Oliver Cromwell rose to prominence in 17th-century England as a devout Puritan, convinced that God had called him to reform the nation and secure a government that honored biblical truth. He fought against the abuses of King Charles I, championing a “godly commonwealth” where righteousness would flourish. His leadership in the English Civil War helped overthrow the monarchy, and for a time it seemed his vision of a nation submitted to God might take shape. Yet, in his zeal to preserve the new order, Cromwell’s methods grew increasingly harsh. In Ireland, his military campaigns brought massacres and destruction, justified in his mind as necessary for the cause. Even fellow Protestants who differed from him faced suppression. The man who began with a passion for holiness and reform allowed political necessity to overshadow mercy and justice.
The relationship of the Christian to Politics has always been a heavy question for the church. The Roman Catholics imagined a church-over-state model, in which the Pope was established as the great ruler of all Christendom – coronating and dethroning kings at his pleasure. The anabaptists, on the other hand, believed that the church and state should have no relationship and that Christians should be strict passivists who lived in separate communities (like that of the Amish). Both extremes have had their moments of greatness, and both have failed miserably. How is the Christian to relate to earthly government? This is the weighty question before us, today, as we come to the first of three traps that the religious leaders set for Jesus. Let’s read Mark 12:13-17 together. From this text, see two points: The Hypocritical Trap and the Higher Calling of the Christian.
First, from verses 13-15, see the hypocritical trap. In verse 12, we are told that Jesus decisively won round one with the Sanhedrin. Remember, they had sent a group of representatives from the court to ask what authority Jesus had. Jesus gave two answers to that question. One was to put them in a bind by asking a question: was John’s ministry from heaven? The second answer was in the form of a parable, where he likened the religious leaders to rebellious tenants that the master will judge. The elders and priests realized that they’d been beat, so they slink away to try again later. Now, we have their second attempt.
We are told, in verse 13, that the Sanhedrin tries again by sending representatives from two socio-political factions: the Pharisees and the Herodians. These two groups were as far apart as any two political parties could be. The Pharisees were a conservative religious sect that believed the entire Jewish race must be strictly obedient to the OT law so that the Messiah would return. Their hope was that, through obedience, the Messiah would return and overthrow the Romans. The Herodians, on the other hand, were the political faction of the family of Herod, which ruled all of Palestine. They were a puppet dynasty, established through the relationship that Herod the Great had with Caesar Augustus. Known for their lavish and immoral lifestyles, they had no allegiances except to Rome. So, it is telling that these two groups team up to trap Jesus.
These strange bedfellows are telling for three reasons. First, they offered shifty complements to Jesus. In verse 14, they praise him, saying, “We know that you are true and won’t be swayed.” They attempt to use flattery and deception to lure Jesus into a trap. They don’t believe, for one second, any of what they say about him. This is no confession of faith or vow of allegiance. They are simply hoping that this flattery will lull Jesus into a sense of trust so that he will candidly answer them, and in so doing, make a treasonous statement.
Second, they ask a cynical question. They put before Jesus what in their day was a hot topic, an unanswered theological and political conundrum: Should a Jew pay taxes to Caesar, or not? This question was a conundrum for several reasons. First, the Jews had great national pride. The Pharisees and Zealots, especially, believed that the Jewish people should not serve any other king but God. So, the fact that they paid taxes to Caesar meant that they were violating this principle. But, the Pharisees taught that it was wrong to use Roman money because it was idolatry. The denarius, which was like our dollar, was a small, silver coin, that carried the profile of Caesar on one side, and the image of the goddess of peace on the other. At this time, the Roman Caesar was Tiberius, and the inscription across the top of his profile read, “Tiberius Caesar, Son of the Divine Augustus” (by implication, the son of God). And, on the other side, over the goddess of peace, it read, “High Priest”. To any faithful Jew, both the image and the inscription were unacceptable. This was the justification the priests used for having money changers in the temple. Hardline Pharisees would not carry a denarius on their person.
