while reading the Scriptures together on the couch.
Dad: (reading from Mark 12): "Later they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to Jesus to catch him in his words." They tried to do that a lot...but He was so wise. "They said, 'Teacher, we know you are a man of integrity...you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Should we pay or shouldn't we?" You see girls, there was no right answer in their minds...if he answered 'no', Jesus would have been in big trouble with Caesar...if he answered 'yes, we should pay taxes to Caesar', he would have been nullifying his own position as King over Israel. It was a trap. How would he answer? What would he say?
Girls: (On this rare occasion they were sitting completely still and silent, waiting to see how Jesus would get out of this one)
Dad: (continuing reading): "But Jesus knew their hypocrisy. 'Why are you trying to trap me? Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.' They brought him the coin, and he asked them, 'Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription?'. 'Caesar's,' they replied."
Belle: *GASP* I know!! I know!! He knows which side it will land on!!!
A lot of the time is filled with squirming, jockeying for couch position, random questions about the weekend, complaints about morning breath...you get the picture. But occasionally...occasionally there is an awesome insight into the scriptures by one of our girls. And then, of course, there is unexpected hilarity too.
I don't know how to explain the following twist on the story of Jesus' teaching about paying taxes to Caesar. It was given, of course, by my youngest. I will just tell the story of what happened this morning while reading the Scriptures together on the couch.
Dad: (reading from Mark 12): "Later they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to Jesus to catch him in his words." They tried to do that a lot...but He was so wise. "They said, 'Teacher, we know you are a man of integrity...you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Should we pay or shouldn't we?" You see girls, there was no right answer in their minds...if he answered 'no', Jesus would have been in big trouble with Caesar...if he answered 'yes, we should pay taxes to Caesar', he would have been nullifying his own position as King over Israel. It was a trap. How would he answer? What would he say?
Girls: (On this rare occasion they were sitting completely still and silent, waiting to see how Jesus would get out of this one)
Dad: (continuing reading): "But Jesus knew their hypocrisy. 'Why are you trying to trap me? Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.' They brought him the coin, and he asked them, 'Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription?'. 'Caesar's,' they replied."
Belle: *GASP* I know!! I know!! He knows which side it will land on!!!
Yes, fine blog readers, in the mind of my youngest, Jesus flipped a coin and answered accordingly.
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