Over-taxed?
Jesus, however, was aware of their evil plan, and so he said, ‘You hypocrites! Why are you trying to trap me? Show me the coin for paying the tax!’
They brought him the coin, and he asked them, ‘Whose face and name are these?’
‘The Emperor’s’, they answered.
So Jesus said to them, ‘Well, then, pay to the Emperor what belongs to the Emperor, and pay to God what belongs to God’. (verses 18-21)
Read Matthew 22:15-22
Was Jesus pro-Roman? That is what Jesus’ questioners were probing. Surely as a Jew he could not be. The Romans prevented Jesus’ people from living according to God’s promise of having their own king. They taxed far too severely and then used the tax money to pay soldiers, who oppressed people.
What is different today? We find it easy to complain that our taxes are too high. We also perceive that much of our tax money is mishandled and wasted, or worse, used for purposes Christians cannot support-just as in Jesus’ day.
Jesus, feet on the ground, being realistic, knew what good the Romans provided for his people: sparing them from tearing themselves apart, and providing unheard-of trade opportunities and possible prosperity. God used them to benefit many people, including Jesus’ own people.
We need the wider view of Jesus in order to be able to agree with St Paul: ‘. . . pay taxes, because the authorities are working for God .. .’ (Romans 13:6).
Forgive us, heavenly Father, for finding fault and complaining, especially with those you have set over us. Give them wisdom, a sense of justice, and courage to rule in a way that pleases you. Amen.
by Ray Schulz, in ‘New Strength for each Day’ (LCA, Openbook, 1998)
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