A Taxing Question
Matthew 22:15-22, I Thessalonians 1:1-10
Have you ever heard the expression, “politics makes strange bedfellows”? Groups you’d never expect to cooperate with one another will if it benefits both of them. That’s a good description of what happened in today’s Scripture passage from Matthew. His opening words set the scene: two groups wanted to set a trap for Jesus, to ensnare him. Do you know how a snare works? A circle of rope is hidden on a path; when the prey that’s being hunted enters the snare, the rope is quickly pulled tight. The trap ensnares them and there’s no way of escape. The Pharisees teamed up with their archenemies, the Herodians, so that together they could ensnare and discredit Jesus. They used the hot button issue of the day for their scheme: paying taxes.
Here’s some background you’ll need to appreciate the heated debate and the devious question asked of Jesus. One group was a Jewish political party called the Herodians. As their name suggests, they supported King Herod, and favored paying the fixed annual tribute (money) his government needed. In return for the Herodians’ support, the Roman government treated them to certain perks and privileges. One hand washed the other, and they liked this comfortable arrangement.
The Pharisees, who were teachers of the Laws of God, saw themselves as religious purists. They felt strongly that Jews should not pay Herod because the coin required to pay those taxes had a graven image on it. That silver coin, a Roman denarius, bore the image of the emperor. It violated the second commandment: “You shall not make for yourself a graven image (Hebrew for “idol”); you may not create any likeness of anything found in in heaven or on earth.”
The coin also broke the first commandment: “I am the Lord your God. You shall have no other gods before me.” The inscription on the Roman coin in question identified Emperor Caesar as a god. I want to pause here for a modern spiritual application of this important issue. There have always been people who don’t believe in God as revealed to us through Scriptures, nor do they believe in his Son Jesus Christ. In Jesus’ day, carved objects representing a pagan god were seen as holy; these small idols could be carried around or kept in a place of honor in people’s homes. Or much larger statues or pillars would be built. Over time a set of beliefs and rituals were created around each pagan deity. Today objects are still carried around - people believe in their powers or forces, and call on them for protection from evil, or for circumstances to be favorable for them. Be aware of this and clear-eyed. God forbids any man-made object to be used as a channel to any false god, or as a means of communing with God Himself.
Now back to today’s story. Roman coins were graven - carved - and they announced that Caesar was god. The Pharisees disliked them for those reasons, but even worse in their eyes was that Jews were made to use Roman coins and that supported a pagan empire. What the Pharisees did approve of was the annual temple tax; it was paid with a Jewish coin that had no graven image on it.
These two rival groups, the traitorous Herodians and rule-focused Pharisees, were in polar opposite positions on the issue of coins used to pay taxes, but something greater caused them to unite. They came together in their zeal to rid themselves of Jesus. So, scheming behind closed doors, they came up with what they believed was an airtight question to ensnare Jesus: Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar? The Herodians knew that if Jesus opposed paying government taxes, they could do to him what they did to other Jews: turn him in as a traitor, which was a serious charge under Roman law. On the other hand, if Jesus affirmed paying taxes with idolatrous Roman coinage, the Pharisees would quickly condemn him before the Jewish people.
I can just imagine members from both these groups, and a larger crowd, gathering around our Lord. When the question was asked there must have been a sudden stillness, a current of nervous tension and apprehension that rippled through the crowd.
Jesus surprised his opponents by asking for the coin in question. Guess who gave him that blasphemous coin, to use for his object lesson for the day? It appeared out of none other than the pocket of one of the Pharisees. One of the religious purists who denounced the coins on spiritual grounds had one himself. He had no idea he’d be asked to hand one to Jesus, so we can safely assume it was his usual coinage. That reveals to everyone watching what a hypocrite he was, before Jesus spoke a single word.
I imagine Jesus holding that small coin up for all to see, the sun glinting off from it; after a meaningful pause Jesus answered their question with one of his own: Whose image is on this coin? When they replied “the emperor, Caesar”; Jesus answered saying: “Then render unto Caesar that which is Caesar’s and give to God what belongs to God.” That was the perfect ingenious answer to a purposefully devious question!
