Introduction (2)

City of God

“City of God”, written by Augustine was completed in 426 AD which was, in part, a response to the fall of Rome in 410. The Roman Empire had dominated Mediterranean civilization for nearly a thousand years, so when Rome fell, its citizens were devastated. For so long, calamity was not part of their lives, but now their empire was crumbling. It was this context to which Augustine wrote what many consider his magnum opus.

Much of what Augustine addresses in City of God revolves around the Roman citizens’ sense of loss. They felt, essentially that they had lost everything and were left destitute. Not just because of loss of their possessions, but the loss of their way of life. Augustine argued that Rome, like all other cities, is destined to pass away. The city of God, on the other hand, is stable, eternal and the source of their consolation.

“The bodies of irrational animals are bent toward the ground, whereas man was made to walk erect with his eyes on heaven, as though to remind him to keep his thoughts on things above.” - Augustine, City of God

Many Americans have experienced a growing sense of loss, even devastation over the past several years and more when it comes to the United States. Between the gridlock in congress, the suspect intentions of politicians, the deterioration of society reflected in the animus it appears the government has towards human life and the value of the family, many have concluded that we are and have already lost our country. And many hold the government and the very partisan political process responsible.

But, there’s the church. The people of God. Citizens of heaven. We have a King, a good King who loves His people. And He has made His people part of His kingdom. But we live here. We wait for Jesus to return, and we hope in His return, but until then, we live here. How are we to live here? More specifically, how are we to relate to the government? How are we to think through the political process which impacts our lives in significant ways?

It is our aim that this class help us in these considerations. How we relate to politics and government has been a discussion in which many, if not all of us have been engaged to some degree over the past several years, especially in the wake of COVID. We want to work through this are of life with you to equip you to bring glory to God in your roles as citizens of this world but as citizens of the city of God as well.

Setting the Stage

Let’s consider 2 passages from the gospel of Matthew where Jesus refers to paying taxes. My aim in looking at these texts is not so much to drill down on what we should believe about our responsibility to pay our taxes, but to draw out some broader principles that will help us as we move forward in the class.

Matthew 22:15-22

Matthew 22:15–22 ESV

Then the Pharisees went and plotted how to entangle him in his words. And they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are true and teach the way of God truthfully, and you do not care about anyone’s opinion, for you are not swayed by appearances. Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why put me to the test, you hypocrites? Show me the coin for the tax.” And they brought him a denarius. And Jesus said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” They said, “Caesar’s.” Then he said to them, “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” When they heard it, they marveled. And they left him and went away.

Note that while the Pharisees’ question was, Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not, their motivation for asking Jesus this question was to entangle Him in His words. In other words, the Pharisee’s had a hidden agenda, and their main concern was not discerning a proper relationship to the government, but to discredit Jesus. Never-the-less, Jesus’ response is instructive here

But I want us to think through the question in v. 17

Matthew 22:17 ESV

Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?”

What are the Pharisees (their disciples) asking? (v. 17)

The NIV translates this as, is it right to pay the imperial tax

is it lawful? = is it permissible?

This question is a theological and moral question. The NIV’s translation may be helpful here. They were asking Jesus if he thought paying taxes to Caesar was right. Does this act reflect obedience to God? Is it good?

And keep in mind, they prefaced their question by saying, tell us what you think. They were trying to get Jesus to divulge his position on the God-honoring nature of paying taxes. And for 1st century Jews, what was regarded as pleasing to God and what was considered morally good were much more closely connected than what we know today.

But it’s not just a question about whether it is good to pay taxes. The question is, is it right to pay taxes to Caesar?

Why are the Pharisees asking the question?

Again, we know this was an effort to discredit Jesus. To show Him to be no more special than any other rabbi.

By the time we get to this point in history, “Caesar” had become a title. It was the family name of Julius Caesar but for Augustus, Tiberius and Claudius, Caesar was a designation to convey their authority.

Here, the reference is to Tiberius. Tiberius was known as an emperor of great ability but poor character. Here’s some of what we know about Tiberius:

He banished the Jews from Rome

He had an aide, Sejanus, acted as his representative in the capital during the time of Jesus’ trial. As Sejanus gained power, Tiberius saw him as a threat, so the emperor had him executed along with his children and confiscated his estate.

He had a reputation for his indulgent lifestyle. He was known to be cruel

The question was, is it right to expect that the Jews who were oppresses by Rome, oppressed by a corrupt and cruel emperor, to pay taxes to such a regime?

