A King Without A Quarter

Introduction

When you picture royalty, what comes to your mind? What do you see? What do you sense?

Power? Prestige? Wealth? Influence?

Our most recognizable royal family today that we’re familiar with today would be the royals in England. I’m not sure how many of you watched funeral of Queen Elizabeth and then the recognition of Charles as king. His coronation isn’t until May of next year which I’m sure will be quite the spectacle.

But even in the days following the Queen’s death, whenever king Charles would walk into a room, everything stopped. If he needed anything, he only had to mention it and whatever he was asking for would be there. It pretty much all belonged to him. At one point he needed to sign some documents and he just reached his hand out and someone placed a pen in his hand.

Images like that are typically what we think of when we think of royalty, when we think of a king.

But as we’ve journeyed through Mark’s gospel, we’ve seen Jesus revealed as a different kind of King ushering in a different kind of kingdom. God’s kingdom is different than the kingdom of the world and Jesus is different than any earthly type of king.

What have we picked up on throughout this gospel that sets God’s kingdom apart from the world’s kingdom?

Well, the kingdom of this world craves power and control and success doesn’t it?

In Mark 10 James and John come to Jesus asking to sit at Jesus’ right and left hand in his coming kingdom. They want to rule. They want authority. They want power. What’s Jesus say to them? He shows them the difference between his kingdom and the world’s kingdom.

Mark 10:42–44

“You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all.

The kingdom of this world craves earthly comfort and wealth.

Earlier in Mark 10 we read of a rich young man coming to Jesus asking what he needs to do to inherit eternal life? He’s saying, “what do I need to do to be part of your kingdom?” He says, he thinks he’s done everything he needs to do. He’s kept the law, he’s been a good religious person, he has influence and wealth. He’s looking externally good and put together, so he wants to know if anything’s missing, which he doesn’t think there is.

What’s Jesus response? He again shows the difference between the kingdom of this world and the kingdom of God.

Mark 10:21

“You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”

And what happens? The young man walks away sorrowful. He didn’t want to give up his wealth and comfort.

The kingdom of this world craves recognition and influence.

In Mark 9 as Jesus and the disciples are making their way to Capernaum Jesus asks them what they were all talking about amongst themselves on the way.

And they were all quiet because they were arguing with one another about which one of them will be the greatest.

What’s Jesus’ response? You guessed it. He shows them the difference between the kingdom of the world and the kingdom of God.

Mark 9:35–37

“If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” And he took a child and put him in the midst of them, and taking him in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.”

The kingdom of God is not about you achieving power, recognition, influence, wealth, and control. You see, if you’re apart of the world’s kingdom, you have to have those things. You’re desperate for them. Every decision you make is made on the basis of gaining more power, more control, more success, more wealth, more recognition, more influence. It dominates your life, it dominates your thinking, it dominates your decision-making. In the end, it actually enslaves and destroys you.

Here’s why… How much wealth is enough to finally make you happy? To finally satisfy you? How much control and power and influence do you need to finally feel like you’re enough? How much success do you need to achieve to finally feel complete? It’s never enough right?

And story after story after story could be told of people in this world who we would say have reached the pinnacle of success and power and wealth only to hear them say, they want or need more. It’s not enough.

I’ve shared this story before but back in 2005 Tom Brady sat down for an interview with 60 Minutes. He was 27 years old and already had 3 Super Bowl rings.

The interviewer asked him which of his three rings was his favorite. Brady’s response: “The next one.” That’s a telling answer. You’ve got three! But he needs another one.

Toward the end of the interview, Brady’s asked about this ride he’s been on. This upward trajectory where he’s just a winner and dominating everyone in the game of football. He’s asked, what have you learned through it all.

His response: “Why do I have three Super Bowl rings, and still think there’s something greater out there for me? I mean, maybe a lot people would say, ‘Hey man, this is what it is.’ I reached my goal, my dream, my life. Me, I think: it’s gotta be more than this. I mean this can’t be what it’s all cracked up to be. I mean I’ve done it. I’m 27. And what else is there for me?”

The interviewer then asked, “what’s the answer?” Brady says, “I wish I knew.”

This is the tangled web we find ourselves in when we chase after the kingdom of this world. It’s never enough because, well, it was never meant to be. It was never meant to satisfy you or bring ultimate meaning and purpose to your life.

And so if this is reality, if nothing in this world can satisfy you, then as C.S. Lewis once said,

“It can only mean you were made for another world.”

We were made to find joy and peace and life in a different kingdom, under a different King.

The apostle Paul says in Philippians that our citizenship is in heaven. The apostle Peter in his first letter calls followers of Jesus “sojourners and exiles.”

