Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?
The answer to this simple question set up Jesus to either undermine Himself before those who was Him as Messiah or threaten the Roman empire in a way that would have been viewed as treasonous. In the minds of the Pharisees, they had just set Jesus up for a lose-lose game.
How often in life do we look at a situation and it feels like we only have two choices, and neither one is good? With the waiting expectations of others, time feels like a wave unkindly pushing us toward decision.
In the case of Jesus, He takes a third option. Many times in life, the enemy comes to us and presents two options for us to choose from. Neither one are good, but we feel the expectations of others and time ticking as a pressure to decide. God always has another way.
The question of the Pharisees was especially interesting because the tax of Caesar was a poll tax.* This tax, unlike others, benefited the payee in no way. For example, customs duties at least got the payee the right to bring goods to a destination. The very unpopular poll tax was viewed as a tax that was just giving money away, benefitting the emperor and no one else.* The Pharisees were not just asking about taxes in general, but if they should pay a tax that no one liked, benefitted no one, and might have been viewed as unjust.
For Jesus to say, “no,” He would be inciting the kind of rebellion that surfaced violently two decades earlier.* For Jesus to say, “yes,” He would be supporting taxes to Rome, undermining His popular messianic support.*
Jesus profoundly offers that the image on the coin denotes who the coin belongs to.
Who’s image is imprinted on us? God’s image is imprinted upon mankind. How much more should we give ourselves to God?
In one simple answer, Jesus satisfied the question, kept the balance between the Pharisees and the Roman empire, and pointed people to worship God fully. The disciples of the Pharisees were in awe.
Today, take a step.
Maybe today the one step God wants you to take is to listen to Him for the third option in your life. Perhaps there is some part of your life that you have not surrendered to Him, and today He is asking you to. Maybe there are practical responsibilities in your life that need attention and God says that today is the day to worship Him through doing what needs to be done in your community.
Whatever the step, ask God to direct it. Take a moment to take that step. Invite Him to speak. He will.
Life is a long road. Walk it with Jesus. Take a step today… just one is fine.
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*Leon, Morris, The Gospel According to Matthew. Pillar New Testament Commentary (Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1992), 553–558, and Keener, C. S., Matthew (Vol. 1, Mt 22:15–22).) (InterVarsity Press, 1997).