Monday, April 14, 2008
Matthew 22:15-22 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.
RENDER THEREFORE TO CAESAR . . .
Tomorrow is April 15th, and you probably know what that means -- on this date every year our income taxes come due. It is easy to gripe and complain about paying taxes, but as Christians, we are privileged to have a different outlook on this matter.
In the Scripture reading given above, Jesus told those listening to Him to render to Caesar the things that were Caesars, meaning that the people of His time and place were to pay taxes to the Roman government, the political authority which ruled over the people of Israel at that time. As Jesus said this, it was not what many in Israel wanted to hear, but it was the truth -- and the truth delivered in such an airtight, typically Christ-like way, that it left speechless those who were trying to trap Him or those who might have wanted to argue with Him.
The same principles laid out by Christ on that day also apply to us today. We are also to render to our government the things it is due (as long as those things do not conflict with our obedience to God and His Word). In doing so, we are also rendering to God the things that are His; namely, we are bringing glory to His name by obeying His righteous commandments that say we ought to obey the government and pay our taxes.
