Interesting take on these passages, my friend.

It's difficult sometimes to pierce the veil of centuries, various translations and world-views and come to an exact meaning of scripture. Added to the above is our own personal biases that we always struggle with that hamper our judgments.

But I can't be so partial, @creatr, despite the great respect I bear you, to overlook certain aspects of your dissertation.

when you say, We despise tax collectors, lawyers, and politicians, because, deep in our heart of hearts, we know that these are dishonest occupations. We know in our bones that there is something terribly wrong with human government as we know it, I believe that is you talking, but you don't speak for "everyone" and that is most certainly not my take on the matter.

When you go on to assert the local churches are colluding with this 'evil' system of government I must again respectfully disagree.

I agree that the Jews hated tax collectors, but they saw them as aiding the Romans who were the Great Satan who unlawfully occupied their land. They had no problem giving tithes to Levites or the Temple or their own rulers.

If you lived in a theocracy, were born into it, you might have cause to rail against a system that forced you to pay tithes and imposed their moral code upon you.

I suppose what I'm saying is that the views you are propounding here go beyond the text at points and are based on conclusions you have made. The scriptures tell us that unscrupulous tax collectors repented--they don't say, because collecting taxes is morally reprehensible and government is bad. You say that, my friend.

I love your insights when you delve into treasures from the original, but I can't go so far as supporting your own conclusions that go beyond the text.