So the disciples of the Pharisees and the Herodians thought, by asking Jesus this question, they trapped him. If he answered yes, He could have been accused of ignoring or even supporting the oppression of His people. If He answered no, he could have been accused of insurrection.

So this question, and the context of this question is relevant to this class. How are we to relate to the government. What if the officials of the government are corrupt? What i the laws are unjust? We won’t answer all the other questions that are sure to arise, and I’m sure are swirling in our heads now, but Jesus’ answer is instructive.

Jesus’ Answer (20-21)

Matthew 22:20–21 ESV

And Jesus said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” They said, “Caesar’s.” Then he said to them, “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”

The Jewish audience would have recognized that all those in power owe their position to God… even if those in power do not. (See Dan. 2:21, 37-38)

The Jews had a theocratic heritage. The Jews once lived in a theocracy. And just to be clear, a theocracy is a system of government that is ruled by God through priests or other religious leaders. This is in the background of this people.

So it’s entirely possible that at least some present that day were not inclined to pay tribute to foreign and pagan overlords. They may have felt justified in not paying.

There may have been some though who thought it was right for them to pay because they may have concluded that they were under divine judgement, like the Jews before them who were in exile, and as part of God’s judgement they were required to pay this tax.

Some there may have believed that Jesus was the Messiah, and therefore concluded that He would bring about freedom from Rome.

D.A. Carson commented on Jesus’ answer:

The messianic community He [Jesus] determines to build must render to whichever Caesar is in power whatever belongs to Caesar, while never turning from its obligations to God.

What is Jesus making clear?

Obedience to God, for God’s people no longer will require obedience to one particular nation state and its government as had previously been the case for God’s people with Israel.

Those devoted to following Jesus are to obey the state in which they find themselves (the exceptions to this is when the state’s demands conflict with God’s)

Jesus had no intention of establishing a state that combines church and government

Jesus’ question regarding whose image (likeness) and inscription is on the coin should prompt the remembrance of a transcendent truth about all people: all people are made in the likeness of God. In order for us to render to God the things that are God’s, then we must render ourselves back to Him.

The point Jesus is making is not that the things of Caesar and the things of God are separate. It’s that everything and everyone, including Caesar, belongs to God.

And in a few chapters, we know Jesus claims that all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Him, which means that all the authorities of the earth must answer to Him. All governments and nations exist by the permission of Jesus, even if those governments and nations do not acknowledge this fact.

John 19:11 ESV

Jesus answered him, “You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above. Therefore he who delivered me over to you has the greater sin.”

Matthew 17:24-27

Matthew 17:24–27 ESV

When they came to Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma tax went up to Peter and said, “Does your teacher not pay the tax?” He said, “Yes.” And when he came into the house, Jesus spoke to him first, saying, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do kings of the earth take toll or tax? From their sons or from others?” And when he said, “From others,” Jesus said to him, “Then the sons are free. However, not to give offense to them, go to the sea and cast a hook and take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth you will find a shekel. Take that and give it to them for me and for yourself.”

What are we to make of the taxes? (24-25)

v. 24: annual temple tax

v. 25: taxes from kings

these would be 2 different taxes, but that’s not the concern

Who is free? (25-27)

the royal sons are free

but Jesus makes arrangements for both His and Simon’s tax to be paid to not give an offense.

Jesus makes clear the the sons of God are free, but the authority of the governments and institutions are ordained by God now. They will pass away, but until they do, we are to obey them.

Christians live in both of these realities at the same time. We live in this present age, with its God-ordained governmental systems and institutions. We also live under the new covenant with Christ as our head who reigns now and will continue to reign beyond this current age’s existence.

The Church & Politics

So, we put these 2 passages together, what are we to conclude about the church and politics?

Christians are fundamentally children of God and citizens of the kingdom of God.

To put it negatively, Christians are not fundamentally black, white, asian, hispanic. Christians are not fundamentally American or European. Whatever else may be used to identify people, the children of God are different.

2. Christians are exiles in this world (1 Peter 1:1), so engaging the public square in a God-honoring way demands a bible-directed, humble and prayerful approach.

3. The Christian’s effort to impact the public square must never eclipse or conflict with Christ’s mandate to His church to make disciples or their embracing the reality that the kingdom of God is an everlasting kingdom and His dominion endures through all generations (see Psalm 145:13).

4. The Christian’s entire life is spiritual, be it marriage, family, church or paying taxes. We therefore must exercise a concern to honor God in all of life, including our posture towards the government.