And so, the question then becomes, how do we live as citizens of heaven, with Christ as King while still recognizing that we’re also living in a broken world with a broken system with varying levels of authority and governance over us, much of which is corrupt and deeply flawed? Not only is our own government flawed in many ways but we have several international students that are coming from other parts of the world where corruption in government reaches a whole new level.

Are we to be revolutionaries? Are we supposed to tear down the whole system of government? Do we rebel? Or do we just acquiesce? Do we build a compound and keep everyone who isn’t like us out?

Jesus is going to, with just a simple sentence reveal what life as citizens of heaven, the Kingdom of God looks like and how we engage with earthly government, especially corrupt leaders in this world. He’s shaping, ordering, and prioritizing our allegiances in this life.

Body

In verses 13-14 we’re not seeing anything new that we haven’t already seen over the past several weeks. The religious leaders, the religious governing body is trying to find a way to trap Jesus so that he can be destroyed. That’s their aim. That’s what we’ve seen, that’s what we’re going to continue to see through the remainder of chapter 12. They keep sending religious leaders to Jesus trying to trip him up.

And so, here in verse 13 we see a group of Pharisees and Herodians banding together. The fact that they’re working together gives evidence of how much Jesus has rattled them. The Pharisees and the Herodians couldn’t have been more different. They’re both on different sides of the political spectrum and they’re going to approach Jesus with a political question that they think will do him in.

If you remember at the end of chapter 11, the leaders are questioning Jesus regarding his authority. Jesus refuses to answer them because they aren’t actually interested in hearing the truth. They just want to trap him. So, here, they devise a plot that they think will corner him. They think with this question, he can’t be evasive. He has to say either yes or no and either answer will condemn him.

They think they’ve got him.

So, what’s the question they ask in verse 14? “Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Should we pay or shouldn’t we?”

With that question, they’re really asking one of two things regarding the politics of Jesus. They want to know, “Are you a revolutionary or are you a traitor and a fraud?” That’s what they’re trying to trap him in because either one will destroy him.

Now, it’s important for us to understand the history or the background and context here. This isn’t a question about simply paying taxes in general. They’re referring to a specific tax. And we know this because Jesus asks for a denarius in verse 15. Under Roman rule, just like today there were a number of taxes on all sorts of goods and services and like today, they paid their taxes. They may not have liked it, but that’s what citizens of a nation do. They pay a certain amount of taxes that fund all sorts of services.

That’s not what’s under the microscope here. They want to know about a specific tax that will reveal Jesus’ politics which either side, the Pharisees or the Herodians can then use to bring him down. The tax they’re asking about is a “head tax.” An imperial Roman tax. It’s basically a tax for existing and the Jewish people hated this tax because it was a reminder to them of their subjugation to Roman rule. This tax was paid using one denarius. About a days wage.

This tax was not that old. It was instituted about 25 years prior to Jesus being asked about it. And as soon as it was instituted it triggered a revolt led by a man named Judas the Galilean. Judas the Galilean called on the Jewish people to resist and not pay this tax. Refuse Rome’s rule. He then went into the temple and cleansed it. He drove out all the Gentiles, all the foreigners, all the Romans. Only the Jewish people could remain. He cleansed the temple in his mind of anyone that defiled it, meaning, if you were not Jewish. And then he sought to lead a revolution and usher in the kingdom of God by overthrowing Rome and establishing God’s rule.

He was attacked, he was caught and quickly executed.

Now, here we are, 25 years later. Jesus is teaching about the Kingdom of God. Just a few days earlier, he cleansed the temple. Now, he did so differently. He wasn’t driving out the Gentiles but the ones that were taking advantage of them and hindering them from seeing and responding to God.

And so, these leaders remember what happened to Judas the Galilean. He was killed. Is Jesus leading a similar revolution? What are your politics Jesus? What do you think about this head tax? Should we pay it or not? Where do you stand?

There’s a reason why it was the Pharisees and the Herodians asking this question. The Pharisees wanted Jesus to say “yes, pay the tax.” Because then they could discredit Jesus before the Jewish people as a traitor and fraud, a friend of the oppressive Roman government. Get Jesus to say yes and he loses the people.

The Herodians wanted Jesus to say “no, don’t pay the tax.” The Herodians were Jewish sympathizers of Rome and so getting Jesus to say no would mean they could accuse him of being an insurrectionist and the same fate that happened to Judas the Galilean when he led an insurrection against Rome would happen to him.

You see, these leaders think they have Jesus trapped. This is it, the way we can destroy him. “Do we pay this tribute to Caesar or do we revolt? Yes, or No. Give us an answer right now. What is does our relationship to the state look like?”

