Tag: Render unto Caesar.

First

There are always scorekeepers in every crowd.
These are the ones who are more interested in rankings than in truth. Two opposition groups combined in an attempt to catch Jesus in His words. Their question involved who should be first in the thinking of the citizens, God or Caesar. The issue was taxation. If God’s Chosen People paid taxes to Caesar, didn’t that mean Rome should be first in their thinking? These Herodians and Phrisees thought they had a foolproof plan to get the best of Jesus. How foolish!

The Image on the Coin
Jesus asked to see a Roman coin. None of the leaders wanted to be embarrassed because he was caught carrying money so there was a progression downward through the ranks until some poor low-level member of the group had to part with a coin he really needed to keep. He gave it to head Pharisee who passed it on to Jesus. Jesus took it, turned it over in His hand, and held it up in the sun so all could see. The crowd was divided between those who wanted to hear the answer and those who wanted the coin. When all had had a good look, Jesus tossed the coin back to the Pharisee.

“Whose image and inscription is this?”

They said to Him,

“Caesar’s.”

And He said to them,

“Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”

The combined forces of Phariees and Herodians were dumbfounded, speechless, and without answer or recourse so they simply walked away. Jesus came in first in this contest.

The Sadducees Take Their Turn
The Sadducees were the liberals of that day; they didn’t believe in the supernatural and they taught that there was no life after death. Their attempt at embarrassing Jesus involved these ideas. They told a fantastic story of a man with six brothers who married a woman and then promptly died. The Law of Moses demanded that a brother marry the widow to raise up children to his brother. However, like the first brother, this one quickly passed away leaving the twice-widowed woman to the next brother. Each one married her only to die leaving no heirs. Finally, mercifully, the woman herself died, no doubt from exhaustion. After a moment to let the details of their invented narrative sink in, they asked,

“Therefore, in the resurrection, whose wife of the seven will she be? For they all had her.”

Jesus dismissed this nonsense quickly: They did not know the power of God and neither did they understand that in the resurrection there will be no need for procreation.

The Young Lawyer
An earnest young lawyer witnessed all of this. He was embarrassed by the shallow inquiries of the leaders and he had a sincere question of his own.

“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?”

In other words, what is the first duty of a man before God. As dismissive as Jesus was of the others, He was just as careful with this sincere man. His answer is famous—“love God and love others.” This is the first command, the peg that holds all the Law and the prophets.

The Return of the Pharisees
Gluttons for punishment, the leaders tried one more time to get the best of Jesus. Before they could speak Jesus asked them about Messiah,

“Whose Son is He?”

There was only one answer, the Son of David.

“How then does David in the Spirit call Him ‘Lord,’?
If David then calls Him ‘Lord,’ how is He his Son?”

There was no answer and that was the end of their questions for Jesus. Final score?  Jesus 3, Critics 0.

Scriptures:
Matthew 22:15-46
Then the Pharisees went and plotted how they might entangle Him in His talk. And they sent to Him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that You are true, and teach the way of God in truth; nor do You care about anyone, for You do not regard the person of men. Tell us, therefore, what do You think? Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, “Why do you test Me, you hypocrites? Show Me the tax money.” So they brought Him a denarius. And He said to them, “Whose image and inscription is this?” They said to Him, “Caesar’s.” And He said to them, “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” When they had heard these words, they marveled, and left Him and went their way. The same day the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Him and asked Him, saying: “Teacher, Moses said that if a man dies, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife and raise up offspring for his brother. Now there were with us seven brothers. The first died after he had married, and having no offspring, left his wife to his brother. Likewise the second also, and the third, even to the seventh. Last of all the woman died also. Therefore, in the resurrection, whose wife of the seven will she be? For they all had her.” Jesus answered and said to them, “You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels of God in heaven. But concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.” And when the multitudes heard this, they were astonished at His teaching. But when the Pharisees heard that He had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, saying, “What do you think about the Christ? Whose Son is He?” They said to Him, “The Son of David.” He said to them, “How then does David in the Spirit call Him ‘Lord,’ saying: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool”‘? If David then calls Him ‘Lord,’ how is He his Son?” And no one was able to answer Him a word, nor from that day on did anyone dare question Him anymore.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, You are first in my life. I will go into this day determined to love You first and people a close second. I will not keep score of the wrongs done to me by others but I will let Your forgiveness flow first through me. I will tend to my civil duty as a citizen of the land but always hold my heavenly citizenship higher. I will move through day propelled by the hope of the resurrection. While some laugh at such things, calling them foolish superstitions, I will live with an eye toward the Eastern sky and an ear tuned to heaven for the sounds of the trumpet and the Archangel signaling Your return. You indeed are first in my heart! Amen, Even so, Come Lord Jesus!

Song:
Hasten Thy Glorious Coming
Words and Music: Oren Munger

1. Christ’s coming now is nearing,
Blest day of His appearing,
This thought my heart great joy affords;
Millions around are sighing,
For this release are crying,
“Hasten Thy glorious coming Lord”

Refrain:
Jesus is coming soon, coming I know,
Coming His glorious bride to claim;
With rapturous hearts we’re waiting,
To join that great translating,
“Hasten Thy glorious coming Lord”

2. Sorrow and sin prevaileth,
In pain the earth travaileth,
Darkness abounds in every land;
But in earth’s darkest hour
He’ll come in mighty power
“Hasten Thy glorious coming Lord”

Refrain

3. He warns us to be watching,
Praying and always ready,
We do not know the day nor hour;
Are you your heart preparing,
Ascension robes now wearing,
Washed in the blood of Calvary’s Lamb?

Refrain

4. So when the trumpet soundeth,
And He from heaven descendeth,
To claim the church, His spotless bride;
With boundless joy we’ll greet Him,
As we arise to meet Him,
“Hasten Thy glorious coming Lord”

Refrain

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

© 2018 Stephen R. Phifer All Rights Reserved