God and Taxes

Mark 12:13-17, CEB - They sent some of the Pharisees and supporters of Herod to trap him in his words.  They came to him and said, “Teacher, we know that you’re genuine and you don’t worry about what people think. You don’t show favoritism but teach God’s way as it really is. Does the Law allow people to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Should we pay taxes or not?”

Since Jesus recognized their deceit, he said to them, “Why are you testing me? Bring me a coin. Show it to me.”  And they brought one. He said to them, “Whose image and inscription is this?”

“Caesar’s,” they replied.

Jesus said to them, “Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.” His reply left them overcome with wonder.

 

                Having been bested by Jesus in the first challenge concerning authority, the Pharisees join forces with Herodians (Jewish supporters of and colluders with Herod, the Roman-appointed governor) to try and trick Jesus into saying something either chargeable under the law or unpopular with His supporters.  They ask Jesus about a hot-button issue at the time which was the taxation of the occupying Romans.  The Roman was extremely unpopular almost everyone and there were Zealots among the Jews who defiantly refused to pay it.  The Herodians, on the other hand, benefitted from their cooperation with the Romans and some of them were both civic and religious leaders.  They would have loved to have Jesus quoted as supporting NOT paying taxes to Caesar.  He could then be charged with rebellion and dealt with as a traitor to the Roman government.  However, if Jesus clearly advocates paying the taxes, his own followers will be displeased.  The Pharisee-Herodian alliance sees this question as a win either way.

                Jesus is aware of what they are trying to do (their ruse is quite obvious) and his answer once again avoids the trap.  The answer also gives Mark’s readers a decision framework to work from when making decisions concerning the sometimes competing claims of civic duty and faith in God.  After asking his questioners to produce a Roman denarius, he gives the following principle.

                “Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.”

We should note here that the fact the questioners are able to produce a denarius within the walls of the temple exposes their hypocrisy.  Jewish Oral law prohibited coinage with anyone’s image upon them to be carried in the Temple.  Everyone present would have known that because everyone was subject to the coin exchanges outside the Temple to facilitate adherence to this law.  The leaders are visibly in violation of their own law concerning money when asking Jesus about the proper use of it. 

Jesus doesn’t instruct people to pay taxes or not pay taxes.  His answer makes some assumptions:” (1) paying taxes to governmental authorities is necessary to serve the common good and (2) while #1 may be true, a faithful follower of God will always consider what should be given to God.  I like the way Lamar Williamson summarizes Jesus instruction here:

“The guidance offered is not that of a quick and unequivocal answer. Rather than give a direct answer in an oracle from God, Jesus uses an object lesson from everyday life and expects us to use our discipline common sense.  He does not simply tell us what to do, but suggests how we ought to think about our decision.”  (Williamson, p. 220)¹

While other New Testament writers talk more extensively about navigating matters of civic and religious life, this is one of the few places where we hear straight from Jesus on the subject.  The principle we get from Jesus here is that we are to use all the resources of our faith and our acumen as citizens to make honorable decisions that have integrity.  This might mean making different decisions on different occasions should the details demand it.  While it can be frustrating not to have a black and white pronouncement to follow in these matters, what Jesus gives us is a responsibility to exercise all of our theological and moral resources to act justly in each situation.  In most cases, “Caesar” is due at least something because “Caesar” is charged with the common good and needs resources to accomplish it.  Civil disobedience may sometimes be warranted, but it is not to be untaken lightly and before one has carefully weighed all the options. In all cases, what is due to God is always our first concern and responsibility.   

 

Question:  What is the relationship between what you give to governments and what you give to God?

 

Prayer:  Lord, our first citizenship is that in the Kingdom of God, but we are also subject to earthly authorities.  Gove us wisdom to navigate both allegiances in a way that serves the common good and honors You above all else.  Amen.

 

Prayer Focus:   Pray for all public servants of the common good today.

 

Song:  Taxman – Beatles

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsFRMTbhOn0

Between Death and Taxes

Between Death and Taxes

 

Matthew 22:15-22, NLT - Then the Pharisees met together to plot how to trap Jesus into saying something for which he could be arrested.  They sent some of their disciples, along with the supporters of Herod, to meet with him. “Teacher,” they said, “we know how honest you are. You teach the way of God truthfully. You are impartial and don’t play favorites.  Now tell us what you think about this: Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”

But Jesus knew their evil motives. “You hypocrites!” he said. “Why are you trying to trap me?  Here, show me the coin used for the tax.” When they handed him a Roman coin, he asked, “Whose picture and title are stamped on it?”

“Caesar’s,” they replied.

“Well, then,” he said, “give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God.”

His reply amazed them, and they went away.

 

                Can you sense the irony here?  The Pharisees are brainstorming a way to get Jesus arrested and/or killed.  So they send their minions to approach Jesus with this ploy.  Say to Jesus, “we know you are a pull-no-punches-kinda guy; we know you’ll be completely honest with us.”  Then they ask Jesus about paying the extremely unpopular Roman tax.  They expect Jesus to speak publicly about not paying the tax, which will get Him arrested.  In other words, they dishonestly go to Jesus asking Him to be honest. 

                It doesn’t take supernatural power to see through this.  I’m sure each of us have had the experience of knowing beforehand when someone is being less than straightforward with us.  Jesus sees this for the trap that it is and so, he sidesteps it. Many scholarly interpreters read some politics at play here in Jesus’s response.  I usually side with scholars when interpreting the context of scripture, but in this case, I’m not convinced.  I don’t think Jesus was trying to make a blanket statement about whether Christians should acknowledge and respect secular governments.  I believe what Jesus is doing here is simply exposing the hypocrisy of the questioners.  The key for me is that Jesus asks them to produce a coin.  They trap themselves when they produce it.  By producing a Roman coin, they prove that they are Roman collaborators.  There were people who honestly believed that paying taxes to the Romans was sinful.  However, those rebels would not even be caught with Roman money in their possession.  The questioners realize that they have been exposed when Jesus makes the point about who image is on the coin they produced.  When Jesus says, “give to Caesar what is Caesar what is Caesar’s,” he is essentially saying “go do what you were already going to do.”  He even calls them “hypocrites” when He does it. 

                The takeaway for me from this passage is to be aware of own hypocrisy.  The Jewish leaders benefited from many arrangements with the Romans.  Likewise, we often benefit from institutions and cultural practices that we publicly condemn.  I hate the negativity and dishonesty that is rampant on social media, but I continue to participate in social media.  I sincerely believe that broadcast media is mostly infotainment catering to specific market demographics, but I still watch “the news” everyday.  I sometimes complain about taxes, but I benefit from all the infrastructure those taxes fund.  To be fair, some of this is unavoidable.  I can’t avoid driving on government-funded roads if I want to get to church.  I think this is the reality to which Jesus refers.  Right now, we are hopelessly woven into the fabric of earthly kingdoms.  But the invitation is to see that we also belong to God’s Kingdom and that Kingdom will outlast all the others.  There will come a day when “Caesar’s money” will be worthless to us, so you might as well give Caesar his portion now.  It won’t matter whether we are an American citizen or a citizen of Pakistan. The only real question will be, “are we a citizen of Heaven.” The challenge is to keep that in proper perspective.

               

Question:  Where is one place in your life where you are aware of your own hypocrisy?

 

Prayer:  God help us see the true allegiances of our hearts.  Point out to us the ways in which we don’t practice what we claim to preach.  Forgive us for our hypocrisy.  Amen.

 

Prayer Focus:  Pray for people you know that work for the government.

 

Song: Living Dangerously In The Hands Of God - Steve Camp  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9Oa0kkq7OU