Jesus was not going to be fooled. Jesus saw right through the ploy of the Pharisees and the Herodians. Where they were prepared to twist and manipulate the truth to suit their narrow agendas, Jesus was prepared to speak the truth for the good of all people.
Jesus wastes no time in getting to the point. Asking for a denarius coin, he asks them to state who is inscribed on it. The coins at the time carried the stamp of Tiberius Caesar Augustus. He was not only the ruler of the day but also seen by the Romans as divine. Handing it back to them, he makes a wise judgement, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s”. It was the Pharisees and the Herodians who were silenced.
But Jesus’ wise words deserve further thought. Rather than adding other rules and regulations to an already messy situation, Jesus offers a principle by which we should all live for eternity.
As Christians, we will always hold dual citizenship—one in our country and the other in the Kingdom of God.
Whether or not we like the government under which we live, we have to acknowledge that we as a society require certain services from them: electricity, water, education, social welfare, medical services and so on. We can only demand these services if we pay our dues. As good citizens, Christians should honour their duty to contribute to what makes for a stable society – pay taxes, vote for sound, just governance, speak out against evil, and so on.
Christians are also citizens of God’s kingdom. Therefore, Christians must follow God’s will in interacting with society. We need to be discerning people. The Message translation of 1 Peter 2:17 gives a helpful interpretation of how we should balance these two citizenships: “Exercise your freedom by serving God, not by breaking the rules. Treat everyone you meet with dignity. Love your spiritual family. Revere God. Respect
the government.”
How do you balance your faith in God with your responsibility towards a stable society?
Is this an area you regularly commit to prayer? Is it something you would like to explore with God?
Try reading the news feeds today with Jesus by your side.
Reflections by Cherie-Lynn van der Merwe
