Render Unto Caesar, Render Unto God

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.

Introduction

A few weeks ago I made reference to Thomas Jefferson’s explanation of the “Establishment Clause” of the Amendments to the United States’ Constitution. He called it the “separation of Church and State.” We were reminded that this phrase does not appear in the Constitution, nor in the Declaration of Independence. It was his attempt to explain what this meant. He wrote it in a letter to the Danbury Baptist Association in 1902 that was concerned that the Establishment Clause, “the Freedom of Religion” limited their ability to practice their faith. We also learned that this “separation” is a one-edged sword. That means it was written to keep the state from establishing a religion, and out of the affairs, worship, evangelism, and social ministry of the Church. In short, this amendment to the Constitution guarantees that the Church can live out its life of worship and outreach publically without fear of being silenced, limited, or prosecuted for practicing their faith in the public square. It also ensures that it is perfectly fine for one’s faith to shape one’s political stance if he or she is a politician.

Over the years the true intent of the Establishment Clause has come under attack. Many have tried to make it into a two-edged sword, meaning that it is meant not only to keep the state out of the affairs of the Church, but vice-versa, keep the Church out of the affairs of the state. That was never the intent of the founders, who themselves invoked God in their writings. The devil is literally in the details today.

Render Unto Caesar

In our text, those testing Jesus imply that He is confusing Church and State, somewhat in reverse of what is occurring in our nation today. They are testing Him, trying to trip Him up to prove He is the subversive seditionist that they believe He is. 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?” They thought they could trap Him by their words.

There appeared to be a false narrative circulating around the people— that Jesus and His disciples were rogues, who refused to acknowledge the government. This becomes apparent in both our text today, and also at Jesus’ trial before Pilate.

Luke 23:2 ESV

And they began to accuse him, saying, “We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding us to give tribute to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ, a king.”

Luke 20:22 ESV

Is it lawful for us to give tribute to Caesar, or not?”

Those charging Jesus were guilty of spreading the false news that they had heard without checking out its authenticity. Mob rule determined what they believed and the actions they took, not the truth.

The early Church was hated by both the Jews and the State. The Jews hated Jesus because He was “stealing their sheep” and teaching “false Doctrine”; the Romans hated Jesus because they feared that the movement of Christians would subvert their rule. Because of it, both the Jewish leaders and Caesar’s officials sought to put Christians to death for their faith to extinguish a possible takeover and insurrection. Hence the persecution of the Church from the Apostolic Age to the year 313 AD when Constantine made Christianity legal.

But Jesus never taught that the Church and State were at odds. In fact, in our text, He teaches just the opposite:

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

The Scriptures have always been clear. Government has been established by God and is to be honored and obeyed. Taxes are to be paid. Honor is to be given to those who lead and represent us.

Romans 13:1–2 ESV

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. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.

In the Large Catechism on the 4th Commandment, Luther writes:

…The same should also be said about obedience to civil government… Through them, as through our parents, God gives to us food, house and home, protection, and security. They bear such name and title with all honor as their highest dignity that is our duty to honor them and to value them greatly as the dearest treasure and the most precious jewel on earth… Why do you think the world is now so full of unfaithfulness, disgrace, calamity, and murder? It is because everyone desires to be his own master and free from the emperor…

The government, sometimes referred to as the “Kingdom of the Left Hand” in Lutheran Theology, is a creation and gift from God. And we are to honor and obey those whose calling it is to rule over us. When a government rules justly and righteously, we obey it. While we might not like individuals, we must respect the office they hold.

We live in a very tenuous time right now. A time when things are changing at such a rapid rate with morality, philosophy, and a palpable loss of faith in Christ, that the Church is already facing many challenges.

For instance, one of the issues our government wrestles with is the Supreme Court’s ruling in 2015 on same-sex marriage. How does this ruling affect the tax-exemption status of religious groups— who always have enjoyed this— but view such a practice as sin? Is this discrimination against one side or the other? Or, the increasing hostility toward churches and chaplains who share Christ outside of the confines of the four walls of their Church and Chapel, leading to the Court Martial of Chaplains for something that was their normal practice for over a century?

I say these things to show that there are new complexities that the founders of the Constitution, or even our parents, assumed would never occur? These are both a threat to the Church, and a tremendous opportunity for the Church to shine Jesus’ light into the Darkness. We need to know our Scriptures. We need to pray that the Lord grant us spiritual alertness and discernment in these matters.

Render Unto God What is God’s

While the Kingdom of the Left Hand, the government, is a gift to us from God, it cannot save. During an election year that is probably among the most bizarre to ever occur in the history of our Country, I believe that many do not understand this truth. Don’t look to leaders and politicians. Only God can save. And the only way He saves is through Christ Jesus our Lord.

18th Century poet Johann Daniel Herrnschmidt, penned the words of this hymn:

Trust not in rulers; they are but mortal; Earthborn they are and soon decay. Vain are their counsels at life’s last portal, when the dark grave engulfs its prey. Since mortals can no help afford, Place all your trust in Christ, our Lord. Alleluia! Alleluia!

So, what is God’s?

Simply stated, you. Your life. You have been marked with the Cross of Christ and sealed with the Holy Spirit in Baptism.

The Lord, through Isaiah, in our Old Testament Lesson declares:

Isaiah 45:4–7 ESV

For the sake of my servant Jacob, and Israel my chosen, I call you by your name, I name you, though you do not know me. I am the Lord, and there is no other, besides me there is no God; I equip you, though you do not know me, that people may know, from the rising of the sun and from the west, that there is none besides me; I am the Lord, and there is no other. I form light and create darkness; I make well-being and create calamity; I am the Lord, who does all these things.

Through faith we render the Lord our obedience. Our prayers. Our praise. Our worship. Our lives.

We do so because Jesus was obedient— obedient to His Father’s will. Obedient to the government even when being falsely accused and accepting their unjust sentence. Obedient unto death, even death on the Cross. For you. For me. In order that we might be marked, sealed, and saved even as night settles on the world. Bear the light of Christ. Trust in Him alone to save you.

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.