A Question About Taxes

Series

Ready for the Reign. Play on words. This time of year, heightened awareness and readiness for rain, storms. Moving toward the end of the Christian year, which concludes on Christ the King Sunday, Nov. 26th, calls forth a heightened spiritual alertness and readiness.

We are drawing our Scripture readings from the Revised Common Lectionary — a schedule of lessons that move us through our experience of Christ in communion with Christians around the world.

The focus of our readings is being ready for the Reign of Christ at the end of history by showing his lordship in our lives right now.

First Reading

Our first reading comes from the prophet Isaiah 45:1-7. Isaiah preached to God’s people in the 6th century before Christ. In this reading, Isaiah is speaking on behalf of God to King Cyrus of Persia ( A gentile, pagan power, not Jewish leader). The Persians were the dominant political power of the Middle East after the fall of the Babylonian Empire. God will use King Cyrus to return the dispersed Jews back to their homeland…even though Cyrus, as pagan emperor, does not yet know God. God introduces himself as the supreme power above all empires. God’s kingdom reigns over all kingdoms, and Cyrus’ reign will inevitably accomplish God’s divine purpose, which eventually proved true (cf. Ezra, Nehemiah).

Isaiah 45:1–7 “Thus says the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have grasped to subdue nations before him and strip kings of their robes, to open doors before him— and the gates shall not be closed: I will go before you and level the mountains, I will break in pieces the doors of bronze and cut through the bars of iron, I will give you the treasures of darkness and riches hidden in secret places, so that you may know that it is I, the Lord, the God of Israel, who call you by your name. For the sake of my servant Jacob, and Israel my chosen, I call you by your name, I surname you, though you do not know me. I am the Lord, and there is no other; besides me there is no god. I arm you, though you do not know me, so that they may know, from the rising of the sun and from the west, that there is no one besides me; I am the Lord, and there is no other. I form light and create darkness, I make weal and create woe; I the Lord do all these things.”

Second Reading

Matthew 22:15-22. Jesus is in Jerusalem. The crowds have welcomed him, but the religious leadership fears and resents him. Jesus has been teaching the crowds that the Kingdom of God is at hand. In the view of the leadership, he could lead people into rebellion against religious authority or stir up problems with the political might of Rome. So, they have been trying to discredit Jesus and they have the ultimate aim of putting him to death.

In today’s reading, the Pharisees send their disciples, along with some Herodians to trap Jesus in a question.

The Pharisees represent religious authority. They send disciples to disguise their presence to perhaps lull Jesus into a false sense of safety to cooperate with the Herodians.

The Herodians are more politically minded Jews who represent the strategy of appeasement. Get along with Rome to keep the peace. They are called Herodians because they side with the party of Herod, a Jewish-ish puppet king being controlled by Rome.

Matthew 22:15–22 “Then the Pharisees went and plotted to entrap him in what he said. So they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are sincere, and teach the way of God in accordance with truth, and show deference to no one; for you do not regard people with partiality. Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?” But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why are you putting me to the test, you hypocrites? Show me the coin used for the tax.” And they brought him a denarius. Then he said to them, “Whose head is this, and whose title?” They answered, “The emperor’s.” Then he said to them, “Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” When they heard this, they were amazed; and they left him and went away.”

Prayer for Illumination

Introduction

Exegesis

Jesus is approached by a unlikely group: Disciples of the Pharisees and Herodians. Normally, they were enemies of each other. One for Jewish autonomy, the other for cooperation with Rome. Why are they together? Common enemy of Jesus.

Pharisees want to eliminate him as a false Messiah.

Herodians want to make sure he doesn’t jeopardize their relationship with Rome.

They think they have an issue that they can put before him which will make it impossible for the crowds to continue to come to him.

Is it lawful to pay the Roman tax? Together they want him to say YES.

Do pay it.

Pharisees get the charge: You are not the Messiah, sell-out!

Herodians get to affirm: you are going to play nice with Rome.

But even if he says NO: Don’t pay it. They can get him on charges with Rome immediately before he gains momentum.

Either way, no more Jesus problem.

Jesus is aware of their malice. Trying to trap him. Malice. Ill intent.

Hypocrites —

they say: you are sincere…but they are not being sincere.

you teach the way of God....we don’t think you do.

you show deference to no one…you do not regard people with partiality…yet they are trying to pressure him into a certain answer.

He sees through to real agenda: We can use the circumstance of taxation to keep people from you or rip you away from them.

A direct attack on the very mission of Jesus. To be God with Us!

Give me a coin. Good Herodians have a coin on them.

Whose inscription?