But Jesus doesn’t give a simple yes/no answer does he? What’s he say?

Verse 15

Mark 12:15–17

“Why put me to the test? Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.” And they brought one. And he said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” They said to him, “Caesar’s.” Jesus said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” And they marveled at him.

Jesus doesn’t give them a simple yes/no answer. He gives a balanced answer. A both/and kind of answer. And in this simple response he says much about our relationship to not only the state but our relationship to God. He answers the question before us this morning, “how do we live as citizens of heaven, while still recognizing that we’re also living in a broken world with a broken system with varying levels of broken and corrupt authority and governance over us?”

He asks for a denarius and asks, “whose image is on the coin? What’s it say on the coin?” At which they respond, “Caesar,” which it was.

This is a picture of a denarius.

Show pic 1

On one side of the coin is an image of Tiberius Caesar with an inscription that says, “Tiberius Caesar, son of the god Augustus. On the other side was the inscription, “Pontifex Maxim” - or “Chief Priest.”

And so, Jesus holds up this coin and says, “render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s…and render to God the things that are God’s.”

He’s saying, this is Caesar’s money, literally. It has his image on it. It was understood at this time that ancient coins belonged to the person whose image and inscription were on them. It was Caesar’s money, literally. It was minted out of his own personal wealth.

So, Jesus is saying, payback, which is what the word “render” means. Payback what is his to begin with and payback what belongs to God and what bears his image.

This is where we get to the heart of the text here.

Tim Keller says it like this in regard to this interaction between the Pharisees and Herodians. He says, “this is the first theory of limited government in the history of the world.”

And the reason for that is that up to this point in world history those in authority; kings, rulers, governors all believed they had divine authority and could not be questioned by anyone. Their rule and reign was supreme and deserving of total allegiance. Kings believed they were not only chosen by the gods but were gods themselves therefore they believed they had absolute authority.

What Jesus is saying is, don’t give any earthly government that type of authority. Payback Caesar his money because his image is on it, but don’t give him your full allegiance. That belongs to God because you bear his image.

Even the language used here is really important to key in on. In verse 14 the religious leaders ask if they should “pay” taxes. The word “pay” in the Greek is the word, “didomi” which means to “offer as a gift or tribute.”

Jesus says in verse 17, “render” to Caesar. The Greek word is “Apodidomi” which means to payback, give back what belongs to someone else.

And so, in Jesus’ usage of words he’s saying, you don’t offer tribute or allegiance, or your soul to any earthly government. Give back to them what belongs to them, but your heart, your soul, your life, your allegiance belongs to God because you bear his image. You cannot give Caesar what he ultimately wants, which is your life because that belongs to God. His image is stamped on you.

You see, Judas of Galilee sought to bring a revolution in that he wanted to overthrow Rome. Jesus of Galilee brought a revolution as well, but a different kind of revolution.

Jesus is a different kind of King ushering in a different kind of kingdom.

Notice how Mark sets that up and shows us this through Jesus’ interaction with these religious leaders. You have two kings contrasted here and they couldn’t be more different from one another. One one hand you have Caesar. A man who literally is minting his own money with his image on it.

On the other hand you have Jesus who didn’t pull a denarius out of his own pocket, he had to ask for one. As one author puts it here, “you have a king without a quarter versus a king with all the quarters.”

What Jesus is doing here is saying, I’m a whole different kind of King and my kingdom is a whole different kind of kingdom. Jesus isn’t just a better Caesar who’s going to lead in a better way. That’s the kind of revolution the Jewish people wanted from the Messiah. Just give us someone better. Jesus is completely flipping upside down their concept of kingship and revolution.

In a day when kings were wealthy beyond measure, Jesus was poor. Where kings command others to fight for their kingdom and throne, Jesus picked up his own cross and fought the battle of sin himself. Where earthly kings find joy and peace in their comfort and riches, Jesus said true freedom and peace is found through suffering and dying to yourself. Where earthly kings demand attention and others to serve them, Jesus came and served us.

Throughout history men and kings have fought against one another hoping that their reign and victory will bring long-lasting peace and dominion on earth. But nothing ever changes, just the people sitting on the throne.

What humanity needed wasn’t just another earthly king to sit on the throne for a season, it needed a different kind of king and a different kind of kingdom.

Jesus says here, be obedient and respectful to those placed in authority, but don’t put your hope there. In fact, know that your greatest allegiance is to a different king and kingdom. A heavenly one where true justice, peace, mercy, and joy is found.

Jesus’ kingship, his coronation was attained through suffering and execution. He was the crucified king. He doesn’t have to demand power and authority, it’s given to him because of who he is. The world’s kingdom is all about attaining power and control. The kingdom of God is all about serving and giving and loving and that changes the world.

