Rachel
Workman: 15 Then the Pharisees met together to
plot how to trap Jesus into saying something for which he could be arrested. 16 They
sent some of their disciples, along with the supporters of Herod, to meet with
him. “Teacher,” they said, “we know how honest you are. You teach the way of
God truthfully. You are impartial and don’t play favorites. 17 Now
tell us what you think about this: Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” When
I read that they called Jesus teacher it makes me realize that I don't think of
Jesus as a teacher enough. Jesus is so many things to us and a teacher is one of
them. I miss that a lot. When I open his word I should be saying Jesus teach
me.
18 But Jesus knew their evil motives.
“You hypocrites!” he said. “Why are you trying to trap me? 19 Here,
show me the coin used for the tax.” When they handed him a Roman coin,[a] 20 he
asked, “Whose picture and title are stamped on it?”21 “Caesar’s,” they replied.
“Well, then,” he said, “give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God.”
22 His reply amazed them, and they went away.
Give to God what belongs to God. Everything belongs to God, my money, my possessions, my family, my relationships, my health, ect. They all belong to God. I need to give them to him more instead of trying to handle them on my own.
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Allen Michaels: 15 Then the Pharisees went out
and laid plans to trap him in his words. 16 They sent their
disciples to him along with the Herodians. “Teacher,” they said, “we know that
you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with
the truth. You aren’t swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who
they are. 17 Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to
pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not?” Normally these two groups were bitter enemies, but they
decided that it would be a good idea to team up against Jesus. However, Jesus’
answer exposed their evil motives and embarrassed them both.
18 But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, “You
hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? 19 Show me the coin
used for paying the tax.” They brought him a denarius, 20 and
he asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?”
21 “Caesar’s,” they replied.
Then he said to them, “So give back
to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” Jesus avoided this trap by showing that we have dual
citizenship, as told in 1 Peter 2:17 (NLT); Respect
everyone, and love your Christian brothers and sisters. Fear God, and respect
the king. Our current citizenship in the
nation we live in (USA) requires that we pay money for the services and
benefits we receive. Our future citizenship in the kingdom of heaven requires
that we pledge to God our primary obedience and commitment. Sometimes I’m so
overwhelmed with bills, outgoing expenses and just the daily stress, that I
forget about the obedience and commitment that I owe God.
22 When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left
him and went away.
Online commentary;
What do we owe God and neighbor
but to love and to give each what is their due (Romans 13:6-8)? The Jewish
authorities sought to trap Jesus in a religious-state issue. The Jews resented
their foreign rulers and despised paying taxes to Cesar. They posed a dilemma
to test Jesus to see if he was loyal to their understanding of religion.
If Jesus answered that it was lawful to pay taxes to a pagan ruler, then he
would lose credibility with the Jewish populace who would regard him as a
coward and a friend of Cesar. If he said it was not lawful, then the
Pharisees would have grounds to report him to the Roman authorities as a
political trouble-maker and have him arrested. Jesus avoided their trap by
confronting them with the image of a coin. Coinage in the ancient world
had significant political power. Rulers issued coins with their own image and
inscription on them. In a certain sense the coin was regarded as his personal
property. Where the coin was valid the ruler held political sway over the
people. Since the Jews used the Roman currency, Jesus explained that what
belonged to Caesar must be given to Caesar. This story has another deeper
meaning as well. We, too, have been stamped with God’s image since we are
created in his own likeness (Genesis 1:26-27). We rightfully belong, not to
ourselves, but to God who created us and redeemed us in the precious blood of
his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ (see 1 Cor. 6:19-20). Paul the Apostle
says that we are to present our bodies as a living sacrifice to God (Romans
12:1). Do you acknowledge that your life belongs to God and not to
yourself? And do you give to God what rightfully belongs to Him?
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