Giving to Caesar…2000 Years Later?
Matthew 22:15-22
August 31, 2008
NOTE: THE ME/WE/GOD/YOU/WE FORMAT USED IN MY MESSAGES IS BORROWED FROM ANDY STANLEY’S BOOK, "COMMUNICATING FOR A CHANGE."
We: Who likes paying taxes?
If we could find a way to avoid paying them, wouldn’t that be a great thing?
Well, not necessarily.
I’m not in favor of excessive taxes, but I like what my taxes get me. Things like roads, a national military that keeps us safe, police, fire departments, and that kind of stuff.
And since it takes my taxes to make that happen, I’m willing to pay them. I didn’t say I enjoy paying them. I’m willing to pay them.
Taxes are a part of life, and have been, almost from the beginning of time. At least since the beginning of governments, politicians, and pork barrel projects.
I came across this as I was working on the message:
If you love something, set it free.
If it comes back, it will always be yours.
If it doesn’t come back, it was never yours to begin with.
But...
If it just sits in your living room, messes up your stuff, eats your food, uses your telephone, takes your money, and doesn’t appear to realize that you actually set it free in the first place, you either married it or gave birth to it.
Either of which is probably tax deductible. (TaxGaGa.com)
For many folks, taxes are more than just a burden, they’re a constant reminder that we don’t just work for ourselves – we work for the governments above us.
And for some, paying taxes is just plain wrong – and they’ll be glad to tell you why.
The problem is that the government doesn’t care about their opinions, and they tend to get a bit testy when people refuse to pay their taxes.
And taxes are part of the bigger issue of government, and that is part of an even bigger issue – whether Christians can and should support the government, with taxes or in any other form.
Today we’re going to look at ways to juggle the idea of being a citizen of heaven while living on earth, which is really what’s at the heart of the question that is posed to Jesus in our passage for today.
God: We continue to work our way through the gospel according to Matthew, and we continue to look at what transpired on what we believe is the Tuesday of Holy Week, just three days before He was crucified.
He has been busy these last couple days – healing, teaching, debating, all in preparation for what He knew was coming up.
At this point, we find some people confronting Jesus about the issue of taxes, which, believe it or not, were just of much of an issue in Jesus’ day as in ours, and maybe even more so.
Matthew 22:15-22 (p. 699) –
15 Then the Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap him in his words. 16 They sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians. "Teacher," they said, "we know you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren’t swayed by men, because you pay no attention to who they are. 17 Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?"
18 But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, "You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? 19 Show me the coin used for paying the tax." They brought him a denarius, 20 and he asked them, "Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription?"
21 "Caesar’s," they replied.
Then he said to them, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s."
22 When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left him and went away.
I want to start off by pointing something out that I never caught until I was doing some research for this message.
It says in verses 15 and 16 that the disciples of the Pharisees and the Herodians got together to try and trap Jesus.
Unless you know who these groups are, you’d just pass over something very interesting – that these two groups hated each other! They were lifelong enemies.
Did you know that? I didn’t. Now we all know.
The Pharisees were opposed to the Roman occupation of Palestine. The Herodians were a political party that supported the Herods and the policies instituted by Rome. (Life Application New Testament Commentary)
Even in their hatred for each other they could find something in common: a hatred for Jesus. And so, they come together thinking that with one question they can finally find something in Jesus that will discredit Him to the people or that they can bring to the Romans as treason.
So they come to Jesus, thinking flattery will get them everywhere with Jesus, or at least open the door to getting Him in trouble.
Verse 16 –
"Teacher, we know you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren’t swayed by men, because you pay no attention to who they are.”
You can almost hear the sneering in their voices when they say this, can’t you?
First of all, they didn’t really believe Jesus was a man of integrity or they wouldn’t have believed they could trap Him with His own words.
Second, if they really believed that He taught the way of God, they would have listened to Him and believed in Him.
But they were right in that Jesus wasn’t swayed by men. Status meant nothing to Jesus. He wasn’t concerned with impressing anybody. He was concerned with doing the Father’s will, no matter who liked Him, and no matter the cost.
So anyway, thinking that they could get to Jesus, they ask the question:
“Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?"
The people were seething at the exhausting taxation (taxes to Caesar, to the Herods – in the name of Rome, but really to support their own ambitions and lifestyles, taxes to the religious authorities for temple and other institutional expenses). Some estimate that a Jewish family paid approximately 50% of its annual income to these various taxes. (NIV Application Commentary)
So this was a valid (and loaded) question, and the crowd around Jesus waited expectantly for his answer.
And you know who else was listening to this conversation? Matthew, the guy who wrote this gospel. Remember what Matthew’s job was before He left it to follow Jesus? A tax collector! So you can imagine that Matthew was more than a little interested in what Jesus was about to say.
(Here’s the first part of the note-taking guide)
If Jesus agreed that it was right to pay taxes to Caesar, the Pharisees would say he was opposed to God, and the people would turn against him. If Jesus said the taxes should not be paid, the Herodians could hand him over to Herod on the charge of rebellion. (LANTC)
Because the issue wasn’t just about money – the issue was whether or not followers of God should be subject to the government.
Another way to phrase the question would have been, “Should we support this pagan ruler and what he’s doing here in Israel by paying our taxes to him?”
It looked like there was no way Jesus could win.
