RENDERING UNTO CAESAR (Matthew 22:15-22)

We all know the story from scriputre. The adversaries are trying to trap Jesus. They want to play gottcha in the worst way because this guy is starting to get out of control and making things uncomfortable for the orgainzed religion folk. He's questioning their ethics, their integrity, and their faithfulness. And besides, we all know that organized religion folk prefer comfort.

So, they hold up a coin for him to see. They want to know if it's ok to pay taxes.

Hmmm. Pay taxes? To the Emporer? To Caesar? Well, of course it's illegal NOT to pay them. Everybody knows that. Like it or not, there they are. On the other hand, any good Jew would have a serious issue with paying out their hard earned shekels to an occupying power.

Given the time of year here in the good ole' USA, this is an interesting question for us as well. We do, after all, worship the same God as the one that both Jesus and the Pharisees claimed to follow. What do you say? Is it ok to pay taxes?

Some of us would say "yes." Taxes are a good thing. Roads, hospitals, State Parks and what not. We all have an obligation to pay for those things which are for the good of the whole community. That's true, of course. But what about the things paid for by our taxes that don't even come close to attending to the common good? What about the things covered by our taxes that pretty much focus on harm and destruction? Things that are counter call to God's call to justice and mercy? Are to pay for that? And if we do, don't we then become responsible for the destruction for which we've paid?

Most of us would shrug and shake our heads saying "the only thing you can't avoid are death and taxes," though I think I'd add terrible television news coverge to the list.

It's a tough question. And I must be frank. I pay my taxes. I don't love it, but I do pay them. So, from where I sit, whatever actions are made possible by my money are things for which I am morally and spiritually responsible.

But the question remains. It hangs in the air, hovering like a scent that will not depart. It is, the elephant in the room for Christians now and then. The coin is being held up and we are being asked, "Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emporer or not (vs 17)?"

WDJD? What did Jesus do?

Well, he shrugged. Actually, scripture doesn't record the shrug. But I add it for visual effect. Well, more than visual I guess. It's really an attitudinal effect. So, he shrugged, glanced at the coin and without misssing a beat, said, "Whose head is this and whose title?"
They said, "The Emporer's"

"So," said Jesus. "Give to the Emporer the things that are the Emporer's, and give to God the things that are God's (vs. 22)."

They were speechless. "Amazed" is the word from the New Revised Standard Version, and then they turned and went away. For years I didn't understand the response of the Pharisees. Why leave? What did Jesus mean? The whole thing was pretty confusing to me.
And then I studied more deeply about 1st century Judaism in Roman occupied Israel. In those days, a devout Jew understood God has all powerful. More than that, a devout Jew knew God to be the Creator of all things. Indeed, the Creation belonged to God as far as these folks were concerned.

So, if you consider the religious point of view of the folks involved, the story gets clear.
Everything belongs to God. That means that Caesar's claim goes unmet. God gets it all. Caesar gets nothing.

Now, am I advocating tax evasion? Hardly. As I said, I myself pay taxes, and I am loathe to ask anyone to do something I am unwilling to do.

However, I do think we need to get clear on a couple of things. First, everything does, in fact, belong to God. God provides us with eveything we have. And second, when we do pay our taxes, this God - without question - holds us accountable for how God's resources are used in the world.

Do our taxes make provision for the care of the poor and vulnerable among us?
Do our taxes offer healthcare and healing?
Do our taxes build roads, schools and hospitals?
Do our taxes work to build a just and equitable society?
You do the math. Figure it out. Take some time to see where our taxes are spent. What percentage is spent to house the homeless? What portion is expended to educate? To heal? To protect our environment? How much of our taxes is spent on international cooperation? On diplomacy?

I cannot make the determination.
Only you can do that. But it is important, very important that it be done. The disposition, I believe, of our souls depends upon it. So check it out. And if, by chance, some of God's resources that have been entrusted to us ARE being used to do things that we're pretty sure God wouldn't approve of......well then we have some work to do together, don't you think?
Holding you in prayer,
trusting in grace,

Pastor Schuyler Rhodes