And the [Pharisees] sent their disciples to [Jesus], along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are true and teach the way of God truthfully, and you do not care about anyone’s opinion, for you are not swayed by appearances. Tell us, then, what do you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why put me to the test, you hypocrites? Show me the coin for the tax.” And they brought Him a denarius. And Jesus said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” They said, “Caesar’s.” Then He said to them, “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and tot God the things that are God’s.” (Matthew 22:16-22)
What does it mean for you to be a Christian and….what other things are you?
Today, we especially might consider you as a Christian and a citizen of this country, state, city, and county.
You’re a Christian and you’re in a family, many of you are at a workplace.
You are a Christian and …. how do they work together – to complement each other?
How do they work against each other – opposed to each other?
Our Lord is being put to the test with this question. The Pharisees mean to trap him and intentionally take along the Herodians – followers of Herod.
Herod was a big shot politically. He had some power in Caesar’s government.
If the Pharisees can get Jesus to speak against Caesar and his government in front of Herod’s followers, they can bring him up on charges, have him arrested, crucified, and finally be rid of this guy who kept speaking against them, their teachings and abuse of authority.
They set Jesus up: “We know you’re all about God and His truth, O teacher of God and truth.
You’re not scared of anyone. You love God and certainly don’t fear Caesar. You don’t care what Caesar thinks about you. You’re not swayed by appearances.
God. God. God. That’s who you’re about, O teacher of God and truth – so what about this tax thing to Godless Caesar?”
You can almost see the handcuffs behind the back of the Herodians. The Pharisees probably already know which ones in the group will testify against Jesus.
Jesus knows what they’re trying to do. And Jesus is the teacher of truth – about all things. He knows how the world He created and ordered works.
“Give me a coin? What do you see? Whose image and likeness is on it.”
Caesar’s.
“Caesar’s gave it. Give it back to him if he wants some back.”
Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.
The word “render” may better be translated as “give back.”
God used Caesar and God uses our government to give us things. We are called to give back to them some other things.
Government is called to protect our body and possessions.
They are called to protect the body and possessions from the outside from other governments or evil men that want our possessions – land, resources, etc.
They are called to protect the body and possessions on the inside as fellow citizens who harm others in their bodies through abuse, assault, attacks and more and fellow citizens who steal, be it through cheating, theft, or false witness.
They are called to help promote order in the family so that all may flourish.
Help protect the most vulnerable who are prone to abuse by powerful majorities or those vulnerable because their families have hurt them.
Governments give us stuff – police, firefighters, roads, infrastructure of electricity and plumbing, services to help the poor and much, much more.
The sense of “render” emphasizes we have received from Caesar things and we ought give back certain things.
Taxes.
Obedience in all things that is not sinful.
Prayers.
Honor.
Help in accomplishing the wider societies good.
Christians should be marked by good citizenship because we recognize everything good comes from God.
He established government to do His will of protection and providing just as He founded the family to do His will of protecting and providing.
Jesus will say to Pilate that Pilate would have not authority unless it had been given to him from above.
This also helps us remember that every abusive government, every government that promotes injustice or abuse among its citizens or reaches beyond its reach because of greed will be answered to a just God.
Render to Caesar the things that are Caesars and to God the things that are God’s.
In this, Caesar ought be recognizing what he has received from God and be faithful to God to those whom God has placed under him temporarily.
But more than Caesar is answered to God.
All things that belong to God are called to give back to God the things that are His.
Last week were reminded and this week we are reminded again that we own nothing. All things are God’s – we are stewards, managers.
Our money, stuff, families, jobs, time and talents – all things should be working to give back to God the things that are God’s.
And ultimately, Jesus is making this point – our very body and soul is a thing of God that we are called to render back. And He makes the point in this question.
Show me the coin for the tax…Whose likeness and inscription is this?
Those words “likeness” and “inscription” are packed words. Jesus isn’t just saying, “What picture do you see?”
He loves the Pharisees and the Herodian’s, even know they hate Him.
He wants them with Him forever, even though they want Him gone for good.
By using those words, “likeness” and “inscription”, Jesus is remind them and He is reminding us that in the beginning, God said
Let us make mankind/humanity in our image, after our likeness…
So God created humanity in His own image,
In the image of God He created him,
male and female He created them.(Genesis 1:26-27)
There is something in humanity that mirror’s God. We aren’t God. But there are things about us that mirror God, show who God is – like the image of Caesar’s shows a little bit about who Caesar is.
It’s important to notice that it is humanity that is made in God’s image.
Men in so far as they act and speak and work as Godly men show us who God is.
Women in so far as they act and speak and work as Godly women show us who God is.
It’s not men only or women only. It’s both, though different and distinct.
Men and women, boys and girls, are called in sum to do one thing – and that is love, being made in the image of God who is love – though how that love is shown is sometimes different.
When we begin to love, we begin to give back to God the things that are His – by reflecting His image.
But, here’s an obvious point: we are now a poor reflection of His image. Our Lord tells us to give back to Him the things that are His. Even if we give Him our best, it would be like this.
It would be like me borrowing your car, scratching it on both sides, running over a bunch of nails and screws, selling the engines and all the parts, and returning it back to you.
We are broken, inside and out. God’s image has been tarnished in our bodies and souls.
Then comes Jesus, whom Colossians calls the image of the invisible God (1:15) and whom Hebrews calls the glory of God and the exact imprint of God’s nature (1:3).
He comes from God for us, gives Himself back to God still in mint condition having perfectly fulfilled all the Law for us, but is willing to take on our ruin to present us blameless.
Having “put on Christ” in Baptism, we are being renewed in His likeness. We are marked, inscribed, with the sign of the holy cross both upon our forehead and upon our heart.
All because of the perfect work of Christ when He engraved our names upon His hands while being nailed to the cross.
When God looks at us and asks, “Whose likeness and inscription is on this.” Jesus says, “mine.”
Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesars and to God the things that are God’s.
We begin to trust in God in live holy lives before Him, our government, workplaces and families, by remembering who were in Christ, in Baptism.
Put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator (Colossians 3:10).