A Question, a Coin, and a Kingdom
Some questions are not really questions. They are traps with a question mark at the end. Matthew 22:15-22 opens with one of the best examples in the Bible.
Picture the scene. It is Holy Week, and Jesus is teaching in the temple courts. The Pharisees, who care deeply about keeping Israel faithful to God, huddle up to plan how to catch him in his words. Then they do something remarkable. They team up with the Herodians, a group that supports the royal family supported by Rome. These two groups agree on almost nothing. Think of a Michigan football fan and an Ohio State fan carpooling to the same tailgate. Whatever is about to happen, they clearly think it is worth that awkward ride.
Their question is about taxes. Is it lawful to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not? Say yes, and Jesus looks like he is cozy with the empire that oppresses God's people. He says no, and he is talking about rebellion in front of the people who can report him to Rome. It is a well-built trap. Jesus, as usual, does not walk into it.
To see why this question carried so much weight, it helps to zoom all the way out. The Bible is one long story, and empires keep showing up in it. Egypt. Babylon. Persia. Greece. Rome. Again, and again God's people find themselves living under someone else's flag, and again and again Scripture keeps circling one question underneath all the others. Who is really in charge here?
That question did not begin with Caesar. It is older than any coin. And the story keeps pointing toward a different kind of king, one who arrives not with armies but in a way nobody quite expected. By the time we reach Matthew 22, that king is standing in the temple, being quizzed about money by people who would very much like him to slip up.
So here is something to bring with you this week. Notice who is asking and why. Notice what Jesus asks for in return. Then read the passage slowly, once, and see if you can spot what is happening before it happens. We will walk through it together on Sunday, and I would love you to arrive curious.
Words Worth Knowing
Pharisees: A Jewish group devoted to faithfully living out God's law in everyday life. Many were sincere, and they were widely respected by ordinary people.
Herodians: Supporters of Herod's family, who ruled with Rome's approval. They had a lot to lose if the empire got upset.
Tribute: A required payment made to the ruling power. In this passage it is the Roman tax paid with a silver coin called a denarius, roughly a day's wage for a laborer.
Image: In Scripture, a likeness or representation of something, whether on a coin or on a person. It is one of the most important words in the Bible's story, and it first appears on the very first page.
Grace & gratitude,
Pastor Mark
Picture the scene. It is Holy Week, and Jesus is teaching in the temple courts. The Pharisees, who care deeply about keeping Israel faithful to God, huddle up to plan how to catch him in his words. Then they do something remarkable. They team up with the Herodians, a group that supports the royal family supported by Rome. These two groups agree on almost nothing. Think of a Michigan football fan and an Ohio State fan carpooling to the same tailgate. Whatever is about to happen, they clearly think it is worth that awkward ride.
Their question is about taxes. Is it lawful to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not? Say yes, and Jesus looks like he is cozy with the empire that oppresses God's people. He says no, and he is talking about rebellion in front of the people who can report him to Rome. It is a well-built trap. Jesus, as usual, does not walk into it.
To see why this question carried so much weight, it helps to zoom all the way out. The Bible is one long story, and empires keep showing up in it. Egypt. Babylon. Persia. Greece. Rome. Again, and again God's people find themselves living under someone else's flag, and again and again Scripture keeps circling one question underneath all the others. Who is really in charge here?
That question did not begin with Caesar. It is older than any coin. And the story keeps pointing toward a different kind of king, one who arrives not with armies but in a way nobody quite expected. By the time we reach Matthew 22, that king is standing in the temple, being quizzed about money by people who would very much like him to slip up.
So here is something to bring with you this week. Notice who is asking and why. Notice what Jesus asks for in return. Then read the passage slowly, once, and see if you can spot what is happening before it happens. We will walk through it together on Sunday, and I would love you to arrive curious.
Words Worth Knowing
Pharisees: A Jewish group devoted to faithfully living out God's law in everyday life. Many were sincere, and they were widely respected by ordinary people.
Herodians: Supporters of Herod's family, who ruled with Rome's approval. They had a lot to lose if the empire got upset.
Tribute: A required payment made to the ruling power. In this passage it is the Roman tax paid with a silver coin called a denarius, roughly a day's wage for a laborer.
Image: In Scripture, a likeness or representation of something, whether on a coin or on a person. It is one of the most important words in the Bible's story, and it first appears on the very first page.
Grace & gratitude,
Pastor Mark
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