…to God the Things That Are God’s – Matthew 22:15-22

A text – Matthew 22:15-22

22:15 Then the Pharisees went and plotted to entrap him in what he said.
22:16 So they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are sincere, and teach the way of God in accordance with truth, and show deference to no one; for you do not regard people with partiality.
22:17 Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?”
22:18 But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why are you putting me to the test, you hypocrites?
22:19 Show me the coin used for the tax.” And they brought him a denarius.
22:20 Then he said to them, “Whose head is this, and whose title?”
22:21 They answered, “The emperor’s.” Then he said to them, “Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”
22:22 When they heard this, they were amazed; and they left him and went away.

A reflection:

I still enjoy the writing of Garrison Keillor, creator of Lake Wobegon and many other fictions for his radio show. He’s 80 now and still writes. Recently he mentioned how praise of any kind was not received well by his parents, and he reckoned he balked at flattery because of his family’s example. Besides, he says, “…you can tell when you’re being buttered up and when people speak from the heart.”

In this encounter with the Pharisees you can bet that Jesus sees them approaching, with a flattering word and then a question to trap him. If Garrison Keillor is right, even if Jesus weren’t also God, he would have been able to spot this flattery a mile away. He listens, while “aware of their malice.” Unlike Mr. Keillor, in his reply he insults his flatterers clearly and tests them right back.

Speaking from the heart positively, in honest admiration, is a way to convey what a gift someone has been to you, what a blessing a good meal or a good book has meant in your life. Flattery, on the other hand, will eventually betray itself, even to a stupid person. But a wise person, which Jesus is and which the Pharisee’s comments imply they believe him to be, will see through hollow praise instantly. Did they believe Jesus was stupid? No. They just thought this tactic would work. It was they who were the fools and also the hypocrites, as Jesus names them.

Later, of course, when they have captured Jesus, not by tricking him, but because Jesus allowed it, they believe they have finally won. The Romans, too, believe they have finally gotten rid of a troublemaker. In fact, Jesus, with his body, does what he tells them to do in this story: he gives to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s – his earthly body, subject to the earthly rule of kings – and he gives to God what is God’s – “Into your hands I commit my spirit,” Jesus says from the cross. He embodies his reply to the hypocritical Pharisees. Jesus is always as good as his word. God always keeps God’s promises, so that we might believe and trust in God.

A prayer:

Lord God, Thank you for loving us. Thank you for Jesus’s wise words to the people who thought they could trick him. Thank you for this Savior who used his wisdom and his body and his spirit to free us into life with you. Help us to remember what things belong to God and always give God those things.  Amen.