The word “render” is important here. It means to “give back or return something to someone that originally owned it”. In other words, Jesus was saying to the Jews: “Give back this pagan coin to the pagan government now ruling over you.” His answer satisfied the Herodians because he acknowledged that the people in the land did have an obligation to uphold a government that provided for them, as its citizens, in a variety of ways. Jesus also satisfied the Pharisees - as much as they could ever be satisfied - by saying that there is likewise an obligation we have to God as citizens of his kingdom.
This teaching is challenging because Jesus is saying we have dual citizenship: we are citizens with responsibilities to an earthly kingdom. That means Christians for starters should pay their taxes. And incidentally, our government doesn’t care what kind of coin we use, as long as we pay in full. The Apostle Paul shared more on this topic with the churches he served. He said Christians should always follow the laws and ordinances of the land in which they live and comply with those who govern over them. If for some reason the government’s rules conflict with God’s laws, they should not be followed.
Paul says there are two advantages for Christians when this happens. First, the local government is satisfied; life is simpler for them and for you. But the greater benefit is that neighbors will see us in a positive light. Their respect for us can make them genuinely open to and interested in what life is like for us as Christians. Paul wanted there to be no stumbling block that would hinder or block a relationship with neighbors, family, or friends. If we can be or are in relationship with others, we have the opportunity to one day tell them the Good News about Jesus.
Now that paying taxes to the government is covered, let’s consider the tantalizing question about how we “render unto God that which is God’s.” Put another way, what should we return to God? What do we owe God? Isn’t that what Jesus was saying?
Here’s something that might lead us to an answer. Do you know how people determined what rightfully belonged to Caesar? If He owned something and it was valuable, it bore his image. That’s why coins across his kingdom had his face imprinted on them. He also used a personal seal to mark his royal possessions. It was obvious to everyone that if Caesar’s image was on something, it belonged to Caesar.
Hang on to that image as I read what it says in Genesis 1:26-27: "God said, 'Let us make humankind in our likeness.' So He created man and woman in His image." You and I bear God’s image! Isn’t that amazing? Can you fathom that you’re made in the likeness of God? Now let’s put things all together. Being made in God’s image means we belong to him. We’re his stamped possession. We aren’t in the shape of a coin that is out in circulation, but we are human beings made in God’s image whom God does want in circulation in our world! We could think of ourselves as God’s coins. Jesus asks for all of us, the full package of who we are, nothing held back when we are His followers. We who do bear God’s image are asked to render ourselves back to God, to hand over all of ourselves to God!
The Scripture lesson read earlier from I Thessalonians is important to read alongside Jesus’ teaching. Paul was praising God for a church that was so faith-filled, you could call them “shining coins”. He boasted that “the Lord’s message rang out from their lives” across the wider region. They were notorious in a good way.
Do you know why these messengers were so remarkable? Many of them had been idol-worshippers; they displayed and prayed to little statues in their homes and dutifully brought money to one or more of the umpteen heathen temples in their city. They hoped for good health, the birth of many children, and prosperity. Then someone told them about Jesus. Paul says the people were deeply convicted by the Holy Spirit; they believed the gospel told to them was The Truth, and knew it demanded a response. A great number threw away their idols and pledged their allegiance to Jesus Christ; Paul says they were filled with joy and learned to lean on one another. Love was their mutual bond. But soon after, there was persecution and they suffered greatly for their faith. They refused to say “Caesar is Lord”, insisting that only Jesus is Lord.
Through the Apostle Paul’s letters, we know about these amazing first century Christians - their faith then and now is well worth imitating. Though they were in the minority, scoffed at, and faced serious repercussions, they named and claimed that they were followers of Jesus Christ. They knew they were made by God, in His image - and better yet, they had the assurance that they were His sons and daughters. Nothing would ever separate them from God.
The radical message shared by Jesus long ago remains for us today: Render unto Caesar what belongs to Caesar. Follow the laws of the land in which we live if they are not in conflict with God’s teachings. This will show others our integrity and help keep the door open so others might listen when we share our faith in God.
