In Mark 12:13-17, we see another attempt by Jesus’ enemies to trap Him. This time there is an “unholy alliance.” The members of the Sanhedrin combined with the Pharisees and Herodians to snare Jesus in a trap. The Herodians were Jews who let it be known that political expediency overruled religious convictions when survival is at stake. Hate flashes back and forth over the wide differences between the two groups. It led to the point where the Sanhedrin convinced the Herodians and Pharisees that their enmity would be better spent against their common enemy, Jesus. They were a good example of the old saying that “the enemy of my enemy is my friend.”

The Sanhedrin informed the Pharisees and Herodians that they would have to exercise two precautions:

1. The people must be appeased.
2. Jesus has to be forced to answer their charge.

The Pharisees and Herodians needed an issue that demanded an “either-or” answer. The political issue that divided them met the criteria. No Jew stood neutral on the question of resistance or accommodation to Roman rule. Anger and antagonism divided political parties, religious orders, families, and friends over the question. It went back to the year 6 A.D. when the emperor Caesar put the rebellious Jews in Southern Palestine directly under his control. The people paid for the military occupation with a poll tax that went directly into the emperor’s coffers in Rome.

When the Pharisees and Herodians asked, “Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?,” they really meant “Is it right or wrong?” If Jesus answered “yes” He would alienate the masses and give the Pharisees evidence for their charge of blasphemy. If He answered, “No,” the Herodians would spread the news to Roman authorities about the insurrectionist in their midst.

Jesus saw through their trap and called their bluff. They were guilty of tempting Jesus and siding with Satan. The question is not just about taxes, but it is also about territory. How do the realm and rule of Caesar relate to the realm and rule of God? Jesus’ answer set lasting principles for Caesar-God, state-church relationships:

1. Caesar has a legitimate realm. He got his authority from God. His legitimate function is to preserve peace. His legitimate demand is citizen responsibility, including the payment of taxes to support the peacekeeping function.
2. God has a legitimate realm. He has legitimate authority, function, and demand which define His kingdom. God’s authority is sovereign. His function is redemption. His demand is the tribute of total obedience to His will.
3. The realms of Caesar and God cannot be confused. In between these two extremes, Jesus leaves room for Christians to enjoy or tolerate human systems of government. If the government stays within the boundaries of its legitimacy and allows freedom for the church to proclaim God’s sovereignty, minister for human redemption, and expect full obedience to God’s will from its members, the two realms will not be in conflict. Jesus implies that they can be mutually supportive.
4. In the event of conflict between the two realms, God rules over Caesar, redemption transcends peace, and allegiance to God takes precedence over secular citizenship. The standards for Christian conscience are set. If Caesar must be worshipped, if redemptive witness must be forfeited for peace, and if the will of the state is imposed over the will of God, believers must obey the words of the apostle Peter in Acts 5:20. They must obey God rather than men.

Jesus’ answer delighted the people: the coin only has Caesar’s image, but man bears God’s image; therefore, the believer’s life belongs to God. We have duties and responsibilities to civil authorities that our faith does not negate. Jesus never advocated rebellion against the occupying Romans, despite their brutality and godlessness. Both Caesar and God, like justice and mercy, are compatible from His eternal viewpoint if they stay within the boundaries of His sovereign authority, His redemptive purpose, and His holy will.

Submission is not always the same as obedience. Our ultimate loyalty belongs to God. We are to render unto the government the things that belong to the government and unto God the things that belong to God. Our ultimate authority is God and we must always submit to Him above any other.

There are people today who use the same tactics. Many come with questions to trick Jesus’ followers. Their questions are just as insincere as the Herodians. The inquiries are a smokescreen hiding their pride. We will never trust Jesus until we set aside our pride and humble ourselves before Jesus.

Someone once wrote to Billy Graham and said, “I am a Christian but I think it is wrong for the government to set taxes so high. Wy should I be so content to pay them?” In his reply, Dr. Graham wrote:

“The Bible teaches that Christians should be law-abiding. The Bible also teaches loyalty to country. This doesn’t mean that we cannot criticize unjust laws or debate policies. The government of God should be our model, and we should do all we can to uphold the government that God can bless.”

“The Bible also teaches that we are to cooperate with the government in every way possible without violating Scripture. Jesus was asked about paying taxes. He set the example by doing so. It takes money to run a government and maintain law and order. Dodging taxes is no different than being a thief.”

In response to another question, Dr. Graham also wrote the following:

“God’s desire is to bless nations who reverence and obey Him. Nations rise, flourish for a time, and then they decline. Why? Because of the sins of the human race. There is no doubt that nations come to an end when they have ceased to fulfill the function that God meant for them. As long as mankind lives on earth, people possess dual citizenship: owing national allegiance as good citizens; but supreme loyalty is to God alone who says in Exodus 20:3, ‘You shall have no other gods before Me.’ When nations defy God, there is a price to pay.”

What Jesus said to the leaders, He says to us today: give to God what belongs to God. We have to give ourselves, because God has created us in His image and has placed His Name upon us in baptism. We are not on our own. We belong to God.

If we have chosen to follow Jesus, we are stamped with His image. We belong to Him, and our enemies should say about us what they said about Jesus. God’s truth means everything to us, and we don’t lie or con for what we think are ultimate ends.

Bibliography

1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible: New King James Version (Nashville, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013, p. 1365)
2. McKenna, D.L., & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 25: Mark (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1982; pp. 233-238)
3. Stanley, C.F.: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible: New King James Version (Nashville, TN: Nelson Bibles; 2005)
4. MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Version (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006)
5. Adrian Rogers, “Submission and Obedience are Not the Same.” Retrieved from devotions@lwf.org
6. The Rev. Dr. Billy Graham, “Why Should I be so Content to Pay Taxes?” Retrieved from www.arcamax.com/healthandspirit/religion/billygraham/
7. The Rev. Dr. Billy Graham, “Should Citizens be Loyal to Their National Leaders to Avoid Persecution?” Retrieved from www.arcamax.com/healthandspirit/religion/billygraham/
8. The Rev. Ken Klaus, “The Image on a Coin.” Retrieved from www.lhm.org
9. Dave Wyrtzen, “Tricky Interviews.” Retrieved from www.truthencounter.com
10. Ron Moore, “Insincere Questions.” Retrieved from www.ronmoore.org