Give to Caesar …

Then the Pharisees went and plotted how to trap him by what he said. So they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians. “Teacher,” they said, “we know that you are truthful and teach truthfully the way of God. You don’t care what anyone thinks nor do you show partiality. Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”

Perceiving their malicious intent, Jesus said, “Why are you testing me, hypocrites? Show me the coin used for the tax.” They brought him a denarius. “Whose image and inscription is this?” he asked them.

“Caesar’s,” they said to him.

Then he said to them, “Give, then, to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left him and went away. Matthew 22:15-22 (CSB)

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If you are practicing your Lenten Disciplines, then congratulations as you’ve just passed the half-way point. Today is day 21 on our 40 day Journey, with the final 40th day being Holy Saturday, the day before Sunday. Remember, Lent is not about perfection, nor about your own spiritual might, so be merciful to yourself if you’ve fallen short. In some ways, failing your Lenten discipline can be a humbling reminder that the weight of the Gospel does not fall to us. Bear on, and offer up failure with humility to God’s glory.

Now onto our 21st day. 

Let’s be honest, the Pharisees didn’t really care about giving money to Caesar. In fact, they actively opposed him, and longed for military victory over their perceived Roman occupier. Nor were they genuinely interested in Jesus’ opinion about the subject. The people who were genuinely interested tended to come quietly, with less loaded questions. Real seekers don’t goad. 

No, this was a trap, with the intention of either refuting Jesus’ teaching authority, or aligning him as a treasonous rebel. In each case, they would be ultimately victorious, convincing both the high priest Caiaphas and Pontius Pilate to destroy him. 

Have you ever argued with someone like that? Someone who is so convinced that they are right, that they try to catch you up in a rhetorical trap rather than actually trying to listen and grow? They have their responses formed before you’re even finished speaking. The internet, and our political discourse is filled with these kinds of despicable “gotchas”, with the sad fact that we are often blind to them, or worse we take pleasure in them when they represent our positions. This was clearly the case here. That the Pharisees would side with the Herodian (people they despised) to ensnare Jesus is an indicator that they are so deep into their own echo chambers, into their love of power and authority, that they aren’t interested in seeing the truth. 

How often the church and Christians fall into this same trap. We’d rather be right, or rather maintain political power than follow the Lord. Wouldn’t it be better to be wronged, Paul cries out! (1 Corinthians 6:7)

Jesus of course fends off the trap in typical Jesus fashion. He gives an answer, so evasive but true, that no one can argue. The Herodian would not be able to accuse him since he said to give to Caesar what is his, but neither would the Pharisees, since, truly, all things belong to God. It was a non answer. If they were open, it would have revealed to them their own ploy. It should have brought repentance and genuine connection. However, they obviously were not open, as they simply left amazed that they were so utterly humiliated. 

Now be honest with yourself, are you ever this way? Are you so convinced of your politics, or your theology, that you only try to convince others and never stop to allow God to affect you? Could you actually be wrong? Certainty is dangerous territory. I don’t mean trust — faith can move mountains, we just realized yesterday. I mean certainty. Certainty is a closed system. It’s a final judgment and determination, and it leaves little room for God. 

When I stand before the Lord someday, I’d far rather declared to him, “I don’t know, please show me,” than try to convince him, “I’m right, and here’s why.”