The more challenging and exciting teaching from Jesus is that we are to render to God what belongs to God. We’re given life by God and are mysteriously made in His likeness. God expects us to circulate, like coins do every day. We’re sent out with a purpose: to touch others, wherever they are. God will help us point people to Jesus, not just through the words we speak, but also through the example of how we live as Christians.
So, you and I know what to do come April 18th, and we know what God wants us to do every other day of the year: to be in circulation as Jesus’ coins! Amen.
Here’s some background you’ll need to appreciate the heated debate and the devious question asked of Jesus. One group was a Jewish political party called the Herodians. As their name suggests, they supported King Herod, and favored paying the fixed annual tribute (money) his government needed. In return for the Herodians’ support, the Roman government treated them to certain perks and privileges. One hand washed the other, and they liked this comfortable arrangement.
The Pharisees, who were teachers of the Laws of God, saw themselves as religious purists. They felt strongly that Jews should not pay Herod because the coin required to pay those taxes had a graven image on it. That silver coin, a Roman denarius, bore the image of the emperor. It violated the second commandment: “You shall not make for yourself a graven image (Hebrew for “idol”); you may not create any likeness of anything found in in heaven or on earth.”
The coin also broke the first commandment: “I am the Lord your God. You shall have no other gods before me.” The inscription on the Roman coin in question identified Emperor Caesar as a god. I want to pause here for a modern spiritual application of this important issue. There have always been people who don’t believe in God as revealed to us through Scriptures, nor do they believe in his Son Jesus Christ. In Jesus’ day, carved objects representing a pagan god were seen as holy; these small idols could be carried around or kept in a place of honor in people’s homes. Or much larger statues or pillars would be built. Over time a set of beliefs and rituals were created around each pagan deity. Today objects are still carried around - people believe in their powers or forces, and call on them for protection from evil, or for circumstances to be favorable for them. Be aware of this and clear-eyed. God forbids any man-made object to be used as a channel to any false god, or as a means of communing with God Himself.
Now back to today’s story. Roman coins were graven - carved - and they announced that Caesar was god. The Pharisees disliked them for those reasons, but even worse in their eyes was that Jews were made to use Roman coins and that supported a pagan empire. What the Pharisees did approve of was the annual temple tax; it was paid with a Jewish coin that had no graven image on it.
These two rival groups, the traitorous Herodians and rule-focused Pharisees, were in polar opposite positions on the issue of coins used to pay taxes, but something greater caused them to unite. They came together in their zeal to rid themselves of Jesus. So, scheming behind closed doors, they came up with what they believed was an airtight question to ensnare Jesus: Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar? The Herodians knew that if Jesus opposed paying government taxes, they could do to him what they did to other Jews: turn him in as a traitor, which was a serious charge under Roman law. On the other hand, if Jesus affirmed paying taxes with idolatrous Roman coinage, the Pharisees would quickly condemn him before the Jewish people.
I can just imagine members from both these groups, and a larger crowd, gathering around our Lord. When the question was asked there must have been a sudden stillness, a current of nervous tension and apprehension that rippled through the crowd.
Jesus surprised his opponents by asking for the coin in question. Guess who gave him that blasphemous coin, to use for his object lesson for the day? It appeared out of none other than the pocket of one of the Pharisees. One of the religious purists who denounced the coins on spiritual grounds had one himself. He had no idea he’d be asked to hand one to Jesus, so we can safely assume it was his usual coinage. That reveals to everyone watching what a hypocrite he was, before Jesus spoke a single word.
I imagine Jesus holding that small coin up for all to see, the sun glinting off from it; after a meaningful pause Jesus answered their question with one of his own: Whose image is on this coin? When they replied “the emperor, Caesar”; Jesus answered saying: “Then render unto Caesar that which is Caesar’s and give to God what belongs to God.” That was the perfect ingenious answer to a purposefully devious question!
The word “render” is important here. It means to “give back or return something to someone that originally owned it”. In other words, Jesus was saying to the Jews: “Give back this pagan coin to the pagan government now ruling over you.” His answer satisfied the Herodians because he acknowledged that the people in the land did have an obligation to uphold a government that provided for them, as its citizens, in a variety of ways. Jesus also satisfied the Pharisees - as much as they could ever be satisfied - by saying that there is likewise an obligation we have to God as citizens of his kingdom.
