Matthew 22: 15-22 Whose Image?

Matthew 22: 15-22

Grace, Mercy, and Peace to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, Amen!

So are you ready for the question that can come from this text? “What’s in your wallet?” We have heard that one before haven’t we? Who knew that such a simple question would become a trademark phrase?

But there is something to this phrase, not only in our personal lives but in our faith life. Here we have something like a parable but not quite a parable. This exchange definitely is a teaching lesson. The biggest difference between this and a parable is that we don’t hear those familiar words “The kingdom of heaven is like…” Here, we know the identity of the characters in this event; the Pharisees are present and the Herodians are also there. We are not totally sure who the Herodians are but we know they support the family of the ruler Herod and the continuation of Roman rule. We also know that the Pharisees are in control of the temple. They are the one’s collecting the taxes and exchanging it from the currency used by the Jewish people to the Roman coins.

There is something we need to know about this word “tax.” This tax that was being required to be paid was not a property tax or income tax. This was what was called a tribute tax; meaning that the Jewish people were under Roman occupation and they had to pay a “tribute;” kind of like a gift to the oppressor for continuing to oppress them.

So the two groups, the Pharisees and Herodians, both had something to gain from this arrangement. As long as the tax existed, the Pharisees changed the money and they would be secure in their positions. As long as the tribute continued to be paid, the Herodians could keep their station and lifestyle because Herod would continue to be in charge. However, if that all fell then they had everything to lose.

So these people are going to trap Jesus. They have it all planned out, so they think. There are only two choices in this question. If Jesus says to pay the taxes then he is a fraud and gives into the rule of Rome and the Roman Emperor who was treated as a God. If he says “don’t pay your tax!” then he is committing a crime and the Herodians and Pharisees can report him and, I’m sure they hoped, that they could get rid of him.

Jesus did not respond the way they wanted him to respond. He answered them with a statement that they were “fools and hypocrites!” He doesn’t mince words and they are not intended to be nice. He asks for a coin; “whose picture is on the coin?” And we hear the answer to this question: “give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.”

Jesus is doing something pretty incredible here. One could say that he is advocating the paying of the tax. He is giving into Caesar! NOT SO! Jesus is pointing something very important out to these testers. Romans expected to be treated as God’s and considered themselves God’s. They put statues of themselves all over the place and they put their own image on coins. This image on coins forced Jewish people who believed that it was the God of Israel who is there only God to violate the first commandment.

Jesus is pointing out to these testers that they have given in to Roman rule. Remember they, the Pharissees and Herodians have everything to lose if the tax is not paid…if that coin with the image of the Roman god Caesar is not paid their whole world comes crashing down. They lose power, control, and their fortunes. It all goes away if people don’t pay that tax! Their whole lives are defined by that tax being paid because it carries so much more than just money (i.e. the power, control, and wealth as I just said).

What Jesus is pointing out is not the importance of paying this tax. Jesus is pointing out where and who their allegiance lies with; He is offering to them an opportunity to question whether this Roman emperor is really a god or should be worshipped as a God or is there another who actually is a God. “Is there a God out there that can show that there is more in this world than just a head on a coin?” Jesus invites them to question their faith in this human emperor, who by previous examples seen by all the people is NOT immortal. Who has to put his image on a coin to remind people who he is.

Jesus offers these Pharisess, their disciples, and the Herodians the opportunity to put their faith in a God that is eternal; a God that promises everlasting life, a God who sent a Son into the world, have that Son go to the cross for their and our sake and be raised on the third day; to prove that death does not have the last word and that God keeps God’s promises.

Jesus offers that to us this day and every day as well. Jesus offers us the chance to question where our faith lies. Does it lie within the ability to have power and control over others? Does who we are rely on the amount of coins in our pocket or bank account, the amount of investments that we do or don’t have? Do we hold on so tightly to what we have because we believe those things are what define who we are?

OR, are we defined by the one who gave us life and created us. Do we put our faith and allegiance into the hands of a God who sent Jesus Christ into the world to teach us how to love our neighbors, how to invite others to come and see what the Lord has made and know that it…everything that God has created is GOOD! Do we put our faith into the God who promised eternal life, who promised that in our baptism we are claimed by God and that no matter what, we are ALWAYS God’s child and NOTHING CAN TAKE THAT AWAY! And do we allow ourselves to be shaped and defined first and foremost by God’s love; and do we put our faith and allegiance into a God that we cannot see on a coin, but know the presence of God in our lives, hearts, and minds?

The truth is that we do need those coins in our pockets. We do need the paper with pictures on it to pay the bills, whether it be cash or check, or even debit and credit cards. The point of this is not to demean the use of money because it is a part, a large part of our society. We live in the tension of having to rely on money to survive every day. We can easily run the risk of allowing that to rule and define who we are; BUT it does not define who we are! If I had a $100 bill in my pocket, which I don’t, that does not define me!

What defines us is that we are loved and cared for people. We are so loved that Jesus Christ died for all of us. We are claimed in our baptism by a God that will not let anything keep us from that love. Even though the road is not promised to be easy, being loved, claimed, and forgiven by God is worth the struggle.

Tomorrow/Today God will bring into God’s family Drew Gilbert Marriott. This little guy will have God’s promises that we have; promises of love, care, and support. Drew’s life will be full of ups and downs, just like all of us. This is where we, as his brothers and sisters in Christ, can help him, his brother, Brandy, and Matthew in defining himself as a child of God. We know the road isn’t easy, but we can be here for this family to walk with them in this journey of faith as God calls us to be witnesses to Drew of God’s never-failing and never-ending promises to life everlasting.

So let’s change that question of “what’s in your wallet?” to “whose Image are you created in?” Thanks be to God: AMEN!