Daily Devotions
Rendering to Caesar and to God What Is Due
Reading for October 11th: Matthew 22-23
The the Pharisees went and plotted how to entangle him in his words. And they sent their disciples to him, 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 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 to God the things that are God's."
Matthew 22:15-21
The Pharisees thought they had Jesus. If Jesus says we shouldn't pay taxes to Caesar, they can bring an accusation to Pilate. If he says we should pay taxes, we can tell the people he is sympathetic to Rome and destroy his credibility and following.
Jesus, however, answered this question in a way they didn't expect. He said they had to pay taxes. But why? Because the image of Caesar is on the coins they use to pay the taxes.
What do we give God? The way Jesus asked the question about taxes begs the question, "What bears God's image?"
We do.
Father, we give the government our money. We give ourselves to you!
