The God Who Gets in Your Wallet and Your Politics
October 20, 2002
The Rev. Carol DiBiasio-Snyder
Selections from Psalm 33, Matthew 22:15-22
Introduction to the Scriptures:
I?m amazed at the timeliness of our responsive reading from Psalm 33. Let us speak these words together and may their meaning sink into our hearts and minds . . . .
Our gospel lesson for today is one many of you know. But I?d like to set the scene for you so that you might listen having a bit more of the context in which to hear these familiar words. By the point we join Jesus in his ministry today, he has become wildy popular with the people and deeply disliked by the religious establishment. The incident we hear about follows Jesus? triumphal entry into Jerusalem and takes place the day after he threw the money-changers out of the temple. The religious leaders have been plotting about what to do with this Jesus of Nazareth. Knowing the crowds love him, they have tried to turn them against Jesus by asking him trick questions they think will make him say something to get the populace as angry at him as they are.
They are remarkably unsuccessful at first, but the question they now bring to him "Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?" might just turn the tide. A common goal has brought an unusual pairing of two groups: The Pharisees and the Herodians. This temporary partnership between the Pharisees--who combined a theological ideology of meticulous Torah obedience with a political ideology that might best be described as "going along to get along" -- and the Herodians -- a secular party dedicated to supporting Herod's continued reign in Palestine -- was an odd-couple arrangement, to say the least. With the question about whether it is morally correct to pay the demanded Roman tax to Caesar, the Pharisees and Herodians hope to force Jesus into a choice between alienating the crowds (who despise the heavy hand of Roman rule) or publicly proclaiming a treasonous point of view. In addition, the question is phrased, "Is it lawful?" to test Jesus' religious discernment.
Now Matthew?s report of the story makes it clear that Jesus saw right through them. He even insults them, calling them "hypocrites" in front of God and everybody. Then his brilliant reply to their malicious question results in their amazement and they quietly slink away in defeat. Let us listen for God to speak to us through this reading.
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Want to bring an uncomfortable silence to a party conversation? Bring up politics, religion or money. Want to have a little tension in a group, like . . . say . . . a congregation? Start preaching about politics or money, or worse yet, both and people squirm a bit.
I was a guest at a club meeting years ago and on the way to the restaurant, my host warned me that they had a rule that you were not to discuss politics or religion at the lunch. I suppose they might have easily added money to their "not to be discussed list" too.
What is the first thing we learn about money? That a penny saved is a penny earned? That the love of money is the root of all evil? That it is a valuable tool? It is something you want lots of? That it is a precious thing to be saved and used wisely?
No! Really the first thing you learn about money is, "Don?t put it in your mouth! Can't you just see a loving grandparent extolling the value of money, and then when the youngster pops a coin in his or her mouth, grammy says, "Yuck take that our of your mouth, that money is filthy"?
Jesus talked a lot about money. If you get your Bible out and do a little figuring, you will find that one-sixth of Jesus? words have to do with money. The only subject he talks about more is the kingdom of God. But you know, as much as preachers are accused of talking about money all the time, we do it far less than Jesus did, and to tell the truth, most of us don?t like talking about it. It makes us uncomfortable too. Why? There are several reasons, but one pastor suggests that most of us would rather do anything else than have our finances held up to the scrutiny of the gospel. Thinking about our money: how we feel about it, what we do with it, what kind of hold it has on our lives and our souls especially in light of Jesus? teachings is so . . . well . . . so confessional. Let?s not go there!
So you might be as relieved as I am when I tell you that I don?t think the main point of Matthew including this story in his gospel is about money. You might be relieved . . .but maybe not.
Let?s go back to the Temple Courts bustling with people at the busy holiday time. A crowd is gathered around Jesus, he and disciples can?t go anywhere now without the crowds swarming around them. And after his outrageous behavior with the money-changers the day before, the curious have really turned out today. And now the Pharisees? disciples and Herodians swagger up, feigning humility in the presence of Jesus, practically rubbing their hands together and salivating at the idea they might not only trap Jesus, but do it in such a public and sacred place.
So after some false flattery, they pose their question, "Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor." The air is thick with tension. On what side of the issue will Jesus settle?
