6th June 2023

6th June 2023


Pray (ACts)


Read (Matthew 22v15-22)


Message (Scott Woodburn)


I have never met someone who loves paying their taxes. I've met plenty of people who have lamented the chunk of their wage that goes to the government each month but I've yet to met the person who delights in the taxman.


As the Pharisees continued their plot to lead Jesus into trouble (v15) they sent a flattering word (v16) to Him asking "Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?" (v17). It was a question fraught with danger. If Jesus stated that paying taxes to Caesar was lawful then He ran the risk of being seen as a traitor to the Jewish people. The Romans were the hated occupiers of Judah - would Jesus align Himself with the enemy?


Equally if the Lord had denounced Rome and instructed the people not to pay their taxes, His opponents would have run as fast as their legs could carry them to tell their Roman overlords that Christ was stirring up rebellion against them. Furthermore if Jesus dodged the question it might suggest uncertainty on His part which His opponents could use to discredit Him. Do you see the trap? Do you see the maliciousness? The Lord's answer would be twisted regardless of what He said and used to destroy Him. 


Yet Jesus once again was above the games of the Pharisees. He knew their malice and wicked intentions (v18) and asked “Why put me to the test, you hypocrites?" They had not offered an honest question but they were sneaky and duplicitous in an attempt to destroy the Christ. Jesus continued to give an answer that no one expected. He did not remain silent nor did He praise Caesar nor did He start a revolution. Instead Christ asked for a coin which was used to pay taxes.


Quickly a denarius was brought to Him and Jesus showed the people that Caesar's face was on the coin (v21). The man whose image adorned the denarius was Tiberius who was the adopted son of the first Roman emperor Augustus. Jesus said that there some things that were due to Caesar. His face was on their money and in the days of Christ the Roman empire was flourishing. The Pharisees may not have liked being under Rome's boot but Christ's point was that even the hated authorities are due some things from their citizens. Perhaps if the Lord had left it there He may have faced the rebuke of His opponents. However Jesus continued and said "Render...to God the things that are God's" (v21).


The Lord's statement is a reminder to us all of the nature of the world in which we live. There are human authorities and institutions who are over us and all of them derive their authority from God Himself (Romans 13v1). We may not like our government but we have no Biblical mandate to break the law. Indeed we can truly say that when we honour "Caesar" we honour our God. Peter would put it this way "Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor." (1 Peter 2v13-17). This is what it is to live in the kingdom of man.


Yet the Christian also understands that they are members of the kingdom of God and therefore their true loyalty lies with God alone. We are to honour Him in this world and serve Him with the gifts and talents that He has blessed us with. The cry of the Christian is "to God alone the glory" and so when we rise in the morning we walk in both kingdoms rendering unto Caesar what belongs to him and rendering unto God what He is owed.


His opponents found no room to criticise Him and instead they went away marvelling at what they had heard (v22). Brothers and sisters, wherever you find yourself living - honour Christ by honouring Caesar but at the same time do not put your trust in princes, in mortal men who cannot save, only the kingdom of God will endure forever.


Pray (acTS)


Sing


WSC
Q65 What is forbidden in the fifth commandment? The fifth commandment forbiddeth the neglecting of, or doing anything against, the honor and duty which belongeth to every one in their several places and relations.