Application

This is who we are called to be as followers of Jesus, as citizens of a heavenly kingdom. By living in full allegiance to Christ, we actually see the world change. The world doesn’t change when we submit to the world and it’s way of life, it changes when the church lives in glad submission to King Jesus.

And so, what do we takeaway from this as Americans? For the internationals that are part of the church here, what does it mean to you, especially if your home country is governed by tyrants and corrupt politicians?

Wherever you call home, the principles apply across the board.

Number 1.

Jesus legitimizes human government.

God has ordained the family, the church, and government as authoritative institutions in society to bring about good in the world.

Now, each one of these institutions is flawed because they involve human beings but, led by God’s grace and under his direction and guidance they bring about a great good in society. Therefore, government, as ordained by God has the right to levy taxes and institute laws. Taxes, we must pay and laws, we have the responsibility to obey.

Richard Halverson was the chaplain of the United States Senate from 1981 to 1995. He once said something very wise. He said,

“To be sure, men will abuse and misuse the institution of the State just as men because of sin have abused and misused every other institution in history including the Church of Jesus Christ; but this does not mean that the institution is bad or that it should be forsaken. It simply means that men are sinners and rebels in God’s world, and this is the way they behave with good institutions. As a matter of fact, it is because of this very sin that there must be human government to maintain order in history until the final and ultimate rule of Jesus Christ is established. Human government is better than anarchy, and the Christian must recognize the “divine right” of the State.” - Richard Halverson

Now, you may think your politicians are unwise in their decision making. Some in here may come from countries that are hostile toward their citizens and especially toward Christians. What do we do then?

Well, keep in mind that both apostles Paul and Peter reaffirmed Jesus’ teaching here. Paul in Romans 13.

Romans 13:1

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.

Peter in 1 Peter 2.

1 Peter 2:13–14

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.

Keep in mind they both wrote these words when they were under the tyrannical rule of Nero who went on a rampage against Christians. Still, they wrote to the churches calling on them to be subject to those in authority.

However, we also see that ultimately we are responsible to God before man so.

Number 2.

Be subject to governing authorities as much as Scripture allows.

Jesus said, pay Caesar with what already belongs to him, but give to God what belongs to God. We are made in the image of God. Genesis 1 would say. His image is stamped upon us which means our hearts, our souls, our lives belong to him first and foremost.

So, though we are called to be subject to the governing authorities, we resist when those in authority demand that we act in a way that would violate God’s Word to us.

In Acts 4 and 5 the governing body arrested some of the disciples for preaching the gospel. They commanded them to stop but the disciples resisted that order. No, we will not stop. God has commanded us, commissioned us to make disciples and his Word comes first.

And so they suffered the consequences of refusing those in authority. Today, Christians all across the globe are being persecuted by those in authority for preaching the gospel and they are suffering greatly because of it. But as believers we submit first and foremost to the one whose image we bear.

Which leads to number 3.

Our ultimate allegiance is to the one whose image we bear.

We belong to him because not only has he created us, but for those who are saved by God’s grace, God has redeemed us. He’s purchased us with the price of his own life.

1 Corinthians 6:20

You were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

Romans 12:1–2

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

We belong to God. Jesus has with one simple statement put everything in its proper place. He put Caesar in his place. God has been highly exalted. We understand our place before him and others.

And so, what does this look like in your life? I believe whole-heartedly that we should be engaged in civic life. We should absolutely care about the decisions those in authority are making and we should speak the truth of God’s Word into the public arena. We absolutely need to be part of the conversation.

There’s the mid-term elections coming up in just a couple of days. You absolutely should vote. To not vote is irresponsible at best. Be engaged.

But at the same time, your Savior is not who sits in the Oval office or who lives in the governors mansion, or who has a seat in congress. That is not your hope and far too many in the church have gotten too sucked in to the world of politics where it is what defines and identifies them.

There are many Christians who know everyone who’s running on a political ticket and what they stand for but they know nothing about what Christ has commanded them to do and be. Sadly, many churches today in the west are known for what political party they support rather than the gospel of Jesus Christ.

People who spend hours watching Fox News or CNN and no time in God’s Word.

That is living contrary to what Christ calls us to. This is living like the world, like citizens of the world rather than citizens of heaven.

And so, where do you need to adjust? This is what God’s Word should do. It should reveal areas in your life that have gotten out of sync with Christ’s call on our lives. And so, let the God’s Word shape you, let’s Spirit of God convict you. And let’s live as citizens of heaven which will result in good for those around us. Let’s make sure our priorities and allegiances are in proper order.