Matthew 22:15-22 - Two Kingdoms ... One God
/Matthew 22:15-22
15 Then the Pharisees went out and plotted together how to trap him in his words. 16They sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians. “Teacher,” they said, “we know that you are truthful and teach the way of God in accord with the truth. You are not concerned about gaining anyone's approval because you are not swayed by appearances. 17So tell us, what do you think? Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” 18But Jesus knew their evil purpose and said, “Why are you testing me, you hypocrites? 19Show me the coin used for the tax.” They brought him a denarius. 20 He asked them, “Whose image and inscription is this?” 21“Caesar's,” they replied to him. Then he said to them, “Therefore give to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.” 22 When they heard this, they were amazed. Then they left him and went away. – EHV
Burgers or brats? Steak or Brisket? Do you prefer to purchase fireworks and fire them off yourself, or let someone else do it and watch the display, or maybe you wish they didn’t exist at all cause they freak out the dog and ruin a quiet evening with a million explosions? Do you prefer to drive or do you like being chauffeured? These are the easier questions, which tell others a bit about us. But there are bigger ones.
Palestine or Israel? Russia or Ukraine? Do you bleed red, white, and blue, or is there a big bucket of caution connected to anything governmental? Republican, Democrat, Libertarian, Green, Constitutionalist? Globalist, Imperialist, Nationalist? Capitalist, Socialist, Conservative, Liberal, or do you go another route entirely? What if I asked God, Government, or Family? Now I’m not trying to stir up division or see if I can get the collective blood boiling this morning, but questions like these do elicit a response in the world around us. They also help us illustrate a bit more the powder keg that the Pharisees were setting in front of Jesus in our Gospel lesson this morning.
Pharisees liked to think of themselves as the ultra-conservative wing of Judaism. They didn’t like Roman occupation, but their pragmatism led them to realize there wasn't a whole lot they could do to dislodge the superpower of their day from within their borders. The result was a reluctant cooperation to preserve their power and prestige. Think of the individual sculking around behind the scenes of power waiting for the right opportunity to pounce, and you aren’t far off, at least in their relationship with Rome. It was also a pretty popular ideology with the people of Israel, who didn’t like these foreigners telling them what to do. Jesus not only seemed to make them look foolish at every turn (bad enough to mark Him already as enemy number one), but as they misunderstood what He had come to do, they feared He would throw the careful balance of power off, leading to harsher Roman occupation if not total annihilation.
Pairing up with the Herodians required a fair amount of “the holding of the nose.” Herod the Great was an Edomite (not even a Jew) and he and his family were purely politics as they sought to stay out of the fray between the Pharisees (the ultra-conservative religious faction of Israel) and the Sadducees (the ultra- liberal side). They also had very few issues with Rome, as the occupation led to their position in power. At various times, they even pushed Hellenization, a desire for Israel to be more like Rome and Greece. As a result, they were pretty unpopular with the people but didn’t seem to care as they held power and the throne of Judea. But this Jesus and John the Baptist before Him were too religious and fearing that all the Messiah talk would lead to a push for their throne or a military response from Rome, they too wanted Jesus silenced. Strange bedfellows, but then politics, right?
The trap would be set. Let’s get Jesus talking about taxes, after all, He has a zealot (those guys were crazier than the Pharisees) and a tax collector (talk about Roman-friendly) in His very circle of followers. And let's not talk taxes in general, no, let's ask about “the Kensos” (that is the Greek word here). It was the census tax on all occupied territories of the Roman Empire. The occupied hated it because it was essentially a tax to exist in your own territory, placed on every adult in the household regardless of income or ability to pay. If Jesus sides with the people, the Herodians will report Him, and He’ll be dead by morning. If He sides with the Romans, that following of His will disintegrate faster than parchment in fire. Oh, and let’s butter Him up first too. Remind Him that He’s “mister truthful” and doesn’t care what people think. 16They sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians. “Teacher,” they said, “we know that you are truthful and teach the way of God in accord with the truth. You are not concerned about gaining anyone's approval because you are not swayed by appearances. 17So tell us, what do you think? Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” Talk about trying to “Stump the Pastor”.
