LENT 2016 – GOING TO JERUSALEM

Monday, February 22

The Question About Paying Taxes - Matthew 22: 15 – 22

                Nothing says power more than putting the emperor’s face on a coin. Every time a person bought something, paid one’s taxes, received a wage, bought passage on a boat, or hid it under a mattress, the emperor’s facial image reminded one that he owned the world and controlled its commerce and economy, and determined the value of all goods and commodities.  The emperor was the centre of the world when it came to politics, power, trade, taxes and even official religion. Afterall, he liked to think of himself as a god, and therefore so should everyone else.  A coin with his image was a visual and vivid reminder that if he sneezed in Rome, somebody in Jerusalem better say “Bless you!”

               Many Jews of Jesus’ time resented deeply this oppressive right of the emperor to control their country so absolutely. Some Pharisees were included among the more aggressive opponents to the Roman rule. Here they are trying to trap Jesus – either to say something incriminating against the emperor by suggesting that Jews should not pay their taxes or prove that he is not a good, loyal, patriotic Jew by approving of the emperor’s tax plan.

             Jesus won’t bite on the bait. “Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God.” (22:21) We Baptists would cheer this separation of church and state.

             I would suggest that we face, every day, all sorts of choices that put us in-between God and powerful influences in our world. Let me stress that I don’t believe that God is against every thing that the world offers. We are not being commanded to be ascetic monks, hiding away from the temptations of the world.

            But one of the values of this incident is to challenge us to be wise, discerning and faithful in the choices we make. Culture is a very powerful force. Governments have much influence upon us. Media and technology are consumed by us with few if any filters.  Modern Caesars still imprint their iconic images that makes us captive to powers of politics, commerce, and secularism.

           Jesus provides a way to live in such a world with integrity, authenticity, honesty, and faithfulness.  Make choices that honour God and his Creation.  Jesus brings the reign of God and with this reign comes justice, peace (shalom), righteousness, mercy, compassion, equality and a whole new frame of reference for how we are citizens of a new sacred reality. Work for those things in our world.

          Jesus does not want nor does he need to set up some alternative government to Caesar. Jesus said, "My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place." (John 18:36) He is rejecting violent revolution to restore Israel, which some were advocating.  He seeks a more peaceful counter-movement to both Rome and the Jewish resistance movement of the day.

         Its coinage is the price of love; freely, unconditionally and sacrificially given.