By Andrew Williams – August 4, 2022
And they brought [Him one]. Then He asked them, Whose image (picture) is this? And whose superscription (title)? They said to Him, Caesar’s. Jesus said to them, Pay to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s. And they stood marveling and greatly amazed at Him.
Mark 12:16-17 AMPC
Good morning fellow disciples.
Jesus recognized their motives, saw the trap, told them that He knew it was a trap, then used Godly wisdom to not only avoid the trap, but to demolish it completely!
How did Jesus avoid entrapment and how did He demolish the trap?
He used Godly wisdom!
He made the distinction between the kingdom of Caesar and the Kingdom of Heaven.
“Bring Me a coin (a denarius), so I may see it.”
When they did, He proved to them that the coin belonged to Caesar, because it had his image and superscription and, showed that it was the currency of Caesar’s kingdom. As such, even though they held this money for transactions, it really belonged to the Roman Kingdom.
So by right, as a citizen of Rome they should give back to Caesar what truly belonged to him. It was their duty to pay the taxes that he demanded.
His answer left them amazed. Their trap did not work!
Jesus also said that we are to pay to God the things that are God’s.
What do you think you should pay to God? Is it your offering, your tithe, your firstborn, a day like Saturday or Sunday or, something else?
My Bible tells me that God created the heavens and the earth and everything that dwells within. My Bible tells me that Jesus paid the price to redeem ALL creation!
This means that we totally belong to God. Everything we are, everything we own and have stewardship and responsibility over, belongs to God.
When you bring an offering to God, when you pay to God what truly belongs to Him, you cannot give Him anything less than your ENTIRE SELF!
Pay what the worldy system demands but, GIVE TO GOD EVERYTHING THAT YOU ARE!
Amen