Throughout Jesus’ public ministry on earth the religious leaders are trying to catch or trap Him in what he says.  Sometimes He says things seemingly to provoke them and other times He measures His words carefully.  In both instances though He leaves us with truths that we can hold on to.  Let’s take a look at one such instance found in Luke 20.

20 Keeping a close watch on him, they sent spies, who pretended to be sincere. They hoped to catch Jesus in something he said, so that they might hand him over to the power and authority of the governor. 21 So the spies questioned him: “Teacher, we know that you speak and teach what is right, and that you do not show partiality but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. 22 Is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” 23 He saw through their duplicity and said to them, 24 “Show me a denarius. Whose image and inscription are on it?” “Caesar’s,” they replied.25 He said to them, “Then give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” 26 They were unable to trap him in what he had said there in public. And astonished by his answer, they became silent.

The Jewish people were not happy about the taxes that they had to pay to Rome.  The Pharisees were included in this but they assumed that Jesus as this potential Jewish Messiah would lead an uprising about this.  They asked Him if they should pay taxes.  His response is brilliant when He asks to see a coin.  – Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and God what is God’s.  The reality is that Caesar’s taxes were unfair and were instituted by force.  On the other hand everything is God’s.  Our resources, our gifts, our very lives.  Jesus is teaching us a principle in the midst of this interaction about using out time, talents, and treasures for Him.  He has given everything to us and therefore our lives are offered to Him as our act of worship.  The Pharisees meant this as a trap, yet Jesus used it as another opportunity to teach us truth.  I pray that we might all give to God what is God’s namely our lives.

In His Grip,

Pastor Dave