God and Caesar
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What does Jesus teach about paying taxes to Caesar?
This is Caesar's coin. This is Caesar's tax. You pay your tax to Caesar. But you have even a higher responsibility that even Caesar has. You render to God the things that are God.
Today on Renewing Your Mind, God and Caesar. Jesus said that we have obligations to both, but is it right to pay taxes to an unrighteous government?
How did the Jews attempt to trap Jesus with their questions?
It was a question the Jews argued over in Jesus' day, and they used it to try and trap Him. We're starting a series today in the Gospel of Mark. And over the next few Sundays, R.C. Sproul will consider some of the questions that were posed to Jesus, some questions to try and trap him. If you'd like to study more of Mark with Dr. Sproul, you can also request his hardcover commentary when you donate before midnight tonight at RenewingYourMind.org.
What is the significance of the denarius in Jesus' teaching?
Well, here's R.C. Sproul in Mark chapter 12 to show us the futility of their attempt to trap Jesus and the great and higher calling you and I have as Christians.
The Gospel according to St. Mark, chapter 12. verses 13 through 17. Then they sent to him some of the Pharisees and the Herodians to catch him in his words. When they had come, they said to him, "'Teacher, we know that you are true and care about no one, for you do not regard the person of men, but teach the way of God in truth.'" is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Shall we pay or shall we not pay? But he, knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, Why do you test me? Bring me a denarius that I may see it. And so they brought it. And he said to them, Whose image and inscription is this And they said to Him, Caesars. And Jesus answered and said to them, Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.
And they marveled at Him.
What are the implications of rendering to God what is God's?
At this point in chapter 12, we have the beginning of three narratives that involve attempts by three distinct groups among the Jews to trap Jesus, to put Him on the horns of a dilemma that would bring Him either into conflict with the people or in conflict to the government. We read at the beginning of the text, and they sent to Him. The they obviously refers to the ruling body of the Jews, the Sanhedrin. Now the Sanhedrin was composed of people drawn from three major groups of the Jews, the Pharisees, the Sadducees, and the scribes. So we know that this group was sent by the ruling body of the Jews, and the word that is translated by the English word sent here is the same word that is used for the term apostle in the New Testament.
And an apostle is not simply a messenger, but it is a messenger empowered with the authority to speak for the One who sent Him. That's why the apostles carry with their authority the authority of Jesus. In this case, the Sanhedrin is delegating this group that comes to Jesus to interrogate Him with their own authority. And so they sent to him some of the Pharisees and Herodians. That should raise some eyebrows because in addition to the three groups I've already delineated, there was that party among the Jews called the Herodians. And the Herodian party was that party of Jews who supported the ruling authority of the Hasmonean dynasty of the Herods. And if you know your biblical history, you know that the Herods were not pure Jews and that they were puppet kings under the authority of the Romans.
And so in many corners among the Jews, they were completely despised. And there was no group that despised the Herodians more than the Pharisees. This is a strange alliance that would exist between the Pharisees and the Herodians, and the only thing that would provoke them to come together in a common cause was their mutual hatred of Jesus. And so now we see this unholy alliance between the Pharisees and the Herodians who were sent and the purpose of that mission, quote, is to catch him in his words. Now that word catch is really feeble and insipid by way of interpretation of the Greek. The Greek word that is used in the text here is what is known as a hapoxlegomena, and we all know what a hapoxlegomena is, don't we?
A hapoxlegomena is a word that appears in the New Testament only once.
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
What does Jesus teach about paying taxes to Caesar?
0:00–0:35
2
How did the Jews attempt to trap Jesus with their questions?
0:35–1:06
3
What is the significance of the denarius in Jesus' teaching?
1:06–2:45
4
What are the implications of rendering to God what is God's?
2:45–8:28
5
How does the concept of church and state separation apply today?
8:28–15:45
6
What ethical responsibilities do Christians have when voting?
15:45–16:55
7
How does Jesus' answer reflect on our ownership and responsibility?
16:55–18:09
8
What are the practical applications of this teaching for Christians today?
18:09–26:13