Twenty-third Sunday after Trinity

The greatest minds of the Pharisees had designed a question that was guaranteed to trap Jesus. There should have been no way out. “Should we pay taxes to the Roman government or not?” If Jesus said, “Yes,” the crowd would lynch him. Nobody likes to pay taxes. The world has changed, but that is a constant. But if Jesus said, “No,” the Romans would execute him. The Pharisees brought along some Herodians, government officials of the puppet king, Herod, as witnesses.

Beginning with flattery in order to ensure that Jesus would take the bait, they carefully set their trap. “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” (Mt 22:16). Everything they’ve said so far is the gospel truth, but, of course, they don’t believe a word of it. That’s why Jesus calls them hypocrites. “Is it lawful to pay takes to Caesar, or not?” By lawful, the Pharisees were referring to the law of God. Of course, the Roman law required the payment of taxes. But what about God’s law? Jesus’ answer is masterful. “Show me a coin for the tax. Whose image and inscription is this?” They said, “Caesar’s?” (Mt 22:20). Then with their own answer, Jesus turns the trap back on them. “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s” (Mt 22:21).

Jesus is teaching us about how Christians are to live in this world. When you were born, your birth granted you the rights and duties of a citizen of an earthly kingdom. Then you were born again through water and the Holy Spirit and granted the rights and duties of a citizen of the kingdom of heaven. For the rest of your life on earth, you hold dual citizenship. You stand with one foot in each kingdom, obligated to serve both God and your earthly rulers. Theologians call this the doctrine of two kingdoms.

This is not what the Pharisees wanted to hear. They want Jesus to pit one kingdom against the other. “Should we serve God or pay taxes? Pick one.” We’d all love to be conscientious objectors to paying taxes, but that’s not how the Christian life works. Even though your primary allegiance is to God, you still have a duty to the earthly government. We must render to Caesar the things that are his. Jesus’ words naturally lead to the question, “What things belong to Caesar, and what things belong to God?” This is the subject of my sermon today.

What things belong to Caesar? First of all, his authority, or power. Scripture teaches us that the authority of government is given by God. Your ruler, as St. Paul writes, is “God’s servant for your good” (Rom 13:4). In January our nation will swear in our next president. Whether or not you voted for him, he will be your ruler, appointed by God. Had social media existed in New Testament times, I’m sure there would have been a lot of angry Jews tweeting under the hashtag #notmycaesar. If so, they would have been wrong. Whether you like a ruler or not, whether he is a good person or not, his power is ordained of God.

This doesn’t mean that God endorses a ruler’s platform or supports his policies. John Calvin said, “When God wants to judge a nation, He gives them wicked rulers.” This may certainly be the case in our country that has slaughtered sixty-one million of its most vulnerable citizens and made an unholy mockery of God’s institution of marriage. History shows that God does indeed punish nations that turn away from him. But even then, when a wicked tyrant is in power, we must still render him due obedience. St. Peter writes, “Obey all human authorities, especially the Emperor” (1 Pe 2:17). Consider that the emperor at the time was Nero. Even his authority was ordained by God. Render to Caesar the things that are his.

Second, we must render our prayers on behalf of our leaders. St. Paul urges that “supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way” (1 Tim 2:1–2). We may be praying that our leaders repent. We may be working to prevent them from implementing ungodly laws and unjust policies. Yet we are bound to pray for them and honor the office they hold as appointed by God.

There is more that belongs to Caesar: taxes, military or jury service, et cetera, but I’d like to speak now on what belongs to God. Caesar may rightly claim your possessions. He may even unjustly take your life, goods, fame, child, or wife, but your highest allegiance belongs to God. Even though you live in two kingdoms and have duties to both, they are not parallels or equals. Our obligations to God are the whole of life; those to the state one part of that whole. If these kingdoms come into conflict, that is, when wicked rulers enforce wicked laws, then we must obey God rather than man. You are man’s subject for a brief time. You are God’s subject for eternity. So what things belong to God? We’ll answer this question by applying Luther’s explanation to the First Commandment: You shall fear, love, and trust in God above all things.

Your fear belongs to God. This might seem odd thing to give to God, but it is commanded in Scripture, “You shall fear the LORD your God and serve Him only” (Deut 6:13). Rulers are ordained of God to be a terror to evildoers, but Christians who fear God and live according to the Ten Commandments should have nothing to fear from the government. In a well-ordered society, you’re only afraid of a police officer when you’ve been speeding or breaking the law. But even if a wicked ruler should seek to take your life, Jesus says, “Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear Him who can destroy both soul and body in hell” (Mt 10:28). “Honor the king,” St. Peter writes, “but fear God” (1 Pe 2:17). Everyone fears something or someone, whether sickness, loss, hardship, tyrants, or even death. Fear God, and you will need not fear any other thing.

Render to God your love. This is the first and greatest commandment. “If anyone loves me,” Jesus says, “he will keep, guard, and protect my Word” (Jn 14:23). You cannot claim to love Jesus if you do not love his words. Sadly, many Christians misdirect the love that should belong to God to the gifts of God: possessions, family, leisure, and even health and life. But Jesus tells us, “Whoever loves his own life will lose it” (Jn 12:25). The martyrs and saints of old loved not their lives unto death, and now they wear the crown of eternal life.

Fear, love, and trust. Render to God your trust. This is another word for faith. All of your faith belongs to Christ. Good works and holy living won’t save you. Science and medicine won’t cure death. The government will never succeed in creating a utopian paradise. No program will completely eliminate disease or end poverty. Nothing but the return of Christ and the full revelation of his kingdom can undo the destruction of sin. Nothing but his bloody sacrifice on the cross could have reconciled humanity with God. Therefore, our trust should be in Christ alone. Do not give to Caesar what belongs to God.

Yes, you are citizen of an earthly kingdom, and with your body you must give service to earthly rulers. But just as your physical body will soon die and decay, so too will the rulers and kingdoms of earth. St. Paul writes to us, “Your true citizenship is in heaven, and from heaven we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself” (Phil 3:20–21).

Soon the day is coming when our Lord Christ will return in glory to take back all authority that he has lent to Caesar, and he himself will reign in visible glory for all eternity. Then we will be citizens of his kingdom only, in the new heaven which is joined to the new earth. No longer subject to the rule of sinful men or self-serving governments, we will render to God the glory due his name, while even the memory of sorrow fades away as a dream. St. John was given a glimpse of this moment: Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever” (Rev 11:15).

Today, as the end of the Church Year looms and the season of Advent approaches, we who still must live in two kingdoms prepare our hearts once again for the return of our Lord, crying out with the saints in heaven and on earth, “Come quickly, Lord Jesus.” Amen.