20 So they watched him and sent spies, who pretended to be sincere, that they might catch him in something he said, so as to deliver him up to the authority and jurisdiction of the governor. 21 So they asked him, “Teacher, we know that you speak and teach rightly, and show no partiality,1 but truly teach the way of God. 22 Is it lawful for us to give tribute to Caesar, or not?” 23 But he perceived their craftiness, and said to them, 24 “Show me a denarius.2 Whose likeness and inscription does it have?” They said, “Caesar’s.” 25 He said to them, “Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” 26 And they were not able in the presence of the people to catch him in what he said, but marveling at his answer they became silent.
Section Overview
The parable of the tenant farmers ended with the religious leaders’ intent on putting Jesus to death, and now the question about taxes and Caesar is designed to secure that end. They send spies, feigning impartiality, to seek to trip Jesus up so that they can hand him over to Pilate. With oleaginous words they commend Jesus as a teacher, as one who speaks the truth, come what may. But they attempt to lay a trap by asking if they have to pay taxes to Caesar. Either answer Jesus gives could land him in trouble. But he is not deceived by their craftiness, and so he asks to see a denarius and the likeness it bears. When they answer that it is Caesar, Jesus answers that the things that belong to Caesar should be given to Caesar and the things that belong to God should be given to God. The trap they have attempted to lay is unsuccessful, and they grow silent in amazement at the wisdom of his answer.
Section Outline
V. Death and Resurrection in Jerusalem (19:28–24:53) . . .
B. Controversy between Jesus and Leaders (20:1–21:4) . . .
3. Paying Taxes to Caesar (20:20–26)
Response
As Bible-believing Christians we rightly concentrate on Jesus as the Lord of our individual lives. We think about what it means for Jesus to be Lord in our marriages and our families. We also reflect upon what it means for Jesus to be sovereign in our relationships with others. Our families and relationships are of great importance, but we can focus so much on our individual and private lives that we never talk about life in the public arena. We may segregate our lives into a public and private sphere so that we do not think about what it means for Jesus to be Lord in our business life. What does it mean as a nurse, a doctor, or a politician for Jesus to be Lord?
Some matters, of course, are incredibly complex, but we do not conclude from this that the Scriptures do not speak to these issues. Jesus reigns over all. He is Lord of our personal world and our political world. He is Lord of our families and our businesses. He is Lord over our private lives and our public lives. What do Jesus’ words here mean for us? First, they do not represent a full and complete answer to the question of how to relate to governing authorities. We must look at all of Scripture to form a complete view. Second, we learn from this text that Jesus thinks it right to pay taxes to Caesar. Paying taxes to Caesar does not violate God’s will. Jesus does not advocate violent revolution against Rome. He does not call for revolt simply because Rome is an unjust and evil power.
One application for today is this: Christians must pay their taxes. We cannot say. “The state is asking too much, so I will not pay my taxes.” Or, “I am going to reduce what I pay in taxes because the state supports abortion.” Or, “I will not pay all my taxes because the state uses money for nuclear weapons, and I am a pacifist.” None of these reasons washes, because Rome was an unjust and evil power in many ways, but Jesus does not say, “Just pay part of your taxes, because they are evil.” We are to support with our tax money governments that are a mixture of good and evil. We are not sinning but pleasing God in doing so.
Third, it is also a mistake to conclude from Jesus’ words here that politics is in one sphere and devotion to God is in another, as if we devote ourselves to Caesar on one hand and to God on another. No, Jesus is Lord of all. We acknowledge his lordship by submitting to the government placed over us. That is very clear from Romans 13 as well, as Paul calls on us to submit to governing authorities. Our inclination and heart desire should be to submit to the governing institutions. But that does not mean that there are not some times in which we should disobey the government. If the government says, “Do not preach the gospel,” we disobey. If the government were to say to us, “You cannot say homosexuality is wrong, because that is a hate crime,” we must be loyal to God rather than human laws. As Christians we submit to Jesus’ lordship, whether we obey government or refuse to do what it says. We do not decide on our wisdom whether to resist government. We resist it only when the Scriptures indicate that we should obey God rather than man, for Jesus is Lord over the political order.