Sometimes I wish I were more like Jesus. You know, with the snappy comebacks, and always the right answers. In general, I’m more like Moses, slow of tongue… Three hours later, I think of the perfect response, the one that alluded me when I was asked the question.
Have you ever heard someone say that there are three things that should not be discussed over dinner or in polite company? Those three things are politics, money and religion. I guess Jesus never heard that expression because he hit them both in today’s lesson. Of course to be fair, he was responding to a question concerning politics and money. One of the dangers of reading the Bible, is taking what Jesus says out of context. So I’m going to spend some time setting up that context.
Our Gospel lesson is an interesting study. I was really surprised, for whatever reason, to read that this lesson has been used to support separation of church and state. Once it was pointed out, I could see that in this lesson – I just hadn’t really thought about it before in that way. I could see the stewardship lesson in it; I thought of it more like we need to pay our taxes and we need to support the church. But Matthew isn’t so much focused on that as he is on Jesus’ ability to sidestep a trap that has been laid for him. Matthew is more interested in the crafty way in which Jesus not only avoids the trap, but also turns the focus away from the political arena and brings it back to God.
Let’s take a closer look at what is happening here. Jesus is approached by the Pharisees - with the Herodians. A strange pairing, because politically they seem to be very different. The Herodians (supporters of Herod) earn their living off the Roman taxes, because they are the local government that supports and is supported by the Roman governor. So they have a vested interest in the continuance of the Roman tax. However, the Pharisees have a much more tenuous position in relationship to the Roman government. The Pharisees (and the Sanhedran) are given control of the Temple, but only under the circumstances that they keep the people under control and curtail any possible riots. But the Pharisees resent Roman control and are against paying the Roman tax.
Okay, exactly what is this tax? It is a “head tax”. It is imposed on every adult male from puberty to age 65. It is a token of submission to Rome, acknowledging the Romans as your master. It was a real thorn in the side of the Jews to submit to anyone other than God.
The Pharisees and the Herodians both see Jesus as a potential threat – politically dangerous. Remember that both groups derive their power for the Romans. Jesus is a charismatic teacher who stirs the imagination of the people. The people want to follow him and if he decides to take a political stance, then the people would revolt, and both the Pharisees and the Herodians would be out. So they team up to come to Jesus – knowing that regardless of his answer, he was going to run afoul of one group or the other.
Jesus didn’t hesitate when asked the question, “is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar?” Jesus couldn’t be trapped by such a blatant question. The questioners begin with such flattery – false flattery – trying to catch him off guard, “we know you teach the way of God truthfully, and do not regard the position of men.” And they are right – Jesus doesn’t regard the opinions of men – only being faithful to God. It is that faithfulness toward God that gives him the freedom to step outside the realm of men and to meet them with such authority and power.
Jesus sidesteps the trap they have laid for him. He asks them to show him the coin used to pay the tax. In the temple, only Jewish coins could be used – and some Jews would not even carry a Roman coin. But one is found – probably from one of the Herodians – and Jesus asks them whose image and inscription are on the coin. The answer, of course, is Caesar’s. This actually shows a violation of one of the commandments. Remember the one about not making any graven image? That graven image is Caesar’s and the coin therefore belongs to him and should not be possessed by a practicing Jew.
Jesus doesn’t mince words, he tells them flat out, “give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar.” That satisfies the Herodians, but now the Pharisees think they have him trapped. I can just see the sneer on their faces begin to fall, as he continues: “And give to God what belongs to God.” This puts all of them in an uncomfortable position. They know the coin belongs to Caesar, because it bears his image.
But what is it that belongs to God? So many writers I read claim that he really leaves that hanging; leaves it up to them to figure that out for themselves. He leaves it up to us to decide for ourselves. And the first thing that might come to mind for us is the example of the Biblical tithe - and that is a valid point. But think again, what is the Jewish understanding of God…
The alternate Old Testament lesson for today is from Isaiah 45. God says, “I am the Lord, and there is no other. I form light and create darkness, I make (peace) and create woe… “ So, according to Isaiah, it all belongs to God -- there isn’t anything that doesn’t belong to God. And we are back to “give to God what belongs to God.”
But if you bear out the analogy that things bearing the image of Caesar belong to Caesar, then what is it that bears the image of God? – that belongs to him? Isn’t it ourselves? Going back to the first chapter of Genesis, verse 27
So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. NRSV
It is we ourselves who bear the image and therefore belong to God. That is what we are to give to God, - It is stated explicitly in our Rite One Eucharistic Prayer that says:
“And here we offer and present unto thee, O Lord, our selves, our souls and bodies, to be a reasonable, holy, and living sacrifice unto thee…”
If we live into the theology of that Eucharistic prayer, we give him ourselves. Everything we are and everything we hope to be, we offer to God as a reasonable, holy and living sacrifice. Amen.
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