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LUKE - Christ, the Savior of the World
A Bible Study Course on the Gospel of Christ according to Luke

PART 5 - CHRIST'S TRIUMPHAL ENTRY INTO JERUSALEM (Luke 19:28 - 21:38)

5. The Discussion About Paying Taxes to Cäsar (Luke 20:20-26)


LUKE 20:20-26
20 So they watched Him, and sent spies who pretended to be righteous, that they might seize on His words, in order to deliver Him to the power and the authority of the governor. 21 Then they asked Him, saying, “Teacher, we know that You say and teach rightly, and You do not show personal favoritism, but teach the way of God in truth: 22 Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” 23 But He perceived their craftiness, and said to them, “Why do you test Me? 24 Show Me a denarius. Whose image and inscription does it have?” They answered and said, “Caesars’.” 25 And He said to them, “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” 26 But they could not catch Him in His words in the presence of the people. And they marveled at His answer and kept silent.

The world is full of bondage to money, craftiness, deception, and flaming revolution. A delegation came to Christ, representing two groups: first, the professing Pharisees, enemies of the Roman authority; and second the Herodians, servants of King Herod, agent of the Romans, who supported them to remain on his throne. Yet both groups united in their common design to destroy Christ, who is born of the Spirit of God, for he had unveiled their sins, ignorance and lies so that they appeared naked, and without respect before the people.

Now, they sought to ensnare Christ with their hypocritical words and sly trickery, pretending to be righteous, seekers of truth, but within they were savage wolves. So they planned an embarrassing question to entrap him with hypocrisy. They said with outward godliness: “Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” They knew that the people harbored feelings of hatred against the heavy taxes, and consequently anyone who recognized the Roman authority or cooperated with it was against the rights of the kingdom of God. If Christ said, “Yes, it was lawful” the people would take it ill, he would be regarded as a collaborator with Rome, and would lose favor with the public. If he said, “No!” he could be accused of revolutionary tendencies and would be arrested by the Herodians, who were ready to arrest any rebel against the government, and every person who criticized its orders.

Jesus perceived their craftiness. He openly stabbed their hypocrisy, uncovered them, and compelled them to confess his truthfulness. He called for a denarius, for he was penniless, not depending on the power of money, and not surrendering to the deception of riches. As the denarius shone in his hand, he turned it upside down, and showed them Caesar’s image with the words inscribed around it: “Titus Caesar, son of the divine Augustus”, and on the other face: “The greatest high priest”

Through that denarius, Jesus proved to them that they were subject to the economic authority of Caesar, whether they knew it or not. Each coin was tantamount to an authorized Roman draft or check, whose value depended on the rise and fall of that worldly empire. The person who used that money, relied on the colonial authority which guaranteed them. Even today, each banknote is entirely conditional upon the economic situation of its country. Its value becomes less if the state collapses. Money belongs to the state even if individuals possess it.

Then Jesus condemned miserliness and greed in the servants of money, and asked them to use a part of their perishable treasures willingly to pay the taxes without objection, for every denarius issued by the Romans belonged to them.

Furthermore, Jesus commanded us to submit to the government of our state, to accept its rules and orders, to participate in its development with faithfulness, and not to be disobedient. True Christians pray for the leaders of their people. They are in fact the best citizens of their country, knowing that the government which supervises public order is appointed by God. It is assigned to the people as they deserved it. It is meant to protect them and provide security. Every government is meant to serve God with regard to its people.

This high attribute “of God’s instruments” is not passing, even if those in charge misuse the authority given them, excuse themselves, and trample on citizens; for God will punish all evildoers, since everyone, from king or president to the lowliest is directly responsible before God. Every true service to a state means a service to God.

With this good reply, Jesus not only answered the embarrassing political question positively, but also commanded all those who believed in him to cooperate faithfully with the existing government in all its domains and areas.

At the same time, Christ showed them the essential difference between the insecure and fearful Caesar and the great God. Caesar was a created mortal, limited in wisdom and knowledge, and sinful as all other humans; but God is perfect, eternal, holy, omniscient, and almighty. Inasmuch as the great difference between him and Caesar, the service of God is more important than that of the state. Inasmuch as heaven surpasses earth, you must concentrate your thoughts on God and his will more than attaching importance to present problems. Newspapers and magazines are not like this, for their headlines speak about politics, economics, and scandals without making any mention of the name of God and the salvation of the soul.

Blessed are you if you sought God, and fled from the slavery of quickly fading mammon; for then you understand that he freely showers you daily with his grace, and gives you his love, providence, forgiveness, salvation, and redemption. The love of God is beyond our understandings.

If you understand this holy principle nothing will remain in you but gratitude, faith obedience, and commitment of your life thankfully and gratefully to the great Provider. Christ surely testifies to you that the holy God turns you back into his original image, that you may be his son and he your Father. Then you become more precious than all shining coins and currency. You will live forever if you truly submit to the love of God. Give your life to God thankfully for his salvation that you may proceed from mortality to immortality, and find new meaning for your life in the service of the kingdom of God.

You may ask, “What must I do if my government forbids me to believe in Christ?” The Holy Bible answers you clearly, “We have to obey God rather than men.” At the time of persecution in Rome, the faithful hid in caves and underground tombs, and preferred to die violent deaths rather than deifying the mortal Caesars.

Today, a dictatorial state requires its people to submit entirely to its principles. It imposes on them to commit their lives to its spirit and aims, and deny Christ the only Savior. In those regions and countries, the faithful continue in loving their persecutors. They bless them, and pray everyday for the Lord’s guidance. If they are called for interrogation, they tell the truth in the wisdom of the Holy Spirit, and bear witness to their living Lord, preferring death in this world and life in the kingdom of God rather than submitting to the spirit of deceivers.

The kingdom of the antichrist is about to be established, where the faithful will not be able to buy or sell, for they will not surrender to the embodied evil spirit. So prepare yourself for the service of God that you may honor him through your complete faith and obedience.

When the cunning spies heard Jesus’ answer, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s” they marveled at his wisdom and authority. Today, we also wish all those who watch our behavior to know that Christ calls us to be faithful servants to the country in which we live, even if we are persecuted because we worship our living Lord.

PRAYER: O King of Peace, you are meek. You were not a rebel in this world. Please establish us in humility that we may serve God and the state too with faithfulness. Deliver us from the love of money, lift our minds to you, and fill us with faith obedience, love, wisdom, and hope.

QUESTION 121: How can the believer truly serve his state and his God at the same time?

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