This is an excerpt from my book “40 Moments From Christ’s Final Days.” Click here to get it from Amazon using my affiliate link.
Find this moment in: Mt. 22:15-22, Mk. 12:13-17, Lk. 20:20-26
Jesus and money. It’s a topic we don’t like, yet one that was just as important to His audience then as it is to us today. But by understanding the context of why Jesus says these oft-quoted words, we will better understand how He challenged His original audience and what that may mean for us today.
Then the Pharisees went and took counsel together about how they might trap Him in what He said. And they sent their disciples to Him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that You are truthful and teach the way of God in truth, and defer to no one; for You are not partial to any. (Matthew 22:15-16)
The Pharisees were absolutely against the Roman rule of the Jews. They believed that God alone should rule them (or so they claimed) through the throne of David. The Herodians were absolutely in favor of accepting Roman rule. They believed they should be ruled through the throne of Herod the Great, who was responsible for restoring the very temple Jesus taught in.
It’s clear how hated Jesus Christ was if these two Jewish groups, with opposite agendas, could unite to bring Him down.
Therefore, tell us, what do You think? Is it lawful to give a tax to Caesar, or not?” (Matthew 22:17)
This question was perfect for the two groups present. Should God’s people pay taxes to a man who fancied himself a god and idolatrously printed his face on their currency? Or should subjects of Rome refuse the mighty law of Rome, defying Caesar himself? Whether yes or no, one party would be satisfied, while the other could charge him with either blasphemy or conspiracy. Either way, Jesus would be out of the way.
But Jesus, knowing their wickedness, said, “Why are you testing Me, you hypocrites? Show Me the coin used for the tax.” And they brought Him a denarius. And He said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” They said to Him, “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.” And hearing this, they marveled, and leaving Him, they went away. (Matthew 22:18-22)
It’s easy to appreciate the cleverness of the Messiah’s answer. Rather than taking sides, in a way He said that both were right. If something belongs to God, give it to Him. If it belongs to Caesar, of course, it should go to Him. In saying this, Jesus seemed to leave it up to His audience to interpret who had a right to the currency.
However, through this statement, Jesus simultaneously decries and justifies each group. His statement gives legitimacy to earthly governments and their leaders, but only within certain bounds. The Pharisees didn’t want to give up certain rights to the Roman government, yet Christ said that even wicked government must be obeyed. However, He also gives boundaries to that obedience, implying that governments cannot take away what belongs to God.
Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist have been appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists that authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves. (Romans 13:1-2)
Paul teaches the same principle as Jesus. Authorities, whether as blasphemous as Augustus or vile as Nero, are still put in place by God. Obedience to God or authorities isn’t one or the other, but both ought to happen to fully honor God and His will. The Pharisees and Herodians were both disobedient to God in different ways, and Christ called them out on it.
Stop and think: Jesus encountered two groups. One group resisted the authority God had established, and the other put too much faith in those same authorities. How does knowing where authorities get their power help us honor them to God’s glory, no matter how we personally feel about the people over us?
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