Religious hypocrites tried to impale Jesus on the horns of a dilemma. "Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?" If Jesus answered, "Yes," the Pharisees would accuse Him of being soft towards Rome and not the Messiah who could free the nation. If He answered, "No," the Herodians would report Him to Pilate as being guilty of sedition. They thought that they had Him this time. But Jesus answered by a stunning statement that has become one of the great sound bites of world history: "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's." In one short sentence, He showed that God and Caesar each have legitimate realms of authority with corresponding implications. If there is a conflict between realms, God is supreme over Caesar. Jesus teaches us through the issue of paying taxes that we must avoid religious hypocrisy, submit to proper government authority, and submit to God above all. Beloved, God does not make us gods over government; religious hypocrisy does that. We must recognize God's authority and His limited delegation of authority to government. Listen, Jesus assumes the validity of the secular state and its demands, even when it is controlled by a man who thinks he is God!
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David Bodanza is the pastor of Mission of Grace Church in Westborough, Massachusetts. He is also a practicing lawyer. He holds an M.Div. degree from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and a J.D. from New England School of Law. He lives in Massachusetts with his wife, four...