Keeping Our Priorities Straight
07/04/10
Luke 20:20-26
Pastor Greg Smith
Several years ago we had a family reunion of my mother’s side of the family, the Cummings. One of the family members had printed up a family history that was compiled about 90 years ago. It says that one of the Cummings left Scotland because they were being persecuted for being a Protestant Christian, and came here to America in 1776. This Cummings fought under George Washington and several years later died as a result of the injuries he received in the Revolutionary War.
We are a nation of immigrants.
But today all of us have so much to be thankful for! Today we remember and thank God that we live in this wonderful country.
— Sure, it is a national pastime to complain about our government: the politicians, this or that law, and especially the taxes we pay. Today, we thank God that we have the freedom to do so!
— And we also thank God that we have the freedom to worship God without fear.
And it makes sense that on this July 4, the birthday of our country, we reflect on what it means to be both a citizen and a disciple of Jesus.
The tension in the story comes from the confrontation of two reigning powers: the power of the Roman government; and the kingdom of God that Jesus announces.
— The government power of Jesus’ day was Rome. They were the occupying army that brutally dominated Palestine.
— Jesus came proclaiming, “Good News! God’s reign has begun!”
Two opposing powers were asking for the hearts of the people. You might remember that when Jesus taught about the dangers of greed he said that you can’t have two masters, you can’t serve both God and Money.
Following Jesus would seem to be a subversive act. Isn’t it true that the powers of this world must stand down to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords? Worship is subversive. Worship is revolutionary. If the world really understood what we are doing here, wouldn’t they would be worried?
Anyone who proclaimed a rival king had to be suspect. At least it would be a way of getting Jesus in trouble!
Let’s look at the story in Luke 20.
20 Keeping a close watch on him, they sent spies, who pretended to be sincere. They hoped to catch Jesus in something he said so that they might hand him over to the power and authority of the governor.
In Mark’s gospel we learn that the “spies” sent to catch Jesus were part of a joint effort by two groups that opposed Jesus: the Pharisees and supporters of Herod. That is an interesting combination: the Pharisees and supporters of Herod were at opposite ends of the political spectrum:
— the Pharisees were opposed to compromise of any kind with the Roman authorities;
— the Herodians (named after King Herod who ruled on behalf of Rome) gained their power and wealth by working with Rome.
But opposition to Jesus brought them together. They wanted to hand Jesus over to the “power and authority of the governor.” Power and authority—that’s what Jesus was known for!
Luke 4:36 All the people were amazed and said to each other, “What words these are! With authority and power he gives orders to evil spirits and they come out!”
Luke 9:1 When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases,
The spies wanted to confront the power and authority of Jesus with the power and authority of Rome.
21 So the spies questioned him: “Teacher, we know that you speak and teach what is right, and that you do not show partiality but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth.
It sounds very nice, full of flattery, but it was a trap.
22 Is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?
“Should we pay or should we not we pay?” they asked.
The poll tax was a special tax that had to be paid once a year. It was not paid by Romans citizen but only by subject peoples. The tax was imposed in 69 BC when Rome first occupied Judea. The tax was only one denarius, a day’s wage, a rather small amount as taxes go. But the amount of the tax was not the issue; the issue was that it was paid to Rome. The poll tax became a symbol of Roman domination and oppression, of Roman power and authority.
So, the Pharisees and supporters of Herod were asking a hot question in a volatile atmosphere. If Jesus answered yes or no he would be in trouble.
— Yes, do pay: Jesus would alienate the nationalists. He would sound like a traitor, a friend of the enemy.
— No, don’t pay: Jesus would get himself arrested by the Roman authorities.
What would Jesus do? He saw the trap coming. It was not a sincere question at all. So, Jesus asks for a coin.
24 “Show me a denarius. Whose image and inscription are on it?”
“Caesar’s,” they replied.
They knew what kind of coin to bring Jesus: the only coin that could be used to pay the poll tax. The Roman coin that was required to pay the poll tax had the image of a seated woman on one side and on the other was the image of Emperor Tiberius with these words: “Tiberius Caesar, son of the divine Augustus.”
