Matthew 22.21
It is with wisdom that Jesus answers the trick question put to him by this unholy alliance of Pharisee and Herodian. To pay or not to pay taxes to Rome; to answer one way would be to promote insurrection a capital offence; to answer the other way would be to face the ridicule and resentment of those who were looking for a Kingdom of God revolution. The answer Jesus gives, at one and the same time, answers the question put and provides no answer at all. What are we to make of this?
Taxation throughout history was more about subjugating a people and the coinage used to pay that tax, a means by which to show who was in charge. The Romans would march into a country, tell the locals that they were now subjects of Rome and tax them for the privilege. It is no wonder that they were hated. What is more, the coin in which they were required to pay the tax bore the emperor’s head and an inscription that announced his deity. No Jew could stomach that. It was idolatry of the worst kind.
Jesus acknowledges that he knows what the unholy alliance is up to by calling them out as hypocrites. He knows they are seeking to trap him. But his answer to their question is ambiguous, probably deliberately so.
Does he place duty to the governing authority on the same footing as duty to God or is he dismissing the hated coin and placing duty to God on a higher level. So, does Jesus mean ‘do your duty to Caesar by paying the tax and do your duty to God by living obediently to his word’ or does he mean ‘you has better give Caesar back in his own coin and God back in his own coin’, which sounds more revolutionary.
Because we are citizens of the world in which we live, we have a duty to those we live with to share the responsibility of organising our society and meeting the cost according to our ability. To do otherwise would be a selfish failure in our Christian duty.
But we are also citizens of God’s kingdom on earth and this means giving our whole lives to the one true living God: the currency of the kingdom of God is the way we live our lives. We face hundreds of decisions about the way we live every single day; good family relationships, ethical business dealing, concern for the environment, challenging prejudice and racism, global awareness of poverty, conflict and corruption and more. Are we always as generous with our kingdom currency as we should be? Do we invite God’s guidance in making the choices that shape the little and the big things in our lives?
But we can go further than this, if we are to be truly revolutionary in a world where Caesar is no longer the ruler who would be a deity. The idols of the worldly gods of money, possessions, fame, influence and power are worshipped to the exclusion of the one true God. This currency is as bankrupt as the tribute paid to Caesar. So, we had better give this new Caesar back in his own coin and reject him.
We can be truly revolutionary by actively living and working among those who are searching for something greater, but have not yet discovered Christ; those who face a religious and moral vacuum following the collapse of the certainties of current and previous generations. To share the things that are God’s with the people who do not know them. To share the Christian currency.
What idols are worshipped, what lives wasted, and kingdom opportunities missed when we keep our kingdom currency to ourselves.
Our task is to give back to God the Christian currency of obedience, right living and sharing the things that are God’s with the people who do not know them. That surely is tax that we would be willing to pay.
Lord, in the strength of grace, | Your ransomed servant, I |
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