Mark 12:13-17
• Possessions: That which we seek to owns ultimately will own us.
• Ill. John Wesley's attitude is worthy of pondering. When he learned that his house had been destroyed by fire, he exclaimed, "The Lord's house burned. One less responsibility for me!"
• Martin Luther said, “I have held many things in my hands and I have lost them all; but whatever I have placed in God's hands, that I still possess.”
• The religious leaders were not happy when Jesus disrupted their daily activity of the Temple.
• On one day, he overturned the money tables and chased out the animal vendors that had corrupted Jewish worship.
• The next day, He showed up early and affected the setup during the busy season approaching Passover.
• They had challenged Him about whose authority He did these things in.
• That didn’t turn out well for the Pharisees and temple officials.
• Then Jesus told a parable which foretold that the light of God’s blessings would pass from the Jews to the Gentiles.
• That wasn’t something that pleased them, so they pulled back to regroup.
• After they discussed it, they obviously created an new alliance with the Herodians.
• These were those who were loyal to Herod, and thus Caesar.
• They benefited from the system as it was set up, and were directly opposed by the Jews who wanted independence from Rome.
• They typical Jew resented Roman rule and despised Herod, who they considered a trader for supporting Rome.
Mar 12:13-14 And they sent to him some of the Pharisees and some of the Herodians, to trap him in his talk. 14 And they came and said to him, “Teacher, we know that you are true and do not care about anyone’s opinion. For you are not swayed by appearances, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? Should we pay them, or should we not?”
• Obviously, they tried to set Jesus up by beginning with attempted flattery.
• I’m sure one of them had suggested, “If we are going to trap this Jesus, we must begin with another approach.
• ‘Let’s begin by claiming to believe His claims.”
• So they started, “Teacher, we know that you are true and do not care about anyone’s opinion. For you are not swayed by appearances, but truly teach the way of God.”
• First, realize they knew no such thing. They didn’t believe it for a minute.
• Next, their flattery was intended to reveal or expose a very weakness they had hoped for.
• They hoped that Jesus did not fear the government enough to boldly speak against it.
• What they didn’t take into consideration was that neither did they fear the opinion of His very followers, which they had hoped would push Him into a trap.
• Then they asked the question that was supposed to make Jesus take and dangerous position.
• The Jewish leaders resented paying taxes that went to Rome, as did the common people.
• I am certain they had suspected that Jesus would take the typical Jewish position, and therefore be arrested as a subversive and protestor against Rome.
• If He didn’t, they suspected He ran the risk of losing his popularity with the people, as well as their support.
Mar 12:15 But, knowing their hypocrisy, he said to them, "Why put me to the test? Bring me a denarius and let me look at it."
• Through His dependence on the Father, through the Spirit, Jesus saw right through the plan.
• He saw their approach and flattery as hypocrisy. They came as if seeking answers for a life problem, but proposed to trap Jesus in His own words.
• He called them on it. “Why put me to the test?”
• Then He asks for a coin, a Roman coin used to pay taxes with.
• The denarius was typically considered a day’s wage.
Mar 12:16 And they brought one. And he said to them, "Whose likeness and inscription is this?" They said to him, "Caesar's."
• On our currency, we put ex-presidents and historical figures.
• The rulers of those days put their images and names on their minted currency.
• They brought Jesus the coin and He holds it up to them.
• As they look at it, He asks, “Whose picture and name are inscripted on this coin?
• They answered Him,” Caesar”.
Mar 12:17 Jesus said to them, "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." And they marveled at him.
• Jesus answered their question: “Give to Caesar and his government what is due him and to God that which is due Him.”
• They were literally stumped. The trap didn’t work and there was nothing they could really use.
• Jesus had taken the Herodian’s side, but also challenged the Jews to surrender more to God.
• Pay your taxes, but always give God His rightful place in your life.
• That includes obedience in financial giving to His work. But it involves so much more.
