The Trap and the Coin

Give to God what is God’s

Mark 12:13–17 NIV

Later they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to Jesus to catch him in his words. 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? 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.” They brought the coin, and he asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?” “Caesar’s,” they replied. 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.

This story is a connecting story to last week in more ways than one.

-Jesus told a parable last week and “the chief priests, teachers of the law, and the elders looked for a way to arrest him because they knew he had spoken the parable against them. But they were afraid of the crowd.” (V. 12)

The Trap

Mark 12:13–15 “Later they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to Jesus to catch him in his words. 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? 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.””

Who’s side are you really on?

ME—-> “During Covid-19: Pastor should we wear masks or not?”

“Are you a republican or democrat?”

Who’s side are you really on?

Culture is always trying to find a way to box in and figure out where people stand on all their issues. Their agendas. We all want sides and teams and we want to know who’s on who’s team — we live in a RIVALRY culture. Bad guys vs. good guys.

People want to figure this out about you and me all the time — who’s side are you on?

And they come in with their eloquent words as a clever way to say - you are actually on my side right?

-You believe in truth, so you must believe in this AGENDA for MY AGENDA is truth!

But it’s a trap! John 18:36 “Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.””

Yet - we and even Jesus has to wade through the waters of our culture

I often try to not touch a boiling pot of water. One of my best pieces of leadership advice is to take the pot off the boiler before sticking your hand in it.

But guess what — sometimes you have to - cause we all have to pay taxes even still today… taxes.

-What is that old saying, “The only sure thing is death and taxes?”

So what’s happening?

You think our political climate is complex, tense, and volatile? Rev it up by like 100 and that is what’s happening in Jerusalem in the time of Jesus.

Let’s break it all down - about the boiling pot of water:

Taxes: There’s the obvious frustration with taxes. At this point a good Jew was paying - local taxes, temple taxes, Galileans were paying taxes to Herod, and even Roman taxes. — That’s a lot of taxes.

Free from Exile: There’s also this feeling that Jews have that they are supposed to be free from exile. They are no longer under captivity by Babylonians or Assyrians. They are back in their homeland and are supposed to be free. But these taxes reminded them that they weren’t actually, they were still under the rule of an oppressive empire.

The political party of the Zealots came out of this - to take down Rome from the shadows. Stabbing soldiers in the back and fleeing into the night.

The coin: The coin takes things further. First, Jews by their own law could not make carven images especially of HUMANS. Yet- here was a coin with the face of Tiberius on a coin. The writing around the head was “Augustus Tiberius, son of the divine Augustus” — on the other side it said “High Priest”

-So we have “son of a god” and “high priest” on this coin with the carven image of a person representing idolatry in the worst way.

-NT Wright said - “If the Romans had gone out of their way to be offensive to the Jews, they could hardly have done it better.”

Because of this - some of the most devout Jews would not even touch the coins of the Roman empire. They would pay the taxes with their Jewish coins.

So the trap is obvious to those in attendance and to us today after this understanding:

-They want to force Jesus to support paying taxes to Rome which would turn the crowds on him OR denounce it which would put him in a spot of illegal teaching and thus able to be arrested. IT IS a clever, clever trap.

Image of God

Mark 12:15–17 “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.” They brought the coin, and he asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?” “Caesar’s,” they replied. 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.”

Jesus knows it’s a trap and refuses to be trapped but instead of just dismissing the trap. “Like nah, I ain’t answering that.” He finds a teaching moment because he’s brilliant.

Jesus then asks them to produce the exact coin we just talked about. Which creates a moment, for sure, cause who’s gonna admit they have one? But they find one and give it to him.

“Whose image is this? And whose inscription?”

See what Jesus did here — he pulled out the two most offensive things on the coin to a Jew and pointed at them.

The obvious answer is Caesar and that’s what they say… And then the brilliance of Jesus comes out fully as he says - “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s”

LAYERS ON LAYERS to this.

But first and foremost his answer is saying to the Roman tattle-tales - “Yes, pay taxes” but to the keen of ear they notice he’s saying - “send this garbage back to where it came from” — Like Rome can have all these coins!

He points at the image and the inscription for a reason.

The image of a god is what’s on the coin - so the coin says at least. This is blasphemous and the Jews are rightfully offended by it. For there’s a creation mandate that has been stolen by Rome.