To a good Jew, the coins were a problem.
— The inscription made a blasphemous claim: the emperor is a son of the gods, he is divine!
— Plus the image on the coin broke the second commandment that prohibits “graven images.”
In effect, the coins were portable idols. Just having one of those coins in your possession must have seemed like a compromise to a strict Jew. Yet when Jesus asked for a coin, they had one to show him! It’s a good example of how just being part of this world (and how else can we live?) sometimes may lead to uncomfortable compromises.
— For example, you don’t agree with abortion, yet a portion of your taxes may be used to fund them.
The Jews were compromised every time they used the coin but it was something they had to do unless they wanted to be arrested by Roman soldiers. So, it was in this situation that Jesus was asked the question: “Is it right to pay the poll tax to Caesar or not? Should we pay or shouldn’t we?”
Jesus said:
24 “Show me a denarius. Whose image and inscription are on it?”
“Caesar’s,” they replied.
25 He said to them, “Then give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”
“Come on Jesus,” they might have been thinking, “give us a simple ‘Yes or no,’ answer.” Instead Jesus says this: Caesar seeks his image which is on the coin. Give it back to him! He seeks his idol. Give it back to him. “Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s”— but don’t give Caesar what is not his to take. “Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s and give to God what is God’s.”
Caesar wanted more than limited loyalty: the Roman emperors wanted to be worshipped, to be honored as the Lord of Lords. No, Jesus said, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and give to God what is God’s.”
What belongs to God anyway? What is it that we are to give him?
— Caesar seeks his image: the image stamped in a coin.
— God seeks his image as well: you! You are made in God’s image. Genesis 1:27.
So God created humankind in his own image,
in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them.
The coin belongs to Caesar but you belong to God. The coin, which bears the image of Caesar, is owed to Caesar. You, however, as a human being who bears the image of God, you owe yourself to God. Your allegiance to Caesar is significant, but limited. Our allegiance to God is more significant — it’s unlimited!
One way to express this is in terms of citizenship. Look at 1 Peter 2:9-10.
9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
If we are a holy nation and God’s special possession, then in an important sense we are foreigners in this land. Our first citizenship is somewhere else.
1 Peter 2:11 Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul.
This puts what Paul says in Romans 13 into perspective.
1 Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2 Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.
6 This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. 7 Give to everyone what you owe: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.
We can say yes and amen as long as the authorities are within their God imposed limits. We are followers of Jesus first, citizens of this world, this land, second.
“Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.”
— What we owe the government can be measured: for instance, the “total tax due.” That’s “line 56” on Form 1040.
— But what we owe to God has no limit.
If anything or anyone except God asks for more than it’s due, that is idolatry. That is what Caesar wanted. But Jesus says, “Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.”
We might wish that Jesus had given more details. He left it to us to discern how to apply his teaching. And Christians have not always agreed.
— Christians still debate whether it was right for Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the German pastor and resistance leader, to attempt to assassinate Hitler. He died in a German prison near the end of the war.
— And, Rosa Parks, a committed Christian, broke the law when she sat down in the “Whites Only” section of the bus. Few Christians now would say she wrong to do so. But when I was growing up their was tremendous debate.
And so, committed Christians continue to have differing views issues like civil disobedience as a means of protest, and whether a Christian can serve in the military in roles that would lead to the killing of others, including other Christians that happen to live in other countries.
But one thing is totally clear:
— What we owe any government is measured and limited.
— But what we owe to God has no limit.
The Pharisees and supporters of Herod thought they had Jesus trapped. Instead, all who heard Jesus were “astonished by his answer.” Why?
— Yes, they were amazed at the clever way Jesus responded.
— But also, those who challenged Jesus went away challenged— challenged to give their all to the LORD.
We haven’t done what Jesus asks when we have paid our taxes in full: Jesus wants us to give our lives to the Lord in full. Just like the government won’t be satisfied unless we pay our entire tax bill, so God is not satisfied until we given our whole lives to the Him.
