Paying Taxes

Isaiah 29:15-24; Mark 12:13-17 / Psalm 56:1-13

I. How Do Church and State Relate?

A. Some people look for ways to put the church in a bad like and in particular to make Christian doctrine unattractive. “And they send unto him certain of the Pharisees and of the Herodians, to catch him in his words.” (Mark 12:13)

1. Enemies of Christ, who hated each other, united to oppose Him. “And the Pharisees went forth, and straightway took counsel with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him.” (Mark 3:6)

2. The struggle for self-centered living makes a single party of natural enemies. “For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess both.” (Acts 23:8)

3. God’s enemies constantly seek to twist His word. “Then said they, Come, and let us devise devices against Jeremiah; for the law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come, and let us smite him with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words.” (Jeremiah 18:18)

B. The tormentors were oily but their objective was to alienate Jesus either from the populace or the government; the “tax question” was disingenuously formed. “And when they were come, they say unto him, Master, we know that thou art true, and carest for no man: for thou regardest not the person of men, but teachest the way of God in truth: Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not?” (Mark 12:14)

II. The Answer Demands Context for Clarification

A. Jesus turned the question so that it exposed the underlying hypocrisy. “Shall we give, or shall we not give? But he, knowing their hypocrisy, said unto them, Why tempt ye me? bring me a penny, that I may see it.” (Mark 12:15)

B. The tormentors brought Jesus a Roman denarius—the most common coin of the era. “And they brought it. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? And they said unto him, Caesar’s.” (Mark 12:16) The Roman coin was stamped Tiberias Caesar, Divi Augusti Filius Augustus; that is, Tiberius Caesar, the August Son of the Divine Augustus.

C. By bringing a Roman coin the tormentors acknowledged their allegiance to Rome; it is significant that they did not bring Jewish coins. “Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.” (Revelation 3:12)

III. Distinguish Between Realms

A. Give each realm what is appropriate to it; Roman coins acknowledge Roman sovereignty. “And Jesus answering said unto them, Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s. And they marvelled at him.” (Mark 12:17)

B. Major social changes may introduce unintended consequences; Christians rarely make good violent revolutionaries. “My son, fear thou the LORD and the king: and meddle not with them that are given to change:” (Proverbs 24:21)

C. Jesus dealt with the tax issue and the motivation for paying taxes on a different occasion; He was not exalting the state above the high lord of all reality. “He saith, Yes. And when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying, What thinkest thou, Simon? of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? of their own children, or of strangers? Peter saith unto him, Of strangers. Jesus saith unto him, Then are the children free. Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee.” (Matthew 17:25-27)

D. The state needs to remember its place; God, not the individual believer, will administer the final exam. “Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure. Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.” (Psalm 2:1-6)

E. Jesus gave His followers an example as well as an answer. “A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.” (Proverbs 15:1)