This teaching is challenging because Jesus is saying we have dual citizenship: we are citizens with responsibilities to an earthly kingdom. That means Christians for starters should pay their taxes. And incidentally, our government doesn’t care what kind of coin we use, as long as we pay in full. The Apostle Paul shared more on this topic with the churches he served. He said Christians should always follow the laws and ordinances of the land in which they live and comply with those who govern over them. If for some reason the government’s rules conflict with God’s laws, they should not be followed.
Paul says there are two advantages for Christians when this happens. First, the local government is satisfied; life is simpler for them and for you. But the greater benefit is that neighbors will see us in a positive light. Their respect for us can make them genuinely open to and interested in what life is like for us as Christians. Paul wanted there to be no stumbling block that would hinder or block a relationship with neighbors, family, or friends. If we can be or are in relationship with others, we have the opportunity to one day tell them the Good News about Jesus.
Now that paying taxes to the government is covered, let’s consider the tantalizing question about how we “render unto God that which is God’s.” Put another way, what should we return to God? What do we owe God? Isn’t that what Jesus was saying?
Here’s something that might lead us to an answer. Do you know how people determined what rightfully belonged to Caesar? If He owned something and it was valuable, it bore his image. That’s why coins across his kingdom had his face imprinted on them. He also used a personal seal to mark his royal possessions. It was obvious to everyone that if Caesar’s image was on something, it belonged to Caesar.
Hang on to that image as I read what it says in Genesis 1:26-27: "God said, 'Let us make humankind in our likeness.' So He created man and woman in His image." You and I bear God’s image! Isn’t that amazing? Can you fathom that you’re made in the likeness of God? Now let’s put things all together. Being made in God’s image means we belong to him. We’re his stamped possession. We aren’t in the shape of a coin that is out in circulation, but we are human beings made in God’s image whom God does want in circulation in our world! We could think of ourselves as God’s coins. Jesus asks for all of us, the full package of who we are, nothing held back when we are His followers. We who do bear God’s image are asked to render ourselves back to God, to hand over all of ourselves to God!
The Scripture lesson read earlier from I Thessalonians is important to read alongside Jesus’ teaching. Paul was praising God for a church that was so faith-filled, you could call them “shining coins”. He boasted that “the Lord’s message rang out from their lives” across the wider region. They were notorious in a good way.
Do you know why these messengers were so remarkable? Many of them had been idol-worshippers; they displayed and prayed to little statues in their homes and dutifully brought money to one or more of the umpteen heathen temples in their city. They hoped for good health, the birth of many children, and prosperity. Then someone told them about Jesus. Paul says the people were deeply convicted by the Holy Spirit; they believed the gospel told to them was The Truth, and knew it demanded a response. A great number threw away their idols and pledged their allegiance to Jesus Christ; Paul says they were filled with joy and learned to lean on one another. Love was their mutual bond. But soon after, there was persecution and they suffered greatly for their faith. They refused to say “Caesar is Lord”, insisting that only Jesus is Lord.
Through the Apostle Paul’s letters, we know about these amazing first century Christians - their faith then and now is well worth imitating. Though they were in the minority, scoffed at, and faced serious repercussions, they named and claimed that they were followers of Jesus Christ. They knew they were made by God, in His image - and better yet, they had the assurance that they were His sons and daughters. Nothing would ever separate them from God.
The radical message shared by Jesus long ago remains for us today: Render unto Caesar what belongs to Caesar. Follow the laws of the land in which we live if they are not in conflict with God’s teachings. This will show others our integrity and help keep the door open so others might listen when we share our faith in God.
The more challenging and exciting teaching from Jesus is that we are to render to God what belongs to God. We’re given life by God and are mysteriously made in His likeness. God expects us to circulate, like coins do every day. We’re sent out with a purpose: to touch others, wherever they are. God will help us point people to Jesus, not just through the words we speak, but also through the example of how we live as Christians.
So, you and I know what to do come April 18th, and we know what God wants us to do every other day of the year: to be in circulation as Jesus’ coins! Amen.