As you already know, first he calls his interrogators "hypocrites." In one word he lets them know he knows their motivation. Then Jesus makes a stunning point when he asks these religious pietists for a Roman coin. They are so wrapped up in their hopes to trap him, they don?t see he has just trapped them when he says "show me the money" and they do! A good, Torah-following Jew would not have brought a Roman coin with a "graven image" of the emperor on one side, and the emperor?s claim to divinity on the other side, into the Temple. So despite all their plotting and scheming, we see them getting caught by their own words as they fish around for the proper coin.
I like to picture Jesus looking knowingly, almost winking at the crowd as he waits for them to find the forbidden coin.
"Whose image ? the word is "icon" in the Greek ? whose icon is on it?" Jesus asks. They declare, "the emperor?s." Now Jesus is free to redirect this whole line of questioning. Instead of making this a question about accounting concerns of civil authorities, Jesus redirects the conversation to nothing less than the authority of God. [from Homiletics magazine]
I picture Jesus pointing to the coin held up between two fingers by his questioners as he dismisses the question on one level by saying, "Return to the emperor that which is his." And I imagine he left a substantial silence causing some edginess in the crowd before he said, "and give to God the things that belong to God." Outsmarted, outclassed and out of ideas, his interrogators simply slink away. [from Homiletics magazine]
To quote the King James Version of Jesus? answer, "Render therefore unto Caesar the things that are Caesar?s; and unto God the things that are God?s." A wise answer, a clever answer, but not necessarily a clear and simple answer.
William Willimon, Dean of the Chapel and Professor of Christian Ministry at Duke University suggests that rather than an answer, Jesus frames his response as a warning. Take care that you do not give to Caesar what which belongs to God.
Willimon writes: Yet how do we know when we are rending to Caesar that which ought to be God?s? You will note that Jesus does not answer. His lack of a specific answer provides us a clue to the interpretation of this passage: without specific guidelines for our dealings with Caesar, we are kept in a state of permanent tension . . . in our dealings with the state, with politics and government, we Christians are supposed to be somewhat ill at ease, tense, cautious, having been warned by Jesus that much is at stake."
I am intrigued by that thought. I also find this idea interesting. When Jesus asks about whose image is on the coin, that word image should bring another biblical concept to our minds . . . we are created in the image of God. Perhaps Jesus is questioning why we are so concerned about Caesar wanting something as trivial as a coin stamped with the emperor?s image when we are stamped with the very image of God. We are called to live out that image and to give ourselves completely to God. In Jesus? answer, "Render therefore unto Caesar the things that are Caesar?s; and unto God the things that are God?s," I think the second half of the answer ? give to God everything that belongs to God ? trumps the first half about Caesar." What belongs to God? Everything!
So if everything belongs to God, are we all clear now on what that means and how to live our lives and what we do with our money and where we stand on political issues? I?m not, are you? Jesus states, but does not resolve the issue. He gives it back to the Pharisees and the Herodians . . . and to us . . . to struggle with. [Anthony Robinson]
"Render therefore unto Caesar the things that are Caesar?s; and unto God the things that are God?s." What belongs to God? Everything! Who is our final authority? God! Given this, we must dare to ask ourselves:
Do we give the authority to Caesar that really belongs to God when we choose the way of intimidation rather than partnership in our relationships in our families?
Do we give the authority to Caesar that really belongs to God when we choose the way of intimidation and manipulation rather than cooperation in our relationships at work . . . and at church?
Do we give the authority to Caesar that really belongs to God when we choose the way of intimidation, manipulation, force and violence rather diplomacy and negotiation in our relationships with other nations?
Do we give the authority to Caesar that really belongs to God when we think security comes from a good 401K or a diverse stock portfolio or a growing savings account rather than from a trust in God?
Do we give the authority to Caesar that really belongs to God when we think that happiness comes from buying more things rather than finding contentment in the blessing we already have?
Do we give the authority to Caesar that really belongs to God when we believe that life?s meaning comes from accumulating and keeping rather than from generous hearts and open hands?
Do we give the authority to Caesar that really belongs to God ANYTIME we let ANYONE or ANYTHING other than the way of God determine who we are and how we act in our families, with our friends, at our work, in this church and as citizens of this nation and our world? "Render therefore unto Caesar the things that are Caesar?s; and unto God the things that are God?s." Amen.