But true to form, Jesus answered their question in a way they hadn’t considered, and it left them speechless.
He said in verse 21 –
"Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s."
The main lesson I think Jesus has for us today is this:
Government has its place in the lives of God’s people.
Again, the issue here isn’t about dollars and cents. It’s about the place government can or should have in the life of those who follow the God of the Scriptures.
Government does have a rightful place in everyone’s life and people can be subject to government and God at the same time.
It’s not either/or, it’s both/and. We’re subject to the earthly government but we’re also subject to God’s authority, and ultimately, that authority trumps any earthly authority, no matter how oppressive it is (Israel was under the thumb of the oppressive Roman government) or how free it is, like we have here in the US.
The Pharisees and Herodians tried to make it look like it was incompatible to be a Jew and pay taxes to a pagan emperor who claimed to be divine. But Jesus said that it’s not really an issue because God was ultimately in control.
Caesar had the right to claim their tax money, but he had no claim on their souls. While they lived in the Roman world, the Jews had to face the dual reality of subjection to Rome and responsibility to God.
Jesus explained that they could do both if they kept their priorities straight. The tax would be paid as long as Rome held sway over Judea, but God had rights on eternity and on their lives. (LACNT)
So what is the take-away from all this? What can we do to make this real here, 2000 years after this conversation?
You: Live as a citizen of heaven while being a citizen on earth.
Dale Bruner –
“Jesus’ great sentence does not forever settle the question of Christians’ relation to the state, because every day we must ask ourselves afresh if we are giving too little or too much of our energies to the political. Jesus’ Caesar sentence is a slide rule asking us perpetually to readjust our use of time and priorities.” (NIVAC)
Let’s look at five ways we can do this.
1. Pay what the law requires.
In other words, pay your taxes. Don’t pay any more or less than you owe.
Like I said before, I don’t necessarily enjoy paying taxes, but I do pay them.
If you think your taxes are unfair, or you don’t like how they’re being used, you can do something about it by voicing your opinions to your lawmakers or by getting involved in the process yourself.
2. Obey the laws – when they don’t contradict God’s laws.
Romans 13:1-7 (printed in note-taking guide) –
1 Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.
Isn’t it interesting that Paul says the same thing twice right away? I’m guessing he wanted to make sure he was understood.
2 Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong.
How many of you get a little start in your heart when you see a policeman as you’re driving along?
You’re hitting the brakes, checking the speedometer, making sure your seatbelt is on…
But if your practice is to obey all those things, then there is no nervousness when the policeman shows up.
So then you can wave to the police officer because you want to be friendly, not because you’re hoping he won’t pull you over.
“I’m sorry officer! I didn’t realize I was speeding! I’ll never do it again! Ever!”
“Calm down, sir – just wanted to let you know that your back tire’s a bit low…”
Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. 4 For he is God’s servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God’s servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience.
And oh look at verses 6 & 7 –
6 This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. 7 Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.
Now, remember who the government was at this time – Rome. Caesar and the Romans ruled with an oppressive iron hand that wasn’t afraid to imprison, torture, and kill anyone who didn’t toe the line. And they did it a lot!
Yet Paul says that the Romans were to be obeyed, and that they were to have their taxes paid as well.
Why? Because Paul says that government is God’s servant. That’s a pretty hard-to-swallow concept, but it’s true, nonetheless.
Folks, being a citizen of heaven doesn’t exempt you from obeying the laws of the land; rather, being a citizen of heaven obligates you from obeying them as long as they don’t contradict God’s laws.
A third way to live as a citizen of heaven while being a citizen on earth is to…
3. Seek the betterment of your area by being active in the community.
Volunteer, take the time to get to know those around you, start a neighborhood watch, coach soccer or little league, or whatever.
Pray for your neighbors by name.
Don’t isolate yourself from the people around you.
This helps you touch the lives of people in the community, and it gives you a real sense of the needs around you.
Another way to be a citizen of heaven while being a citizen on earth is to…
4. Be involved politically when possible and where your conscience allows.
Some ways to be involved.
- Vote. I’ve said it before, but if you’re not voting, you have absolutely no right to complain about the way the government is handling things.
- Learn the issues and candidates.
- Learn to discuss the issues and candidates.
- Volunteer.
- Run for office.
5. Be thankful that you live in a place where you can actually have a say and make a difference.
The Jews of Israel didn’t have that. Many places today don’t have that.
You can complain and even make fun of our country’s leaders without worrying about ending up in some nameless prison, never seeing your family again.
You can vote, write letters to the editor, run for office, or just plain whine about things.
We live in a great place in a great time. Don’t take it for granted.
We: Folks, it’s crucial that we understand that whether we like it or not, we live in a fallen world where politics and politicians are a way of life.
The question we have to answer is this: Will we be a people who live and engage in our circumstances in such a way that others will want the heavenly citizenship we have?
You don’t have to look real hard to see that evangelical Christians are portrayed in political circles as being a bunch of right-wing whackos who love to shove their religion and their morals down everybody’s throats.
I think that if we would be intentional about both our passion for the issues and our passion for people, then they’d see that our citizenship in heaven is worth having for themselves.
Government has its place – but it can’t take the place of our allegiance to Christ and His primary purpose of restoring peoples’ relationship with God.
But they need to see our love – not just our political positions.
What will they see in you? What will they see in me? I hope they see Jesus, most of all.
Let’s pray.
