Thursday
It is getting near to the time of the crucifixion and the Jewish council is doing is best to try to find a way to trap Jesus into saying something wrong.
So the Sanhedrin send out some spies to trick Jesus. They as “Is it right for us (Jews) to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” Did you see how they “buttered up” Jesus by complimenting him before they slapped him with what they thought would be a tough question. You see the annual tax was paid by every male form ate fourteen to sixty- and by women from age twelve to sixty-five. The tax was a small amount – barely a day’s wage for a worker. But the tax was more about who was in control, the Jewish Leaders or the Roman government. For many Jews paying the tax to Caesar felt like they were acknowledging Caesar as king, when clearly their laws put the Lord God as their only King. So if Jesus answers “Yes, pay the tax” many of the Jews would see this as Jesus recognizing Roman rule and Caesar as King, but if he said “no don’t pay the tax” then to the Roman government it would be considered treason.
But Jesus quite cleverly takes a coin with Caesars picture on it and says, “Give to Caesar what has Caesar’s image on it and God what has God’s image on it.” Genesis 1:27 says,
So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.
We were made in God’s image; we must then give ourselves to God. Money doesn’t matter to God… that’s just a coin, nothing of any significance… but who we are… now that’s what is important to God. So from this question designed to trick Jesus, we hear a very beautiful message of how God has created us in His image and that is what we need to give back to God. That is what he wants from us.
Are you giving your all to Jesus?
Blessings!
Pastor Kathy