Mark 12:13-17 New International Version (NIV)
13 Later they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to Jesus to catch him in his words. 14 They came to him and said, “Teacher, we know that you are a man of integrity. You aren’t swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are; but you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not? 15 Should we pay or shouldn’t we?”
But Jesus knew their hypocrisy. “Why are you trying to trap me?” he asked. “Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.” 16 They brought the coin, and he asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?”
“Caesar’s,” they replied.
17 Then Jesus said to them, “Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.”
And they were amazed at him.
Rendering to Caesar
It is tax time again. It is a time of anguish for some; those of us who have to pay. A time of headache for those who have to actually do taxes (their own and/or others). That is a temporal issue, however. In the God’s eyes, He is more concerned with our souls. We are made in His image after all. Just as the ancient Jews benefited from the Pax Romana, we too benefit from taxes. We have roads, police, firefighters, our children are educated, etc. There are many benefits to rendering that which is Caesars’. It is important for all of us to remember that we still must render what is God’s to God. “One’s ultimate loyalty, one’s personhood, belongs to God alone. In an ultimate sense, so does all of creation. Jesus once more turns a trick question into an occasion to teach a basic principle for ethical decisions, a fundamental guideline for ‘the way one should go’”. (Mark: Interpretation A Bible Commentary, Lamar Williamson, p 219)
Blessings,
Rev. Candace