Caesar and God

Introduction

Survey after survey says that the majority of Americans wait until the last minute to file their tax returns. Paying taxes has never been a favorite thing for anyone. For many of us, taxes are like the recent Hagar the Horrible comic strip. Tax collectors appear at Hagar’s door to collect the tax money which Hagar owes. He claims to have no money to pay. Finally, the two tax collectors are seen flipping a coin as one says to the other “heads you beat him, tails I do.” There is nothing easy about filing our taxes and having just completed that task, you might be interested to know that enough paper is used in the course of the year by the IRS to stretch around the earth 28 times. There are about 7 million words in our tax code. God managed to say what he needed to say in about 700,000 words. Almost 40% of income goes to pay taxes in various forms.

The Stage Is Set

Even in the days of Jesus, paying taxes was part of life. In our text, Jesus is approached about paying a tax to Rome. With great flattery, a group representing Jewish leaders comes to Jesus. This flattery is a veiled attempt to make Jesus relax and then to speak freely. What they don’t realize is that Jesus is already in control and he is already relaxed. Israel was a proud nation. There was a belief that Rome would eventually be overthrown. Those who aided the Romans were seen as traitors and were despised by all Jews. It is in this setting that Jesus is asked to comment on tax giving. Did he think that a Jew should pay taxes to Caesar? Underlying this question is the thought “Are you loyal to Israel or should we give in to Rome?”

This is a specific tax which was required of every Jew each year. It was a modest tax. Every Jewish male was taxed at the rate of one denarius or about one day’s wage. It wasn’t the money so much as it was who the money went to. For the poor, it was a large sum, but for many Jews they despised paying because it went to their enemy, Rome. But the question for Jesus really has very little to do with taxes. It has more to do with making Jesus look bad. Their desire is that Jesus will not be able to continue having such a profound influence on the people. It is Mark who tells us that those who question Jesus are Pharisees and Herodians. These were on the opposite ends of the political spectrum. The Pharisees hated Rome. The Herodians desired Herod’s family to remain in power and with Rome’s help that was possible. But even enemies can set aside their disdain for each other in order to make Jesus fall. This is the second time in Luke 20 that Jewish leaders have tried to make Jesus look bad.

In this case if Jesus answers “yes” then the Jewish nationalists will see their dreams thwarted. The common man will see Jesus as being no different from any other leader. If Jesus answers “no” then the Herodians can accuse him of treason and subversion and have him arrested by Roman authorities. Either way Jesus is going to look bad. At the best, he will say something which will result in his arrest. At the worst, he will announce that all are to pay the tax and then the common man will give up on him as some kind of political and religious leader. And if Jesus should refuse to answer then he would be embarrassed and would demonstrate that he is a false prophet. It appears as if Jesus is in a no win situation.

Jesus asks for a coin. It isn’t just any coin. This would have been the coin that was used to pay the tax. On one side of the coin would have been a likeness of Caesar Tiberius. On the back would have been a likeness of his mother and the inscription, “Caesar Tiberius, son of the divine Augustus.” Someone gives him the coin. This coin would have also been used in daily commerce. The fact that the coin was readily available demonstrates that questioners used the coin daily. Already their argument is beginning to unravel. Are you loyal to Israel or should we give in to Rome? They have already given into Rome by the use of the coin. They are trying to trick Jesus—what they don’t realize is that they have already given Jesus the opening he is needing.

Whose likeness is on this coin Jesus asks. “Caesar’s” is the reply. Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and give to God what belongs to God. And his opponents were silenced. Now we have to figure out what this saying means. It appears easy on the front end, but it was profound enough that Jesus’s opponents had no rebuttal. What belongs to Caesar and what belongs to God? Doesn’t everything belong to God already? Then does that mean there is nothing to give to Caesar? The key to this passage is Jesus’ first question about the likeness and inscription which is on the coin.

Take out some paper money. Don’t worry I’m not going to ask you to give it. It doesn’t matter which you look at. Across the top of any of our paper money is this inscription “Federal Reserve Note” above the phrase “The United States of America.” Somewhere on that bill are the words “This note is legal tender for all debts, public and private.” Who says so? Who has the authority to say that a special piece of paper has enough value to serve as legal tender? The government. Whose likeness is on the coin? Jesus asks. Who has the right to mint money? The government. Jesus answers in such a way that he establishes that taxation is part of living under any government and as such those under that government pay taxes. But it is the second part of his response which is special.

What belongs to God? Everything. Let’s get more specific. Whose likeness do you bear? As a coin bears a likeness of a government official so your soul bears the likeness of the creator. That which belongs to Caesar should be reserved for him. That which belongs to God should be reserved only for him. How could anyone argue with Jesus. He’s right. God made you. He placed his image within you. And since you bear his image, give what bears his image to him. God didn’t make us to pursue the things of this world. He made us so that we would pursue him. And in those quiet moments when we allow ourselves a few moments of reflection and thinking we know that we long to be with the Father. Our restlessness finds peace in the Father. Our uncertainty is answered in the Father. We bear his image and because we do we long to be with Him. Give to God what belongs to God. In a fleeting moment, the religious leaders tried one more time to make Jesus look bad. Luke records this story for us to demonstrate that even toward the end of his life, Jesus is looking for those who will come and follow him to the Father. Will you follow the Savior? You bear the image of God. Give to God what belongs to Him. Invitation.

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