What is Caesar's?

Pentecost 22 – “What is Caesar’s?” – Matthew 22:15-21
Vicar Matthew Peters – St Paul’s Union Grove – October 13th, 2005

Grace, Mercy, and Peace to you in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

The text for this evening’s message is the gospel lesson from Matthew chapter 22, Jesus’ answer to the Pharisees’ question: “Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar?”

And so, since last I checked we are no longer under Roman government, and there is no longer a ‘Caesar’ – one of the questions we have before us tonight, since Jesus ultimate reply is, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” is;
“What is Caesar’s?”

Before we dive into the text for this week’s message trying to answer this question among many others, I think that it’s important that we remind ourselves who we are dealing with, and the story behind what is going on here in Matthew 22.
It’s Tuesday of Holy Week. Jesus just made His triumphal entry into Jerusalem two days ago – Palm Sunday. Here He is now, spending what would become His last day teaching in the temple courts before His impending crucifixion and death. The Pharisees send some of their followers, along with some Herodians, to trap Jesus.
The Pharisees: Who are they? Simply put, the Pharisees were a religious sect that didn’t like Jesus very much. They were strict observers of Mosaic Law, and had accumulated quite a following of people – they hated the Roman rule of Israel, and would rather have seen Israel as a free country again. But they also hated Jesus because He was teaching the opposite of what they taught, and he was taking followers and power from them.
Then there are the Herodians mentioned: Who are they? Well, you may recognize the name ‘Herod’ in the title ‘Herodian’. The Herodians were followers of King Herod. Now King Herod was a King of Israel only because the Romans had said that he could be. He had little real power, but what he had, he used… mostly to his own pleasure and glorification. The Herodians didn’t like the Pharisees very much, but they didn’t like Jesus either – it was Jesus, and His cousin John the Baptizer who had been so vocal about the evil and adulterous acts of the King.

So they ask Jesus their question: “Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”

It should be fairly obvious what their intent was in asking this question. These folks wanted to get Jesus in trouble. And it would seem like they had found a good question to stump him with.
If Jesus were to say, “Yes, pay taxes.” Then He would not please the crowds, it would seem as if He was supporting the oppressive Roman government.
If Jesus were to say, “No, don’t pay taxes.” Then, the Herodians would undoubtedly report Him to the Roman officials, and he would be killed for treason.
In either case, it didn’t look too good for Jesus.

What would you say to this question?
If someone gave you the choice between serving God or respecting the Government, where would your loyalties fall? Or is it a question that really requires us to be in a lose-lose situation? How does a Christian make the choice between God and Country?
You’ll remember why they asked Jesus this question, to trap Him…

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?”
“Caesar’s” they replied.

You’ll recall that a denarius was the coin that was worth a day’s wages. And it was Roman issued. So on one side there was a picture of Tiberius Caesar – much like our money might have Washington or Lincoln – but unlike our coins that say “in God we trust”, on the other side of a denarius were the words, “Tiberius Caesar Augustus, son of the divine Augustus.” Not exactly a credit to God – in fact, you could easily say that the coin could be seen as a little idol, claiming that the Caesar was a god.

Then He said to them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”

So then our question arises again, ‘What is Caesar’s?’
Is Jesus saying that all our money is to be given to the government? If it is asked of us, are we to pay our money to the IRS? What belongs to Caesar?
Well, what is Caesar concerned with? And our ‘Caesar’ here can be seen as the government, certainly. But what is the primary concern of Caesar? That we do our part to donate to the financial security of the empire… that we pay our taxes to him… Caesar is concerned with money. And that’s fine for Caesar… but is money to be our primary worry? No.

He said to them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”

Caesar can be concerned with money all he wants. But as Jesus says, give “to God what is God’s.” And what is “God’s”?
Well, if Caesar made the money, what did God make? If Caesar’s concern is in the accountant’s books, where is God’s concern? We know what is Caesar’s, but what is God’s?
God made all things – He created the world and all that is in it. All things belong to God.
God’s concern is for His creatures – God is concerned not about money and treasure, but about you!

So what is God’s?

In 1st Corinthians 6:20, Paul answers this question for us,
“…you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.”

We are God’s! Our very body and soul – the essence of who you are, has been purchased from sin by the blood of Jesus Christ. We belong to God.

So we quickly realize that the real issue at hand in this Bible lesson is not taxes at all. The primary bother is not to whom our money goes, or whose pockets are lined the deepest. Instead, the real issue here is one of 1st Commandment importance… “You shall have no other Gods.” Certainly money is an important issue in our world, and I am certainly not saying that the church does not need money. But when we present our offerings and tithes before the Lord, they are not given begrudgingly as we do on April 15 and present our check to the government. No, instead our offerings are an extension of this attitude that Jesus is saying we should have.
God wants all of ‘us’, more than money, more than the simple funding that Caesar is concerned with. But we are weak, and we forget God. How on earth could we ever give to God what He really deserves?

The answer to that dilemma lies in the one who is speaking the very words of our text today. Only through the purchasing power of Jesus’ blood can we be something worth giving to God. Only through the salvation and holiness He gives us, are we able to present ourselves “as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God.” (Romans 12:1) Through the faith and strength that the Holy Spirit gives us, we are now able to give God what always should have been His.

And so we now understand that “what is Caesar’s” – the money, the earthly pleasures, the exalted existence – these things are not of great importance to us… if Caesar demands them from us, let him have them. But to those who truly know God, and this is the message that Jesus was hoping the Pharisees and Herodians would walk away with, to those who truly know God we are only giving Him what He is due. We offer God ourselves, because God offered Himself for us.
Upon the cross, Jesus died and fulfilled the promise of His Father to send the Messiah who would take away the sins of the world. The blood of Jesus bought us back from our sins – Jesus paid the price of sin, and now we belong once again to God!
So give to God what is God’s! We worship God, we honor Him, we remain in His word, we receive His blessings through the sacraments!

So what is Caesar’s? Not all that much really… a few bucks maybe.
What is God’s? Everything. And more specifically… you are. You are God’s because Jesus died for you, and because He died for you – all of your sins are now forgiven, in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Amen.