“Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?”
Trap him in his talk. That was the goal behind the Pharisees’ question.
“Teacher, we know that you are true and do not care about anyone’s opinion. For you are not swayed by appearances, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? Should we pay them, or should we not?” (Mark 12:14)
Jesus–seeing through the question, past the trap, all the way to the hypocrisy at work in their hearts–responded with a question of his own.
“Why put me to the test? Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.” And they brought one. And he said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” (Mark 12:15-16)
That small coin, worth a day’s worth of labor, bore the likeness of Tiberius Caesar. The inscription? On one side: TI. CAESAR DIVI AVG. F. AVGVSTVS (“Tiberius Caesar, son of the divine Augustus”). On the other side: PONTIF MAXIM (“Chief Priest”).
What was Jesus’ point? Lean in with the rest of the crowd, anxious to hear what he will say about this symbol of Caesar’s authority…
“Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” (Mark 12:17)
And they marveled at him.
“Whose likeness and inscription is this?” That’s a question worth chewing on this week, especially in light of Jesus’ final statement–“Render to God the things that are God’s.” How can I do that today?
Just as surely as Caesar’s coin bore the inscribed boast of his supposed divinity, you (and every single person you cross paths with today) bear the image of God. More than creating you to use you as a mindless, soulless, loveless tool, his intense desire is to inscribe his good will on the tablet of your heart–the heart he has provided–for your good and his glory.
…you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. (Eph 4:21-24)
Caesar’s coin belonged to Caesar. You belong to God. For all time, the words of the one (and only) truly divine Son have been preserved. They apply today, to me and to you. “Render to God the things that are God’s.” Your attention. Your reverence. Your allegiance. Your body. Your worship. Your talents. Your time. Your resources. Your opportunities. Your devotion. Your heart. Your life. “Render to God the things that are God’s.”
“Whose likeness and inscription is this?” Let’s do more than marvel at Jesus’ answer. Let’s inscribe his will on our hearts and reflect his likeness into the world around us this week.
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