Pastor Greg Smith
Several years ago we had a family reunion of my mother’s side of the family, the Cummings. One of the family members had printed up a family history that was compiled about 90 years ago. It says that one of the Cummings left Scotland because they were being persecuted for being a Protestant Christian, and came here to America in 1776. This Cummings fought under George Washington and several years later died as a result of the injuries he received in the Revolutionary War.
We are a nation of immigrants.
But today all of us have so much to be thankful for! Today we remember and thank God that we live in this wonderful country.
— Sure, it is a national pastime to complain about our government: the politicians, this or that law, and especially the taxes we pay. Today, we thank God that we have the freedom to do so!
— And we also thank God that we have the freedom to worship God without fear.
And it makes sense that on this July 4, the birthday of our country, we reflect on what it means to be both a citizen and a disciple of Jesus.
The tension in the story comes from the confrontation of two reigning powers: the power of the Roman government; and the kingdom of God that Jesus announces.
— The government power of Jesus’ day was Rome. They were the occupying army that brutally dominated Palestine.
— Jesus came proclaiming, “Good News! God’s reign has begun!”
Two opposing powers were asking for the hearts of the people. You might remember that when Jesus taught about the dangers of greed he said that you can’t have two masters, you can’t serve both God and Money.
Following Jesus would seem to be a subversive act. Isn’t it true that the powers of this world must stand down to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords? Worship is subversive. Worship is revolutionary. If the world really understood what we are doing here, wouldn’t they would be worried?
Anyone who proclaimed a rival king had to be suspect. At least it would be a way of getting Jesus in trouble!
Let’s look at the story in Luke 20.
20 Keeping a close watch on him, they sent spies, who pretended to be sincere. They hoped to catch Jesus in something he said so that they might hand him over to the power and authority of the governor.
In Mark’s gospel we learn that the “spies” sent to catch Jesus were part of a joint effort by two groups that opposed Jesus: the Pharisees and supporters of Herod. That is an interesting combination: the Pharisees and supporters of Herod were at opposite ends of the political spectrum:
— the Pharisees were opposed to compromise of any kind with the Roman authorities;
— the Herodians (named after King Herod who ruled on behalf of Rome) gained their power and wealth by working with Rome.
But opposition to Jesus brought them together. They wanted to hand Jesus over to the “power and authority of the governor.” Power and authority—that’s what Jesus was known for!
Luke 4:36 All the people were amazed and said to each other, “What words these are! With authority and power he gives orders to evil spirits and they come out!”
Luke 9:1 When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases,
The spies wanted to confront the power and authority of Jesus with the power and authority of Rome.
21 So the spies questioned him: “Teacher, we know that you speak and teach what is right, and that you do not show partiality but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth.
It sounds very nice, full of flattery, but it was a trap.
22 Is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?
“Should we pay or should we not we pay?” they asked.
The poll tax was a special tax that had to be paid once a year. It was not paid by Romans citizen but only by subject peoples. The tax was imposed in 69 BC when Rome first occupied Judea. The tax was only one denarius, a day’s wage, a rather small amount as taxes go. But the amount of the tax was not the issue; the issue was that it was paid to Rome. The poll tax became a symbol of Roman domination and oppression, of Roman power and authority.
So, the Pharisees and supporters of Herod were asking a hot question in a volatile atmosphere. If Jesus answered yes or no he would be in trouble.
— Yes, do pay: Jesus would alienate the nationalists. He would sound like a traitor, a friend of the enemy.
— No, don’t pay: Jesus would get himself arrested by the Roman authorities.
What would Jesus do? He saw the trap coming. It was not a sincere question at all. So, Jesus asks for a coin.
24 “Show me a denarius. Whose image and inscription are on it?”
“Caesar’s,” they replied.
They knew what kind of coin to bring Jesus: the only coin that could be used to pay the poll tax. The Roman coin that was required to pay the poll tax had the image of a seated woman on one side and on the other was the image of Emperor Tiberius with these words: “Tiberius Caesar, son of the divine Augustus.”
