Mark 12:13-17; Give to God what belongs to God

One of the greatest skills in life is recognizing what belongs where.

A soldier knows that some responsibilities belong to family,

some belong to the Army,

and some belong to God.

A doctor understands that medicine has its place,

but ultimately life itself belongs to the Lord.

We all live in a world filled with competing loyalties,

competing voices,

and competing demands.

In Mark 12:13–17, Jesus is confronted with a question designed to trap Him.

His enemies believe they have finally found a dilemma He cannot escape.

Yet Jesus not only avoids their trap,

He teaches a timeless truth about our relationship to government

and our relationship to God.

And so if you have your Bibles

And before I do this

Let me ask

How many of y’all brought your Bibles today?

How many of y’all need a Bible

If you do or if you know someone

I just purchased over 350 bibles

And so if you need one

Just let me know

Either way please open up your Bibles to the book of Mark 12

and to help you all with the context, i am going to start at verse 12

Instead of 13

Because if you recall

Last week CH Sowders preached on the parable of the evil farmer

and the warning about what will happen

To those that reject the Messiah

Mark 12:12–17 (NLT)

12The religious leaders wanted to arrest Jesus because they realized he was telling the story against them—they were the wicked farmers. But they were afraid of the crowd, so they left him and went away. 

13Later the leaders sent some Pharisees and supporters of Herod to trap Jesus into saying something for which he could be arrested. 

14“Teacher,” they said, “we know how honest you are. You are impartial and don’t play favorites. You teach the way of God truthfully. Now tell us—is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not? 

15Should we pay them, or shouldn’t we?” Jesus saw through their hypocrisy and said, “Why are you trying to trap me? Show me a Roman coin, and I’ll tell you.” 

16When they handed it to him, he asked, “Whose picture and title are stamped on it?” “Caesar’s,” they replied. 

17“Well, then,” Jesus said, “give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God.” His reply completely amazed them.

I. Beware of Religious Hypocrisy x2 (vv. 13–15)

Notice who comes to Jesus.

The Pharisees and the Herodians.

Normally these groups disliked each other.

The Pharisees were religious conservatives who resented Roman rule.

The Herodians supported the political establishment and cooperated with Rome.

Yet when it came to opposing Jesus, they became allies.

Notice in Verse 13 tells us their purpose:

"to trap Him in His words."

They were not seeking truth;

they were seeking ammunition.

And notice Their compliments sound impressive:

"Teacher, we know that You are true."

But Jesus immediately recognizes their hypocrisy.

The word hypocrisy originally referred to an actor wearing a mask.

These men were pretending to be sincere seekers

while secretly plotting against Christ.

The same danger exists today.

It is possible to:

Speak religious language without loving God.

Attend church without following Christ.

Know biblical facts without having biblical faith.

Ask questions not to learn but to justify ourselves.

God is never fooled by outward appearances.

Jesus saw through their words

and looked directly into their hearts.

This passage reminds us that God is not merely listening to what we say;

He is examining why we say it.

But before we criticize the Pharisees,

we should honestly ask ourselves:

Do I truly seek God's will?

Am I open to God's correction?

Is my worship genuine?

The first lesson is simple:

God desires sincerity, not performance.

Which leads me to my second point

II. Fulfill Your Earthly Responsibilities (vv. 15–17a)

The question they ask is brilliant from a political standpoint.

"Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar?"

If Jesus says "Yes," many Jews will view Him as supporting Roman oppression.

If He says "No," He can be accused of rebellion against Rome.

Either answer appears dangerous.

But Jesus asks for a denarius.

Now for context

A denarius was a Roman coin commonly used for taxation.

It bore Caesar's image and inscription.

Then Jesus asks:

"Whose image and inscription is this?"

And think about it

The answer is obvious:

"Caesar's."

But then comes one of the most famous statements in history:

"Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's."

Now slow down for a sec because I really want you to think

The word "render" means to give back what is owed.

Jesus teaches that civil government has a legitimate place in God's order.

Government is not ultimate,

but it is ordained by God to maintain order and justice.

As Christians, we should be:

Honest citizens.

People who pay what we owe.

Respectful toward lawful authority.

Responsible members of society.

Jesus rejects the idea that spirituality excuses us from earthly responsibilities.

Faithfulness to God does not mean neglecting our duties in the world.

Whether it is paying taxes,

honoring commitments,

serving our communities,

or fulfilling our responsibilities at work,

Christians should be known for integrity.

For many of us,

this means serving faithfully in the positions God has given us.

A nurse honors God by caring for patients.

A Soldier honors God by faithfully performing assigned duties.

A parent honors God by caring for children.

A student honors God by pursuing excellence.

Jesus teaches that our faith should make us better citizens,

not worse ones.

But Jesus is not finished.

The most important part of His answer is yet to come.

III. Give God What Belongs to God (v. 17b)

Jesus says:

"Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's."

Now think on it because he is surrounded

And the crowd probably expected Him to stop after mentioning Caesar.

But Jesus shifts the focus to a much greater question.

The coin belonged to Caesar because it bore Caesar's image.

But what bears God's image?

And think long and hard on this one

The answer is found in Genesis 1:27.

where it say

Genesis 1:27 (NLT)

27So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

Human beings are created in the image of God.

The coin had Caesar's image.

You have God's image.

Therefore, if the coin belongs to Caesar,

then your life belongs to God.

Jesus is asking a deeper question:

Have you given yourself to God?

Many people are willing to give God a few things:

An hour on Sunday.

A prayer before meals.

A portion of their income.

But God is not merely asking for a portion of your life.

He is asking for your whole life.

Your mind belongs to Him.

Your heart belongs to Him.

Your talents belong to Him.

Your future belongs to Him.

Your family belongs to Him.

Your worship belongs to Him.

Everything belongs to Him because He created you.

The greatest issue is not whether we are paying taxes correctly.

The greatest issue is whether we have surrendered ourselves completely to the Lord.

Jesus is teaching that while government has a limited claim on us,

God has an unlimited claim on us.

Caesar's authority extends only so far.

God's authority extends everywhere.

Governments may claim our taxes.

Employers may claim our labor.

Organizations may claim our time.

But only God can rightly claim our soul.

The question every believer should ask is:

Have I truly given God what belongs to Him?

As we conclude, let us consider three practical applications.

1. Examine Your Heart

The Pharisees looked religious but were spiritually empty.

Ask yourself:

Is my faith genuine?

Am I following Christ from the heart?

Am I seeking God's will or merely maintaining appearances?

God desires authenticity.

2. Live Responsibly in the World

Christians should be known as people of integrity.

Honor commitments.

Respect authority.

Work diligently.

Serve faithfully.

Our testimony is strengthened when our lives reflect responsibility and character.

3. Surrender Yourself Completely to God

The coin belonged to Caesar because it bore his image.

You belong to God because you bear His image.

Do not merely give God a piece of your life.

Give Him your entire life.

Every day we should pray:

"Lord, my life is Yours. My plans are Yours. My future is Yours. Use me for Your glory."

One final thought

The enemies of Jesus thought they had trapped Him with a question about taxes.

Instead, Jesus exposed their hearts and challenged everyone listening.

The real issue was never the coin.

The real issue was ownership.

The denarius bore Caesar's image, so it belonged to Caesar.

You bear God's image, so you belong to God.

Therefore:

Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's.

But render to God the things that are God's.

May we leave here today as sincere followers of Christ, faithful in our earthly responsibilities, and fully surrendered to the God whose image we bear.