Description of the coin. It was stamped with a profile view of the head of the Roman emperor and identified him as “Tiberius Caesar, Son of the Divine Augustus,” Other side “Pontifex Maximus,” that is, as high priest of the pagan Roman empire religion.

Offensive to Jewish sensibilities: A pagan emperor, a pagan priest!

Jesus asks whose inscription it is. Not because he does not know. But to make his point. Whose inscription? The emperors’s.

Give to Caesar his own.

if it is his, give it to him. Can’t really argue with that.

Like when I had a toy when younger. My name on it. My Bible, has my name in it.

His denarius. His tax. His empire. Give it to him.

AND Give to God his own.

what is God’s own. All that is stamped with the image of God. Especially human being. Genesis 1, 2.

Give God your very self. Not things. You, yourself.

They presented an either/or dichotomy…Rome or the Kingdom of God.

Jesus comes back with a Both/And…with Rome having a relative claim and the kingdom of God with an absolute one.

ROME: Don’t give him everything. Not give him more than what is his. Give him what he is due. Don’t want it anyway do we? Not the most important thing.

GOD: Give to God you very self. Your ultimate allegiance. Heart, soul, mind, and strength. That is what we really want, isn’t it. Self-devotion.

You can do both. You can pay that tax, and still be faithful to God.

The Kingdom of God infinitely transcends Rome.

Egypt, Babylon, Greeks (Cyrus) . All passed. KofG remains.

Essential message: The issue of paying the tax to Rome is no block between me and God’s people.

Interpretation

Gospel writers record throughout their gospels that Jesus did not let any wordly condition or circumstance become a block between him and people.

Who did Jesus call to be his disciples? Fisherman? Not a block.

Tax-collector (Matthew). Not a block.

He ate dinner with sinners. Not a block.

Woman with bleeding. Unclean. Not a block.

Syrophoenician woman. Gentile with demoniac child. Not a block.

Lepers. Infectious. Not a block.

Centurion. Gentile. Not a block.

Some Jews worried: If I pay this tax, I will be out of the Kingdom of God. No. Pay and still give to what is due. Not a block.

Acts. Peter and Cornelius. Early church still had to reckon with God’s inclusive power. They have to become Jews. Nope. Not a block.

Later NT. Paul: There is a place for human structures. Romans 13:7. You render the respect and the pay that is due. You can still be faithful to God. Paul even stresses that the structures are there by God’s design and honor is indirectly rendered to God.

A place for critique of course. Even when arranged by Providence, still human, and fallen. Give them what they are due…but not what is due only to God.

So the Christian community has always strived for a Both/AND:

we are in the world, but not of the world.

In the world…so we pay the tax, we serve in the military, politics, business, trades, we go to school, we get married, we have kids, we join the HOA, we support join civic groups, we get involved in causes.

We are not of the world.

Our ultimate allegiance is to God.

We are made in his image and we belong to God.

Therefore, we set things in their proper relations. Worldly conditions are not blocks to our relationship with God, but the context in which we live into our relationship with God.

Jesus reaches to us through any and every would-be block. It may seem like a block to us…but it is not a block to him.

Application

What is the thing that you present to Jesus as the block?

My job. I can’t be a good Christian, It is not a block. You can be a good Christian.

Give to your job what your job requires — time, energy, world — , and give to God what belongs to God --- your heart and soul.

My marriage. My spouse doesn’t support. It is not a block.

My national issues.

congregation/denomination.

My sin. Not a block. Give it what it deserves — penance, ammends — and give to God what is God’s — your very self.

the evil spirit wants one thing: To keep us from God. To drive a wedge between us and Jesus. Jesus says that is impossible. I have given myself fully to you…so nothing can keep you from me!

Start at prayer. God in this _____ what do I give to that? What do I give to you?

New Testament Ib: Matthew 14–28 The Image of God

Rather, instead, I will reflect the image of God in that I feed on love;

grow certain on faith and hope;

strengthen myself on the virtue of patience;

grow tranquil by humility;

grow beautiful by chastity;

am sober by abstention;

am made happy by tranquility;

and am ready for death by practicing hospitality.

Conclusion

Prayer of Intercession

Lord God, with gratitude for all your goodness, we come to you in prayer— for our family and friends, for our sisters and brothers in faith, and for the world of nations you have made.

Remember those who are dear to us. Wrap your steadfast love around them, sustain them in times of trouble, and keep them always in your care.

Remember the church of Jesus Christ. Empower us to proclaim the gospel, strengthen us in our conviction, and make us imitators of the Lord.

Remember the family of nations. Send out your Spirit to renew the earth, welcome all people into your house, and let your love be known in all the world.

To you, O God, Maker of heaven and earth, through the power of the Holy Spirit, in the grace and peace of Christ we pray. Amen.