April 16, 2013
SCRIPTURE: Matthew 22:15-22
OBSERVATIONS
Notice how crafty the Pharisees are, listen to their honey-lipped fangs, “we know you are a man of honor. You teach the way of God truthfully. You don’t let others tell you what to do or say. You don’t care how important they are.” Men without honor calling Jesus a man of honor. They hang themselves by their words for what they say is not true of themselves.
Pretenders, hypocrites, Jesus sees their game and refuses to play with them. They wanted Jesus to anger the Romans with His rebellious response; instead Jesus plays His own game. His answer is clever, both vague and clear. The Romans could not argue against His response, nor could the religious leaders (without getting into trouble themselves).
So what is Jesus actually saying? My sense is that we need to submit to the authorities that be, but only insofar as they do not lead us to disobey God. God has instituted leadership, both good and bad, and His people should not be rebellious. But when it comes to obeying God or human rulers, God wins!
“Peter and John replied, “Judge for yourselves. Which is right from God’s point of view? Should we obey you? Or God? 20 There’s nothing else we can do!” (Acts 4:19)
What do you notice in this passage?
APPLICATION
We live in a relatively free and peaceful nation. Not everything our government does is just or fair, but compared to Caesar in Paul’s day, we are doing well. And listen to what Paul says of Caesar: “All of you must be willing to obey completely those who rule over you. There are no authorities except the ones God has chosen. Those who now rule have been chosen by God. So when you oppose the authorities, you are opposing those whom God has appointed. Those who do that will be judged.” (Romans 13:1-2)
We should still speak out against injustice, for equality and morality, but we should not do it in a rebellious way. Even when we refuse to submit because obedience to God trumps our government, we should do it in a humble, honourable way.
When it comes to taxes, though we may consider them excessive and unfair, it is our duty to pay them, and not try to cheat or get around it. Curious to know whether tax fraud is an issue among Christians (paying under the table?), and how they explain this in light of what Jesus says here? True, everyone is doing it, but…
We should be like the Pharisees said about Jesus: “we know you are a man of honor. You teach the way of God truthfully. You don’t let others tell you what to do or say. You don’t care how important they are.”
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, remind me to be a man of honor, to teach the way of God truthfully, to not let others tell me what to do or say, and to not care how important people are. Help me to obey Caesar and You, the Lord of all lords!
Jesus follower
trying to find His way
Even people who were not fans of Jesus knew this about him – He was a man of integrity, He taught the way of God in accordance with the truth, and He wasn’t swayed by men because he paid no attention to who they were. Jesus lived out his first shall be last teaching. Other people’s status was not important to him. He only recognized them as people.
We are urged to live like Jesus. I need to be known by the above. I need to have integrity, and teach the way of God.
After this buttering up intro, they next tried to trap him with a no win question. Should we pay taxes to Caesar. A yes answer would mean that he was not supporting the Jews, a no answer would mean that he was rebelling against the Romans. It should be noted that the people asking had brought along some Herodians, to make sure that his answer would be noted by the proper authorities. Jesus wisdom in this situation showed that he was not going to be trapped by their questions. When we are standing by people asking us tough questions, we can pray for the words to speak, and God will provide for us in our time of need.
I pray that I will live with integrity, that I will be able to show the way of God, and that I am not swayed by the status of man. I pray that God will give me His words to speak when the timing is right.
Observations:
Once again the religious leaders wanted to trap Jesus since their own popularity was waning. Even in their questioning they were speaking the truth because Jesus was a man of integrity and they were not. As Christ was a person of integrity, they were not, because even they used the coin with the ‘graven image’ of the emperor on it for their purposes. Christ saw through this and did not fall in their trap of a yes or no answer.
Application:
Be people of integrity. I must be a person of integrity. I can pay the taxes, but I need to pay wholehearted service to the Lord God for He is the One in charge. Then and only then am I true worker in the Kingdom and freed from ‘slavery and oppression.’
Stunned, the religious leaders left Jesus. Life without Christ is no life at all.
Prayer:
Help me this day Lord to follow You. Never leave me nor forsake me. Lead me and guide me by Your Spirit, always.
Am I a soldier of the cross,
A follower of the Lamb,
And shall I fear to own His cause,
Or blush to speak His Name?
Sure I must fight if I would reign;
Increase my courage, Lord.
I’ll bear the toil, endure the pain,
Supported by Thy Word.
Thy saints in all this glorious war
Shall conquer, though they die;
They see the triumph from afar,
By faith’s discerning eye
When that illustrious day shall rise,
And all Thy armies shine
In robes of victory through skies,
The glory shall be Thine.