Jesus on paying taxes to the emperor
Today’s Gospel is about another close encounter between the Pharisees and our Lord Jesus Christ. For sure, many of the Pharisees have been following Jesus as he walked about in Judea. They have been hearing wondrous teachings from him, often listening to his parables. In the end, these Pharisees got scared that the Jews would listen more to Jesus. Hence today’s gospel tells us about this encounter with the Lord and the Pharisees whose aim is to trap him. You can read it in Matt.22:15-21.
“15 The Pharisees went off and plotted how they might entrap [Jesus] in speech. 16 They sent their disciples to him, with the Herodians, saying “Teacher, we know that you are a truthful man and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. And you are not concerned with anyone’s opinion, for you do not regard a person’s status.
17 Tell us, then, what is your opinion. Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not?”18 Knowing their malice, Jesus said, “Why are you testing me, you hypocrites? 19 Show me the coin that pays the census tax.” Then they handed him the Roman coin. 20 He said to them, “Whose image is this and whose inscription?” 21 They replied, “Caesar’s.” At that he said to them, “Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.”
* * *
Today’s gospel reading comes from Matt.22: 15-21, it is also written in Luke 20:20-26 (It was the Feast of St. Luke yesterday) and many people believe that this is the root of the so-called separation of church and state. Although in those days, Judaism was literally a Theocracy with the people obeying their church laws as ruled by the Pharisees or elders. But in this story, you will note that the Pharisees sent trusted men together with the Herodians. So who are the Herodians? They were the puppets of the Romans who were propped up to rule the Jews in those days.
But the Pharisees disliked the Herodians because they agreed to pay tribute to Rome. But it is more than obvious to us why the Pharisees took along the Herodians in order to trap our Lord Jesus Christ, believing that if he makes a mistake and agrees that paying tribute to the hated Romans would therefore alienate him from the Jewish people, many of whom were starting to believe in him.
On the other hand, if Jesus told them that it was wrong to pay tribute to Rome…then the Herodians who were there would use his word as witnesses against Jesus and therefore Rome can arrest him for refusing to accept Roman Authority and pay their taxes. But Jesus cleverly extricated himself from their trap when he asked them…“Whose image is this and whose inscription?” They replied, “Caesar’s.” At that he said to them, “Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.”
Of course our Lord Jesus Christ knew that those hypocrites were trapping him! But in the end… they all marveled at his reply. But the Lord’s cunning reply was not the end of Jewish hatred to their Roman occupiers. In 66 to 70AD the Zealots went into open rebellion against Roman and they were crushed and killed and the Romans finally decided to totally destroy the Jewish Temple. This is why today in Jerusalem, the Al Aqsa Mosque was built on top of what used to be the Jewish Temple, while the Jews of today are left with only the “Wailing Wall” to pray on.
The traditional Christian interpretation of today’s gospel reading speaks of one’s obligations to the secular state or government… that people ought to pay their taxes as a duty…not an obligation…although most of us believe that this is an obligation. But as citizens of our country, we must pay our taxes so that the state can provide for those who have less in life.
This is why when politicians steal the people’s money; we must all show our indignation. This is why I’m dismayed at our people today for keeping quiet while our politicians steal our money to enrich themselves! Today almost all Senators and Congressmen have misused the Pork Barrel using fake NGO’s and they should be stopped and thrown to prison.
On the other side of this story, our Lord Jesus said, “Repay to God what belongs to God.” What our Lord is telling us is for all Christians to fulfill their obligations to God. Just think… if we fail to pay our taxes on time to the Bureau of Internal Revenue we face the prospect of being charged and if proven guilty…sent to a jail term. So most people pay their taxes grudgingly to escape a possible prison sentence.
But what about our obligation to God? Hmmm, so many of us do not even go to Church on Sundays or on days of obligations anymore. In last Friday’s gospel teaching, our Lord said, “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but after that can do no more. Be afraid to the one who after killing has the power to cast you into Gehenna.” In short while the state can send you to jail you better be afraid to offend God, as you will burn in hell in eternity!
- Latest