Finally, this unlikely group is telling because of their shameless hypocrisy. In verse 15, Jesus exposes their hypocrisy by asking, “Bring me a denarius that I may look at it.” This request reveals their hypocrisy, because it says that “they brought one” and gave it to him. Here are the Pharisees and Herodians, who are supposed to be the great representatives of the people of God (the kings and the law keepers), and they come to trap Jesus by asking him to settle this debate over whether to pay taxes, because they think it’s wrong to even have the money in their pockets. And, when Jesus asks them for a denarius, they pull one out of their pockets! Meanwhile, Jesus, the man they want to prove a fraud, is more obedient than they are to their own stupid rule. He doesn’t even have a denarius on him.
So, here is the trap. If Jesus says that a Jew should pay taxes, then he will lose the Zealots and the Pharisees, who represent the majority of the Jewish people. But, if he answers no, the Herodians (allies of Rome) are standing there ready to accuse him of treason. Jesus’ answer is brilliant, and it brings me to my second point: the higher calling of the Christian. Once Jesus has the coin in his hand, he asks, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” His challengers answer, “Caesars.” At this, Jesus responds, “Render to Ceasar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” This answer is brilliant for a couple of reasons. We see that it was brilliant because it even says that the Pharisees and Herodians marveled at his answer. So what makes it so marvelous?
First, in this answer, Jesus recognizes a legitimate role for human government, even those governments that have no religious connection or seem to be set against God. The Greek word for “Render” can also mean to “give back.” This is the way the Romans viewed their money. Every denarius was the property of Caesar, which is why it was stamped with his image. To pay a tax was not to give the government something you owned, but to give back to the government something Caesar had allowed you to have. On one level this is brilliant because it answers the question of idolatry. No, this is not an idol that you made and worship. If anything, it is an idol that Caesar made of himself, so giving it back to him isn’t a problem. But it also recognizes that Caesar has a legitimate claim over this money. Earthly rulers are established by God. Romans 13:1 says, “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.” Even unbelievers have been placed in positions of earthly authority by God. So, as Christians, we should obey the laws of our country where they do not conflict with our obligations to God.
Jesus’s answer recognizes that there is a greater calling on the Christian than just his obligation to earthly government. He says, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” The last part of that statement has often been wrongly interpreted to mean that we should tithe. You know, the government requires 25%, and God requires 10%. So pay your taxes and your tithe. That is not what Jesus is saying. Remember, this is a question of images. Jesus asked, “Who’s likeness is this?” The Greek word for “likeness” is eikon, which is first used in the Bible in Genesis 1:26 – “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.” So, we give a denarius back to Caesar because it has been marked with Caesar’s image, and we give back to God that which has been marked with his image – ourselves.
So, how do we give ourselves back to God? For one, we live as sacrifices. Romans 12:1 says, “Present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” Our bodies are not our own, they are temple of the Holy Spirit. So, we should live in obedience to God in all things. Also, we should give of ourselves for the sake of the Gospel. 1 Cor. 9:19 says, “For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them.”
I find, too, that this passage challenges us in a particular way as American Christians. It has been said that baseball is the quintessential American sport, but I think that’s wrong. No, we love politics far more than we love baseball. We live in a never-ending election cycle. We are only seven months into Trump’s term, and the media is already talking about who his likely successor will be. The twenty-four-hour news cycle and the endless social media feed means that political controversy is always front of mind. Over the last seventy years, Christians have been recognized as an important voting bloc, and that recognition has had an unfortunate impact on the church. The church has come to believe that our political power is more important than our personal witness. I’ve listened to countless Christians complain that the government took God out the schools knowing good and well that he isn’t in their home either. Many who complain about the absence of prayer in school live wrecked lives with dysfunctional families. Brothers and sisters, if we want God in the schools, if we want the Ten Commandments in the courthouse, if we want Christ back in the White House Christmas, then we can start by giving back to God that which is God’s in our own lives. We cannot demand that the ruling on Gay Marriage be overturned when the church turns a blind eye to no-fault divorces in our own membership. We can’t expect legislation that recognizes the value of unborn life when we refuse to love our neighbor. For far too long, we have blamed Caesar for things he does not own. We’ve thought, if the government will just require morality, then the world will be Christian. The government has no power to change hearts. Only the Gospel of Jesus Christ can do that, and we are the ones who have been charged with that Gospel. So may we give to God that which is God’s by living for Christ in all that we do.
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