What Belongs to God?

Introduction

My grandfather was president of a small town bank. Small town banks did not have a great deal of security. They probably have more now than they did then. I remember hearing my grandmother explain that if my grandfather called home and used a particular word that it was a signal that something was wrong at the bank and help was needed. I can remember thinking “what happens if you forget the word or if you forget the purpose?” Thankfully, that never happened. But as I think about it, many families have ways of communicating with each other so that others may not understand it. It is a code language. It’s like Morse Code but just for your family. Certain words carry the weight of understanding; it’s an inside joke; it’s not a different language but the words have meaning that others cannot understand.

In 1966, as an American prisoner of war in North Vietnam, Naval Officer Jeremiah Denton was forced to give a televised interview. During the interview, he stated that he was being provided “adequate food, adequate clothes, and medical care when I require it.” However, while saying the words his captors expected of him, he was also communicating something else with his body. Through a series of blinking with his eyes, he spelled out the word “torture” in Morse Code. This was the first confirmation to the U.S. Office of Naval Intelligence that American prisoners were being tortured in North Vietnam prisons. Because Denton shared this common language with Naval Intelligence, he was able to communicate one thing to them, while speaking words that his captors did not understand.

In our text this morning, Jesus doesn’t speak in a code language but his words are understood by those who want to understand. The words are simple, but the heart of the hearer is not open. We come with open hearts. We want to hear the words and be reminded of who we are and what our purpose is. Let’s renew our faith and to express our love.

A Trap

The Pharisees and Herodians come to trap Jesus. The last time we saw these two groups together was in Mark 3:6. After Jesus healed the man with a withered hand on the Sabbath day, these two groups formed an alliance in order to find a way to kill Jesus. What makes this so dramatic is that they were on the opposite ends of the political spectrum. Herodians endorsed Rome; Pharisees despised Rome. But they have a common enemy—Jesus. Needless to say, when they appear to engage Jesus they come with one intent: make Jesus look bad, trip him up, trap him, and get him to say something that will result in his death.

With great flattery in verses 14–15, they ask Jesus if the people should pay taxes to Rome. This is a trap. If Jesus says yes, then he has placed himself politically with Rome and the people will desert him. If Jesus says no, then he can be arrested and tried as an insurrectionist. In Luke 23:2, one of the prefabricated lies used at Jesus’ trial is that he is teaching that people should not pay taxes to Caesar. While Jesus will deal with this now, this accusation does not stop here. Jesus’ enemies will lie about him to get him out of the way and they certainly have no trouble trying to put him in a dilemma so that they can condemn him.

Jesus knows what they are trying to do. He understands the dilemma. So he asks for a denarius. The denarius was a Roman coin. It was required to pay the Roman tax. One had to deal in some way either through commerce or exchange to receive a denarius to pay the tax. Herodians would have had the coin with them. Agreeing with Rome and typically being a wealthy group, they would have had such coins.

The coin would have had the image of Tiberius who reigned from 14–37 A.D. with the words “Tiberius Caesar Augustus, Son of Divine Augustus.” On the other side of the coin would have been the words “Pontifiex Maximus” which means “High Priest.” Whose image and inscription is this? Jesus answers their question with a question. He has done this before. This time they will answer. Can’t deny the truth—or can they.

What Does Jesus Want?

This sentence from Jesus is more than a masterful bit of proverbial magic; it sets up the point that he is making and that his enemies are revealing. We ask what belongs to Caesar and what belongs to God. We want to compartmentalize. Jesus is not setting up compartments that make it easy for us to divide up life. Quite the opposite.

Rome rules in Israel but where does God rule? That’s the point. The truth of the matter is that everyone lives in a time, space, and culture. Every person on this earth lives under some kind of government and set of rules and laws. Even the most remote tribe in the Amazon have rules and laws that all are expected to follow. To engage in life we have to pay Caesar with money that Caesar will recognize. I like electricity but I can only get it by paying for it using U.S. money. It’s a very fair system. I work, get paid, dole out money to receive products I want and the cycle continues. In most cases, government and God are compatible. But this isn’t Jesus’ point.

Jesus isn’t an insurrectionist. He isn’t trying to overthrow Rome. He isn’t aligning himself with the Zealot movement of his time. He isn’t actively on the political spectrum then nor now. The insight from Jesus isn’t about politics. It’s about your heart. What belongs to God? What doesn’t belong to God? Jesus is talking to Herodians who value their political position and to Pharisees who value their popular religious status. Do either of them seek God? They rejected Jesus. They were not seeking God. The trap was designed to create problems for Jesus.

Jesus’ statement is an accusation. It is a statement of truth. To the Herodians who align with Caesar—give him what he wants. To the Pharisees who say they align with God—give him your heart. What doesn’t belong to God? The statement is for us as well. We are going to follow the government rules, but our heart belongs to God. We are going to pay our taxes; we are going to be good citizens; but our heart belongs to God. The Herodians’ heart belonged to Caesar. The Pharisees’ heart didn’t belong to God. They were trying to kill Jesus. This is the point. Give to God what belongs to him.

There is no greater demonstration of this truth than when Jesus gave himself to Caesar to be killed. It was the plan of God. It was planned before time began. And when the time came, Jesus stood before Pilate and spoke truth: “My kingdom is not of this world. My kingdom is from another place. I came here to testify to the truth. Everyone who is on the side of truth listens to me.” The Herodians didn’t listen; the Pharisees didn’t listen. Pilate didn’t listen. Are we listening? Give to God what belongs to him. You belong to him.

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