Of course, Jesus knocks it out of the park. In a very brief exchange, He exposes their intent and reminds them and all of us of a simple yet important truth. We are inhabitants of two kingdoms. Yes, the earthly kingdoms which we occupy but also God’s Kingdom … Kingdoms (power, grace, and glory). 18But Jesus knew their evil purpose and said, “Why are you testing me, you hypocrites? 19Show me the coin used for the tax.” They brought him a denarius. 20He asked them, “Whose image and inscription is this?” 21“Caesar's,” they replied to him. Then he said to them, “Therefore give to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.”
In effect, “You bunch of fakers running around like you are authorities and demanding respect. You don’t even fathom these simple realities. Get me the coin you pay that hated tax with. Whose picture is on it? You live and do commerce, enjoy the political powers, and the protection which this coin and the image of the one upon it provide, and yet you don’t want to honor the very one who provides it to you? Can you hear the words of our second lesson from Paul’s Letter to the Romans in there? What’s more, have we forgotten where earthly power originates and whose hand ultimately guides the events of this world and its lowly little empires into the glories of the real power and glory of the Kingdom of our God? If you feared, loved, and trusted in God more than anyone or anything else, this wouldn’t even be a question for you. Consider Daniel or the three who go to the furnace. Did they get worked up about the respect due them, the power they could grasp, or the expectations of Nebuchadnezzar, or did they seek to serve their fellow man wherever they found themselves with their hearts and trust squarely placed upon their God?”
Ah, once again I crumble to the dust in repentance and ashes. Far to often, I have overlooked the blessings God was providing through country and government more concerned about from whose earthly hand it came. Oh for sure, we live in far different circumstances than Daniel, Paul, or Jesus, but then neither Daniel nor Paul could have ever fathomed the freedoms we enjoy in our world today. The right to freely engage with our government and to freely practice our religion are an amazing blessing, that I respond with in vitriol and hatred, like Pharisees and Herodians more concerned about the power of politics or the money I do or don’t have and less focused on the God who gives all and controls all. A hypocrite, a faker, a fraud, a sinner.
Oh, for sure there is room for discourse and to engage in the political sphere of our day as God’s people. My feet, just as yours, are planted in the two kingdoms in which we live, but have our actions or our words always shown that, or have I lifted my foot from the Kingdom of God to engage in the muck of the kingdoms of this world. What was that Fourth Commandment again, “Honor Your Father and Mother that it may go well with you and you may enjoy a long life on the earth.” Luther’s words expose my sin, we should fear and love God that we do not dishonor or anger our parents or others in authority, but honor, serve, and obey them and give them love and respect.
Again, I find myself at the feet of Him Whom the Pharisees and Herodians are trying to trap. At the feet of the One Who answered them perfectly on the spot. Even though He is God Himself and Lord of all, my Savior is the One Who once told Peter to check the mouth of the fish to find the very coin to pay this tax of the subjugated and encourages us all to give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s, reminding me that I owe my love and respect, my obedience within two Kingdoms. And all this He does not to show me the way I should live or to provide a new leash of subjugation I must wear. He does this for me, fulfilling all righteousness on my behalf, even when the hands of the government He has just upheld would later drive nails through His own, so that my sins would be paid for in full and even there it is not the vitriol and hatred of politics so common in our day that come from His holy mouth but forgiveness! Forgiveness for them, forgiveness for me, all that I might lift my eyes to the Kingdom that surpasses any of this world made mine through Him.
Perhaps if I could just remember that, perhaps if we all could, there would be a little less anxiety and angst in our world, regardless of who holds the power in the governments that sit over us. Perhaps we could be a little less concerned about ourselves and a little more concerned about those around us. Perhaps we would even see all of the blessings that are there as we live in Two Kingdoms with one God ruling over both. Amen.