To a good Jew, the coins were a problem.
— The inscription made a blasphemous claim: the emperor is a son of the gods, he is divine!
— Plus the image on the coin broke the second commandment that prohibits “graven images.”
In effect, the coins were portable idols. Just having one of those coins in your possession must have seemed like a compromise to a strict Jew. Yet when Jesus asked for a coin, they had one to show him! It’s a good example of how just being part of this world (and how else can we live?) sometimes may lead to uncomfortable compromises.
— For example, you don’t agree with abortion, yet a portion of your taxes may be used to fund them.
The Jews were compromised every time they used the coin but it was something they had to do unless they wanted to be arrested by Roman soldiers. So, it was in this situation that Jesus was asked the question: “Is it right to pay the poll tax to Caesar or not? Should we pay or shouldn’t we?”
Jesus said:
24 “Show me a denarius. Whose image and inscription are on it?”
“Caesar’s,” they replied.
25 He said to them, “Then give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”
“Come on Jesus,” they might have been thinking, “give us a simple ‘Yes or no,’ answer.” Instead Jesus says this: Caesar seeks his image which is on the coin. Give it back to him! He seeks his idol. Give it back to him. “Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s”— but don’t give Caesar what is not his to take. “Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s and give to God what is God’s.”
Caesar wanted more than limited loyalty: the Roman emperors wanted to be worshipped, to be honored as the Lord of Lords. No, Jesus said, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and give to God what is God’s.”
What belongs to God anyway? What is it that we are to give him?
— Caesar seeks his image: the image stamped in a coin.
— God seeks his image as well: you! You are made in God’s image. Genesis 1:27.
So God created humankind in his own image,
in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them.
The coin belongs to Caesar but you belong to God. The coin, which bears the image of Caesar, is owed to Caesar. You, however, as a human being who bears the image of God, you owe yourself to God. Your allegiance to Caesar is significant, but limited. Our allegiance to God is more significant — it’s unlimited!
One way to express this is in terms of citizenship. Look at 1 Peter 2:9-10.
9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
If we are a holy nation and God’s special possession, then in an important sense we are foreigners in this land. Our first citizenship is somewhere else.
1 Peter 2:11 Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul.
This puts what Paul says in Romans 13 into perspective.
1 Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2 Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.
6 This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. 7 Give to everyone what you owe: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.
We can say yes and amen as long as the authorities are within their God imposed limits. We are followers of Jesus first, citizens of this world, this land, second.
“Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.”
— What we owe the government can be measured: for instance, the “total tax due.” That’s “line 56” on Form 1040.
— But what we owe to God has no limit.
If anything or anyone except God asks for more than it’s due, that is idolatry. That is what Caesar wanted. But Jesus says, “Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.”
We might wish that Jesus had given more details. He left it to us to discern how to apply his teaching. And Christians have not always agreed.
— Christians still debate whether it was right for Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the German pastor and resistance leader, to attempt to assassinate Hitler. He died in a German prison near the end of the war.
— And, Rosa Parks, a committed Christian, broke the law when she sat down in the “Whites Only” section of the bus. Few Christians now would say she wrong to do so. But when I was growing up their was tremendous debate.
And so, committed Christians continue to have differing views issues like civil disobedience as a means of protest, and whether a Christian can serve in the military in roles that would lead to the killing of others, including other Christians that happen to live in other countries.
But one thing is totally clear:
— What we owe any government is measured and limited.
— But what we owe to God has no limit.
The Pharisees and supporters of Herod thought they had Jesus trapped. Instead, all who heard Jesus were “astonished by his answer.” Why?
— Yes, they were amazed at the clever way Jesus responded.
— But also, those who challenged Jesus went away challenged— challenged to give their all to the LORD.
We haven’t done what Jesus asks when we have paid our taxes in full: Jesus wants us to give our lives to the Lord in full. Just like the government won’t be satisfied unless we pay our entire tax bill, so God is not satisfied until we given our whole lives to the Him.