Sunday’s gospel (Matt 22:15-22) is ‘tricky’ in several ways.
It takes place in Jerusalem, after Jesus had driven the money changers from the temple, where the chief priests had given them permission to set up their tables. So, the chief priests challenged Jesus about his authority. On Sept 27th we heard that gospel that ended with Jesus asking the chief priests,
John’s baptism—where did it come from? Was it from heaven, or of human origin?”
They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ But if we say, ‘Of human origin’—we are afraid of the people, for they all hold that John was a prophet.”
So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.”
Then he said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.
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The religious authorities had seen that Jesus was adept at countering verbal challenges. The gospel for this morning opens,
Then the Pharisees went and plotted to entrap him in what he said. So they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, "Teacher, we know that you are sincere, and teach the way of God in accordance with truth, and show deference to no one; for you do not regard people with partiality. Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?"
The Pharisees and Herodians were an unlikely pairing, united only by their dislike of Jesus' teachings. The Pharisees wanted an independent Israel and despised the Herodians who supported the Roman tetrarch, Herod. The Pharisees also saw themselves as the religious authorities in the country and wanted to set the rules that extended to daily life, including offerings at the temple, for which they refused Roman money because it had the head and inscription of the “divine Caesar”. (The money changers at the temple, whom Jesus had driven out, changed Roman coins, denarii, for shekels, at usurious rates.)
The Herodians saw Jesus as a disciple of John the Baptist, whom Herod had killed. They worried that he would turn people against Herod. Furthermore, the poll tax had to be paid in Roman coinage, and the Jewish people resented the obligation to use two sets of coinage.
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The gospel continues with Jesus’ first trick answer,
But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, "Why are you putting me to the test, you hypocrites? Show me the coin used for the tax." And they brought him a denarius.
Then he said to them, "Whose head is this, and whose title?" They answered, "The emperor's."
Then he said to them, "Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor's and to God the things that are God's."
Jesus’ response had something for everyone. It had the further advantage of befuddling both the Pharisees and the Herodians. How could either side object!
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Jesus frequently used people or familiar objects as part of his teaching and his invitations. He called Peter and Andrew, as they were mending their fishing nets and he said to them Follow me and I will make you fish for people. (Matt 4:18-20) When his disciples asked him who is greatest in the kingdom of heaven, He called a child, whom he put among them, and said, “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. (Matt 18:2-3) Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. So do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows. (Matt 10 29,31) He used bread, probably the most universal food in prayer - give us this day our daily bread – as well as in the institution of the Eucharist, While they were eating, Jesus took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it he broke it, gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” (Matt 26:26) So it was in this gospel where he used the denarius. He was alert to the interconnectedness of all life and objects and used them to teach.
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The gospel concludes,
When they heard this, they were amazed; and they left him and went away.
It wasn’t just that Jesus had thwarted them. He did it spontaneously, with a familiar object, the denarius, that they had never considered as he did.
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It does beg the question, however, of what things belong to the emperor and what things belong to God. Don’t we say, The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it, the world, and those who live in it (Ps 24:1) - or, in him (Christ) all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers—all things have been created through him and for him. (I Col. 15) – or - For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever. (Rom 11:36)? More broadly, we also say, all lives are mine (God’s); the life of the parent as well as the life of the child is mine: (Ez:18:4).
Ultimately, biblical scholars say Matthew was more interested in showing Jesus’ skill in outwitting the Pharisees and Herodians than in creating a theological framework for dividing church and state.
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· In this gospel, Jesus talks about giving to Caesar, the worldly authority, the things that are Caesar's. How do you translate that into contemporary terms? Should you pay taxes when a portion of them goes to funding projects – federal miliary spending or provincial building of Highway 413 on rich farmland and ecologically sensitive areas – which you don’t support? (If so, should you withhold that portion of your taxes?)
· What things belong to God? Doesn’t everything?
· Do you borrow from Jesus and think of how familiar people and objects – birds, children, coins - communicate about God’s kingdom? Try it.
Peace,
Deacon Michael