Who Owns You?

The Pharisees have been listening to Jesus teach. They have carried the grudge as they watch the people flock to Jesus and he performs miracles that they have not been able to do. He makes it seem so effortless, and the grudge grows and grows. It turns into envy, then twists in frustration, sliding into anger, and finally spiraling into hatred.

Picking up in Matthew 22: 15-22.
With that, “the Pharisees went out and laid plans to tram him (Jesus) in his words. They sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians.”
Herodians? Is there a country out there called Herod that the Herodians belong too? These were actually members of the family of Herod of supporters of the family of Herod. Remember, there are political motives all jumbled up in here as well. Israel was under the authority of Rome, an enemy power. The family of Herod was seen as the last of the possible Jewish rulers, a fragment of government which they could claim as their own and not as Romes.

So, the Pharisees sent their followers and this politically minded Herod following group to Jesus. “‘ Teacher,’ they said, ‘we know you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren’t swayed by men, because you pay no attention to who they are. Tell us then....’”


Okay – before we get to the question, just note for a minute that this is kind of somewhere between a backward compliment and an insult.


Going on... “ ‘Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?’”


Remember – Caesar is the leader of Rome – the enemy invasion force, why pay the invasion force to stay in the country they are invading?


It is a loaded question right? A political quandary, an ethical dilemma.


“But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, ‘You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? Show me the coin used for paying the tax.’ They brought him a denarius, and he asked them, ‘Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription?’”


Take a moment and dig around in your purse or change drawer – what portrait do you see? What inscription?

The group replied that the portrait and the words were Caesar’s. Jesus “said to them, ‘Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.’ When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left him and went away.” They were stumped by the answer.

Taxes are not always a pleasant thing to have done, especially if you have to pay back. You may dread the deadline of when the tax date approaches. But, the taxes are appointed by the government that prints the money. Yet, you and I, we don’t have any inscribed markings or portraits on us that say that we belong to the government. Who do you belong to?