• It involved every area of our lives.
• The flattery state that:
• 1. Jesus was a man of unquestionable integrity.
• 2. Was not swayed by the fear of men or their opinions.
• 3. Taught the truth of God undefiled by opinion.
• 1. Yet these men were deceptive and artificial.
• 2. They cared more about how they appeared than how they stood before God.
• 3. They taught the doctrines of men and not the righteousness of God.
• What they really believed was that Jesus was like themselves.
• Jesus answer actually convicted both sides.
• We can easily miss the brilliance of Jesus’ answer.
I. Render unto Caesar…
• First, the Pharisees would not like the part of rendering to Caesar that which is Caesars.
• They recoiled at the thought of recognizing the authority of the Roman government or their current ruler, Augustus Tiberius.
• Yet, Jesus was teaching us to be good citizen.
• Paul amplified that concept in Romans.
• Rom 13:1-5 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, 4 for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God's wrath but also for the sake of conscience.
• God has always requires that His Children be good citizens.
• Joseph served loyally under Pharaoh as second in command, and God blessed him.
• Daniel and the other faithful captives of Babylon under Nebuchadnezar and Belshazzar.
• They never obeyed the king to disobey God, but in all other areas, they were faithful and obedient, trusting God to work through their authorities and governments.
• Seldom has it been illegal in this world to be a Christian.
• But it is in some places. Those are times of great testing for God’s people and times that require unshakable faith and trust in God.
• Sometimes it has cost the lives of Christians.
• Yet even in those times, God has honored His people.
• God calls those who lose their lives to evil governments “victors”.
• Rev 12:11 And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.
• The Hall of Faith describes some who have suffered from evil governments and people.
• Heb 11:32-40 And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets-- 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. 35 Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. 36 Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated-- 38 of whom the world was not worthy--wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. 39 And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, 40 since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.
• But for us, it is not yet illegal to practice our faith and trust in Christ.
• Paul tells us how to live under most governments without breaking the law.
• Gal 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
• We must be good citizens, demonstrating love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
• We should pay taxes, obey the laws that do not run contrary to God’s way, and we must pray for or rulers.
• 1Ti 2:1-2 “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.”
II. Render unto God…
• But the Herodians were just as convicted by the last part, to render unto God that which was Gods.
• See, they were still Jews, but had sold out to Rome.
• The very coin they presented pronounced that Augustus Tiberius was divine.
• “Augustus Tiberous, the divine son of Augustus” on one side, and “High Priest” on the other.
• The Law forbid the Jews from carrying idols, including images of men proclaiming to be God.
• You will remember, this is the big contention they had with Pharaoh, his claim to be divine.
• When Jesus held up the coin, it bore the image of Augustus Tiberus.
• I have a question for you. When you hold up your life, whose image do you bear?
• If you have accepted the call of Christ to salvation, you are being transformed into His image.
• Romans 8:28-29 promises us that God is using all things to shape us into the image of His only begotten.
• Rom 8:28-29 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
• Paul told the Corinthians that they already carried the image of Jesus.
• 1Co 15:49 Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven.
• If you are not saved, God wants to stamp your life with the image of His Son, just as He formed you in His image at creation.
• He wants you to be all His.
• There was a boy who built a toy sail boat. He took great care in shaping, painting and making the sail boat as authentic as he knew how.
• The first time he used it, the wind caught it and took far from the boy’s reach, and it soon disappeared down the river.
• Several months later when the boy’s family took him to town, he looked in a second hand store and saw his sail boat.
• He went in and claimed it, but the store keeper refused to give it to him.
• The boy took his allowance and offered the storekeeper the fair price.
• As the boy left the store, he was heard to say to the boat, “You are twice mine. I made you and I bought you back.”
• God made you, but He sent Jesus Himself as the price of your soul.
• He has offered to buy you and put in you the image of His son.
• Today, the call for you is to give to God what is rightfully His.