Genesis 1:27–29 “So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.”

The image of God is part of what is to be flooded into the world. To go to the furtherest reaches of the empire bringing rule and reign of the ruler. To fill the earth and subdue it. To bring about God’s kingdom to the ends of the earth.

This is the original design.

Rome had done a marvelous job of this exact thing except instead of glory to the one true God, they set their kings/caesar’s to be god. And these images were carried to the furtherest reaches of their empire. Ever expanding, ever ruling, ever dominating, and getting the cultures they conquer to submit and carry the image of their ruler with them. Further and further.

See this map as a reference to the empire.

This was the creation mandate instead of the rule and reign of Rome and Caesar it was to be the rule and reign of God and his kingdom.

So Jesus is bringing this back to mind. “WHO’S IMAGE? Oh, it’s Caesar’s then send it back, for this is not the kingdom of God.”

And yet, “give to God what is God’s.” —- aka - “Who’s image goes back to God?”

-What is the image of God? Better stated, Who is created in the image of God?

HUMANS. You, listeners, you readers, you in these pews. You are the image of God. Give of yourself back to God. Give of your hearts, minds, life back to God. And then bring the gospel of the kingdom of God, the rule and reign of a loving Father to the furtherest ends of the earth.

Rome is an example of this but it’s done in human way and in human strength pointed to a false god and a false way. Give that nonsense back. Instead, step back into your DESIGN, into God’s way. Live into your calling to be the IMAGE OF GOD.

What does that mean for you?

Well it’s also easy to get caught up in coins, agendas, and serving human masters. But what does it mean to get back to what matters the most - the kingdom of God?

To be the image of God, to extend his rule and reign into your work, neighborhood, family, etc?

-Fruit of the Spirit

-With Jesus and Like Jesus

Stewardship again

Last week was all about stewardship and the parable of the tenants.

-If you weren’t here - check it out later but the concept is… the tenants were producing BAD FRUIT.

So this story and trap comes on the back of that parable. Perfectly timed, so Jesus, the great teacher can double down on his teaching. What does it mean to give to God what is God’s?

First, it’s acknowledging that - it’s all God’s in the first place.

Which is the BIG layer of this trap story. The cookies on the bottom shelf. The part that we need to grasp first.

-It’s all God’s in the first place. So when it’s give to God what is God’s - it’s this idea that we can grasp at the jump. If God is asking of us to tithe, give, be generous, it’s not like “oh man, I have to give up MY money.” it’s all God’s in the first place. You are giving back to God what is God’s.

We talked about two stewardship postures last week, and things I talk about a lot when it comes to a humble and follower of Jesus posture:

1 - It’s not mine

2 - I’ll do the best with what God has given me

ME—> Staying at an AirBNB and the toilet paper holder fell off the wall.

ME—> Dog sitting and the dog got out.

Yet its more than both of these examples…

So how do we give back to God what is God’s - we recognize all that we do, what we make time for, how we live our lives needs to be to Glorify God. As an expression of worship back to him. Romans 12:1 “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.”

What does this mean for you?

And so this passage is loaded with amazing insight - and when Jesus could have dismissed their trap, he helped us understand a deeper and more full reality that isn’t boxed in by nonsensical “either/or” thinking. But instead to find the kingdom of God.

That as Christians we aren’t to be trapped into echo chambers of political or social ideology but instead help bring LIGHT into the darkness of all the above. Extend the rule and reign of the kingdom of God into all spheres of life.

To be stewards of his kingdom. For the church to be an outpost of the kingdom of God.

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How can we discern between God's voice and the influences of culture in our decision-making?

In what ways can we practically 'give to God what is God's' in our everyday lives?

What does it mean to you personally to be created in the image of God?

How can we respond to societal issues while remaining true to our identity as followers of Christ?

In what areas of your life do you feel tempted to side with cultural agendas rather than God's kingdom?

How can we foster a mindset of stewardship in our financial decisions?

In your daily interactions, how can you extend the 'rule and reign of God'?

What steps can you take to align your personal values with the teachings of Jesus?

How does understanding the concept of 'give to God what is God's' change your approach to generosity?

How can we create a church environment that acts as an outpost for the kingdom of God in our community?