Scripture:
Matthew 22:15-22 (Holman Christian Standard Bible)
God and Caesar 15 Then the Pharisees went and plotted how to trap Him by what He said. (A) [a] 16 They sent their disciples to Him, with the Herodians. (B) "Teacher," they said, "we know that You are truthful and teach truthfully the way of God. You defer to no one, for You don't show partiality. (C) [b] 17 Tell us, therefore, what You think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar (D) or not?"
18 But perceiving their malice, Jesus said, "Why are you testing Me, hypocrites? 19 Show Me the coin used for the tax." So they brought Him a denarius. 20 "Whose image and inscription is this?" He asked them.
21 "Caesar's," they said to Him.
Then He said to them, "Therefore, give back to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." (E) 22 When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left Him and went away.
Footnotes:
Matthew 22:15 Lit trap Him in [a] word
Matthew 22:16 Lit don't look on the face of men; that is, on the outward appearance
Cross references:
Matthew 22:15 : Mk 12:13-17; Lk 20:20-26;
Matthew 22:16 : Mk 2:8; 3:6; 8:15;
Matthew 22:16 : Jn 3:2; Ac 10:34; 13:10; 18:26;
Matthew 22:17 : Mk 12:14;, 16-17; Lk 2:1; 3:1; 20:22;, 24-25; Jn 19:12;, 15;
Matthew 22:21 : Mt 17:25; Rm 13:7;
Reflection:
What do we owe God and neighbor but to love and to give each what is their due (Romans 13:6-8)? The Jewish authorities sought to trap Jesus in a religious-state issue. The Jews resented their foreign rulers and despised paying taxes to Cesar. They posed a dilemma to test Jesus to see if he was loyal to their understanding of religion. If Jesus answered that it was lawful to pay taxes to a pagan ruler, then he would lose credibility with the Jewish populace who would regard him as a coward and a friend of Cesar. If he said it was not lawful, then the Pharisees would have grounds to report him to the Roman authorities as a political trouble-maker and have him arrested. Jesus avoided their trap by confronting them with the image of a coin. Coinage in the ancient world had significant political power. Rulers issued coins with their own image and inscription on them. In a certain sense the coin was regarded as his personal property. Where the coin was valid the ruler held political sway over the people. Since the Jews used the Roman currency, Jesus explained that what belonged to Caesar must be given to Caesar. This story has another deeper meaning as well. We, too, have been stamped with God’s image since we are created in his own likeness (Genesis 1:26-27). We rightfully belong, not to ourselves, but to God who created us and redeemed us in the precious blood of his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ (see 1 Cor. 6:19-20). Paul the Apostle says that we are to present our bodies as a living sacrifice to God (Romans 12:1). Do you acknowledge that your life belongs to God and not to yourself? And do you give to God what rightfully belongs to Him?
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