Top Trumps
Opening Prayer
Gracious God, in gratitude I praise You for Your watchcare over me and the abundant life You have given me.
Read MARK 12:13–17
13 Later they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to Jesus to catch him in his words. 14 They came to him and said, “Teacher, we know that you are a man of integrity. You aren’t swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are; but you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not? 15 Should we pay or shouldn’t we?”
But Jesus knew their hypocrisy. “Why are you trying to trap me?” he asked. “Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.” 16 They brought the coin, and he asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?”
“Caesar’s,” they replied.
17 Then Jesus said to them, “Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.”
And they were amazed at him.
New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Meditate
“Christians suffer in our day for refusing to bow before pictures of emperors and dictators and presidents. We cannot worship person, party, or state, but only God himself” (Alan Cole, 1913–2008).
Think Further
Today we encounter the first of three testing questions targeted at Jesus (14; cf. Mark 12:19–23;12:28). It is a poser designed to trap him by offering him two options. Choosing either means trouble. Should taxes be paid to Caesar? Answer “yes” and the Israelite crowd will get up in arms about collusion with the Roman occupation. Answer “no” and the Roman authorities will claim insurrection. Jesus reshapes the question, giving an answer that holds together faithfulness to God and good citizenship, at the same time as raising another about competing loyalties and one’s true allegiance.
Why does Mark recount this incident? Partly because it shows up the strength and subtlety of the opposition Jesus faced and his ability to counter it with authority. This is not just about Jesus being the master of the put-down, however. Behind the insincere question is a genuine tension for every believer. How does one live in a state whose claims on citizens are tantamount to divine demands? The Roman coinage used to pay taxes is produced by the questioners. It carries an image of a semi-divine Caesar which many Jews saw as clear blasphemy against the one true God. For Jesus, this does not call for acts of defiance. There is an obligation as a faithful citizen to submit to the governing authority (Rom. 13:1). God’s kingdom is a place of “righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” where we will seek to “live at peace with everyone” (Rom. 12:18; 14:17). Jesus does not advocate that “men will come to God’s Kingdom by destroying Caesar’s” (Mona Hooker). However, there will be inevitable clashes and challenges to our loyalty if we embrace the greater commitment of giving to God what is God’s. When Caesar asks for what belongs to God, commitment to God trumps all else.
Apply
How do you experience the tension of being a citizen of heaven who has to live temporarily on earth? How do you handle this tension?
Closing prayer
Heavenly Father, the world is always trying to squeeze me into its mold. I pray that I will always be molded by Your hand, living carefully and wisely for You.
Click here to sign up to receive the EXTRAs via email each quarter.
© 2024 Scripture Union U.S.A. All rights reserved. Reproduction of the whole or any part of the contents without written permission is prohibited.
Encounter with God is published in the USA under license from Scripture Union England and Wales, Trinity House, Opal Court, Opal Drive, Fox Milne, Milton Keynes, MK15 0DF.