What Belongs to Who?

Here are some thoughts on Sunday's gospel. This was shared with the people of St. Timothy Lutheran Church. What are your thoughts?

Gospel: Matthew 22:15-22

¹⁵Then the Pharisees went and plotted to entrap [Jesus] in what he said. ¹⁶So they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are sincere, and teach the way of God in accordance with truth, and show deference to no one; for you do not regard people with partiality. ¹⁷Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?” ¹⁸But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why are you putting me to the test, you hypocrites? ¹⁹Show me the coin used for the tax.” And they brought him a denarius. ²⁰Then he said to them, “Whose head is this, and whose title?” ²¹They answered, “The emperor’s.” Then he said to them, “Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” ²²When they heard this, they were amazed; and they left him and went away.

Jesus certainly does not give clear answers to his questioners, does he? Of course, what we are told in this story that Jesus knew their insincerity. Their flattery got them nowhere with him. Should he sincerely answer an insincere question?

 

This story may remind us of the onerous duty of paying taxes in our day, however, it is not remotely like it. The Jewish people were not living in a democratic society, but rather under the crushing dominion of the Roman empire. Are they to pay taxes to help support the occupation of their own land?

 

Knowing these questioners’ motives, Jesus asks for one of the coins with which the tax would be paid. They had one on hand. Jesus might as well have said, “Gotcha!” On the coin was the head of Caesar, with the inscription “Tiberius Caesar, august son of the divine Augustus, high priest." This would have been blasphemous for both Jews and Christians. Even possessing such coins raised both political and religious issues. Although Jesus didn’t really answer his opponents’ question, they were amazed by his words and left.

 

How does this apply to us? I like the idea of comparing our lives, our hearts to the coins stamped with Caesar’s image. What is stamped on our hearts? Is it Christ and his cross or is it the things of this world? The image in our lives declares to whom we belong.

 

Let us pray.

On my heart imprint your image, blessed Jesus, king of grace,

that life’s troubles nor its pleasures ever may your work erase.

Let the clear inscription be: Jesus crucified for me,

Is my life, my hope’s foundation, all my glory and salvation! Amen.

(ELW 811)

 

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