“…Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”
But Jesus knew their evil motives. “You hypocrites!” he said. “Why are you trying to trap me? Here, show me the coin used for the tax.” When they handed him a Roman coin, he asked, “Whose picture and title are stamped on it?” “Caesar’s,” they replied. “Well, then,” he said, “give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God.” His reply amazed them, and they went away.
Matthew 22:15-22
After hearing this verse on the radio, I had to dig into it a little because something about it stirred my mind. This is the first in a series of three questions posed to Jesus by the Pharisees and Herodians, and Sadducees. We know that the Pharisees had lost their minds about Jesus and these questions were meant to trap him. Jesus’ and His message of salvation was growing in popularity, and they were at a loss to stop Him. We know eventually that they could see the writing on the wall and this man Jesus simply had to go. Eventually, the plan was hatched for His death and, of course and as usual, things did not go as they had expected. Isn’t that always the case with evil? God can turn into good what is meant for evil.
These plotters thought they had a fail-safe question. “Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar?” On it’s face, it sounds like a legit question, however, the catch to the question wasn’t necessarily the question itself but the askers. On one hand the Pharisees would say to pay Caesar would be against God, and on the other hand the Herodians would say to pay God would be against Caesar. Seems like quite a dilemma. But Jesus…
What caused a stir in me in these verses? The coin. The coin was a denarius which was payment for about a day’s work. Jesus says, “show me the coin.” I visualize Him taking the coin, rubbing his fingers over the raised stamp of Caesar’s face, turning it over and examining it back to front, front to back, looking on it in a contemplative way as He is pausing for effect, the silence deafening. I can almost see the askers leaning in on tiptoe, breathless with anticipation and with joy in their hearts because they think they have finally outmaneuvered Him. Then Jesus responds to their question with a question “Whose picture and title are stamped on it?” They answer and Jesus looks up at them and drops the mic. The scriptures tell us they were amazed, silenced, and they went away.
Jesus asked them specifically, whose face is stamped, who’s image, who’s marking, who’s inscription, who’s title, is on the coin? My mind went to my heart. As a follower of Christ, my life bears God’s image. Lord and Savior is stamped, marked, inscripted, impressed on my heart. Just like the coin belongs to Caesar, our hearts belong to God. Not just a portion, or a piece, or a little, but the whole thing. We can’t have half a stamp, part of a mark, or a partial title on our hearts.
God says to me “show me the coin.” I visualize Him taking my heart, rubbing his fingers over the raised stamp of His face, turning it over and examining it back to front, front to back, looking on it in a contemplative way as He is pausing for effect, the silence deafening. He says give to Me what is Mine.
Maybe we need to examine our own hearts the same way God does, contemplate the inscription, roll them around a little, look at them front and back and ask…Do I give to God what is God’s?
Lord, I give you my heart, I give you my soul, I live for you alone.
Every breath that I take, every moment I’m awake, Have your way in me.