Saturday 03 December 2011
- Bible Book:
- Matthew
"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.'" (vv. 18-21)
Background
Today's passage follows on directly from
But Jesus is wise to their games and exposes them as the hypocritesthey are. He's not going to let them get away with pretending toreally care about what he thinks about taxation. They wanted tohumiliate him publicly and he shot them down in flames.
Their question is ultimately a legal one, but it sees the clashingof two different legal systems - the law of the Jews that guidedevery aspect of Jewish living and Roman law, by which every citizenunder occupation must abide. As a known rabbi, or interpreter ofJewish law, Jesus must offer a ruling. If he tells the Jews to paytheir taxes, he legitimates Roman rule in Jerusalem. This wouldhave been a huge let down for many who believed that the Messiahwould liberate the Jews from Roman oppression. To pay taxes to Romewas to admit one's subject status to Rome, something which manyJews were unwilling to do. However, if Jesus tells them not to paytheir taxes, he risks becoming the unwilling champion of apolitical revolution against Caesar, and the Herodians were thereto witness it for themselves.
And that which the Pharisees tried to complicate, Jesus makesperfectly simple - give to God that which is God's and to Caesarthat which is Caesar's. Had Herod himself been present, he couldnot have disputed the answer and nor could they. The coin wasminted and issued by Caesar and in simple terms belongs to him, sothe citizens of Rome should literally pay what they owe. But otherthings belong to God and we should ultimately give ourselves backto God as a way of paying what we 'owe' for the freedom God hasgranted us.
Here, Jesus acknowledges that there are two realms of authority -God and government - each of which may legitimately requiredifferent things of us.
To Ponder
Does money matter to you? Why? Or why not?
What does it mean to pay what you owe tosociety?
What does it mean to pay what you owe to God?
What do you do when society's rules seem toconflict with your beliefs?