The Gospel of Matthew 22:15-22
The Pharisees went and plotted to entrap Jesus in what he said. So they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are sincere, and teach the way of God in accordance with truth, and show deference to no one; for you do not regard people with partiality. Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?” But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why are you putting me to the test, you hypocrites? Show me the coin used for the tax.” And they brought him a denarius. Then he said to them, “Whose head is this, and whose title?” They answered, “The emperor’s.” Then he said to them, “Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” When they heard this, they were amazed; and they left him and went away.
Let us pray to the Lord for our stewardship of His creation, for our faithful use of all His gifts, and for grateful hearts, that we may honor the Lord with our words and with our works. This we pray in the name of your Son. Amen
The first words that come out of the Pharisees disciples’ mouths sound great! They recognize that Jesus is the “Teacher” or “Master.” They point out that he is true, he teaches the way of God truthfully, and he doesn’t care about anyone’s opinion. Interestingly, they say that Jesus is not “swayed by appearances.” Politics is a hot topic today, as it was in Jesus’ time because of the Roman rule. It is a volatile topic because many people talk about it seriously, and frequently. And hot because it can make people very worked up. But how should Christians look at politics? Jesus gave a very simple principle- render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s. This means that we are to fulfil our obligations to our government. And that means 3 things: We are to Pay them, we are to obey them, we are to pray for them. And let’s not forget to give to God that which is God’s! As we look closely at this parable we see the Pharisees, a group of religious leaders who absolutely hates Jesus, they plot on how to entangle him in his words. Now Jesus, as you know, had been to the temple and threw out those money changers. He had wrecked the business, the money-making business, of these Pharisees. And no doubt that has made them furious. And the Pharisees probably are also envious of Jesus, because, many people followed Him, and they felt threatened. So, they are looking for an opportunity to eliminate their nearest competitor, Jesus Christ. So, before they are going to entangle Him with His words, they were very clever to try to lower the guard of Jesus by flattering Him and buttering Him up. So, they ganged up, these Pharisees ganged up, with a group of people called the Herodians. Actually, a very strange ally, because Pharisees hate the Roman government, but Herodians are a pro-Roman political group. But, for the common enemy, Jesus, they came together and set this trap. So, what’s the trap? They asked, “Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” [Matthew 22:17] Many of you would know, that at that point of time, Israel did not rule themselves; they were a vassal state. That is to say, they were under the rule of the Roman Empire. Caesar is their king. So, they are supposed to pay taxes to Caesar. They asked this question to Jesus, because it’s not an easy question to answer. But Jesus was aware of their game and He carefully answered: “Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” Jesus unmasks the malice of his opponents and evades their trap while speaking the truth. They beat a hasty retreat, no doubt humiliated at having been impaled on the horns of their own dilemma. This round goes to Jesus, but it seems as if he paid a price for standing up to the Pharisees. For us though we can see that Jesus first allegiance is to the all-encompassing scope of God’s reign. Now will we give the time to address our allegiance to God, while navigating in life challenges that often pull at that allegiance. Such navigation is not easy, and we would do well to seek God’s wisdom and discernment as we desire to follow Jesus in a world full of temptations. Yet Jesus is the source of God’s wisdom, his wisdom shows through in his answer to this test by the Pharisees and Herodians.
Let us Pray: O Lord our God, no matter what coin we render to political power, our greatest currency is ourselves, who are made in Your image. Guide our actions, voices, and words in the houses of government in this Nation, in this World, and on the local streets and roads of our lives, to always reflect Your graciousness, forgiveness, and mercy. This we pray in the Name of Jesus. Amen.
Reflections by Bob 