Matthew 22:15-22 English Standard Version (ESV) Paying Taxes to Caesar 15 Then the Pharisees went and plotted how to entangle him in his words. 16 And they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are true and teach the way of God truthfully, and you do not care about anyone's opinion, for you are not swayed by appearances. 17 Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” 18 But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why put me to the test, you hypocrites? 19 Show me the coin for the tax.” And they brought him a denarius. 20 And Jesus said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” 21 They said, “Caesar's.” Then he said to them, “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.” 22 When they heard it, they marveled. And they left him and went away. As you can tell, I took some liberties with the title of today's blog because this is an issue I've frequently discussed with Christians and have had to have this discussion many times in the recent days as people are not just scared of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, but some of my friends are scared about the evil men in government that want to take away our liberties and freedoms and ignore the US Constitution and set up a totalitarian government and they think God wants them to rebel. What does the Bible say about that? We'll look at one passage here and then I'll include another passage later on that will hopefully let us have a kingdom and heavenly perspective in this time of unrest where fear and panic have seized us instead of faith, peace and sober-mindedness. Again the Pharisees have plotted to trap Jesus, this time teaming up with the Herodians (Jews who sympathized with the government that had been established by Rome) with the intent of reporting Him to the Roman authorities as an insurrectionist who told the people not to pay taxes or tribute to Caesar. Since Caesar declared himself to not only be king, but a god there were many God-fearing Jews who took issue with paying taxes to him as it seemed like giving an offering to a pagan deity. Not only that, but the Roman empire was oppressive, contrary in every way to the law of God, corrupt and utterly wicked. It was the feet and toes of the statue in the book of Daniel as more oppressive kingdoms would come and the rock that would become a mountain that was the kingdom of God would come and destroy the entire statue crushing the kingdoms of the earth so that the kingdom of God would fill the entire earth, and some people called the Zealots were ready to help God make that happen. They wanted Jesus to lead a political revolution and this is the very thing the Pharisees and the Herodians were trying to use to either get Jesus in trouble with the people or with Rome. They come with flowery language trying to butter up Jesus but their words were of the devil...just like Satan's temptation in the Garden of Eden--crafty, beautiful and nothing but lies meant to set a trap. Jesus saw right through their plot and called them out for their hypocrisy. This time Jesus used a visual aid and asked them to show Him and the crowd the coin used to pay the Roman taxes. He then asked them whose image and inscription was stamped on the coin. They answered, "Caesar's." Don't miss what Jesus says next. He told them to "Render to Caesar that which is Caesars" (that which has been marked by him and represents his kingdom, but to "render to God that which is God's" (that which has been marked by him and represents His kingdom). What is Jesus talking about here? Is Jesus talking about paying the temple tax? Tithing? Something else?Jesus is talking about the fact that man is made in the image of God and the Israelites were God's people and they were to give themselves to God in obedience even before they paid any tribute to God. God is worthy of all that we are and our very best that we have to offer. That is why Jesus called these men hypocrites because they were sell-outs who had trusted in government instead of God and had forgotten their identity as God's people and bearers of God's image that were supposed to worship and pay tribute to God in everything they said, did, thought and felt. Let's look at a couple more passages, First a couple passages about paying tribute to God in an unworthy manner and what it is God really wants from us and then a passage about submitting to the authorities that we have been put under (yes, even paying taxes to them). Malachi 1:6-14 English Standard Version (ESV) The Priests' Polluted Offerings 6 “A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am a father, where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is my fear? says the Lord of hosts to you, O priests, who despise my name. But you say, ‘How have we despised your name?’ 7 By offering polluted food upon my altar. But you say, ‘How have we polluted you?’ By saying that the Lord's table may be despised. 8 When you offer blind animals in sacrifice, is that not evil? And when you offer those that are lame or sick, is that not evil? Present that to your governor; will he accept you or show you favor? says the Lord of hosts. 9 And now entreat the favor of God, that he may be gracious to us. With such a gift from your hand, will he show favor to any of you? says the Lord of hosts. 10 Oh that there were one among you who would shut the doors, that you might not kindle fire on my altar in vain! I have no pleasure in you, says the Lord of hosts, and I will not accept an offering from your hand. 11 For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering. For my name will be great among the nations, says the Lord of hosts. 12 But you profane it when you say that the Lord's table is polluted, and its fruit, that is, its food may be despised. 13 But you say, ‘What a weariness this is,’ and you snort at it, says the Lord of hosts. You bring what has been taken by violence or is lame or sick, and this you bring as your offering! Shall I accept that from your hand? says the Lord. 14 Cursed be the cheat who has a male in his flock, and vows it, and yet sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished. For I am a great King, says the Lord of hosts, and my name will be feared among the nations. Micah 6:8 English Standard Version (ESV) 8 He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? Matthew 9:13 English Standard Version (ESV) 13 Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” Matthew 12:7 English Standard Version (ESV) 7 And if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless. Hosea 6:6 English Standard Version (ESV) 6 For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings. The next passage is rather long, not directly tied to what Jesus is saying, but it's a great time in light of current events to remind everyone of this teaching--both how to deal with our government and our neighbors in this current time of trouble Romans 13 English Standard Version (ESV)
Submission to the Authorities 13:1 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, 4 for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God's wrath but also for the sake of conscience. 6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. 7 Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed. Fulfilling the Law Through Love8 Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9 For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. 11 Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. 12 The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.
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Daniel WestfallI will mostly use this space for recording my "journal" from my daily devotions as I hope to encourage others to read the Bible along with me and to leave a legacy for others. Archives
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