Gospel Reading: Mt 22:15-21
The Pharisees went off and plotted how they might entrap Jesus in speech. They sent their disciples to him, with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that are a truthful man and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. And you are not concerned with anyone’s opinion, for you do not regard a person’s status. Tell us, then, what is your opinion: Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not?” Knowing their malice, Jesus said, “Why are you testing me, you hypocrites? Show me the coin that pays the census tax.” Then they handed him the Roman coin. He said to them, “Whose image is this and whose inscription?” They replied, “Caesar’s.” At that he said to them, “Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.”
REFLECTION
Christ and taxes
People have a love-hate attitude towards taxes and those who collect them. In our country, the issue of collecting – never mind, raising – taxes is always a thorny one.
In their effort to trap Jesus, the Pharisees and the Herodians find a sensitive issue in the taxes paid to Rome. The two parties are at enmity with each other: the Pharisees are staunch adherents to the Law; the Herodians, supporters of Herod and allies of the Roman power. Now they are united in a common desire to eliminate Jesus.
Devout Jews believe that they are subject to God alone. The silver denarius that they use to pay taxes not only bears the image of the Emperor Tiberius but also an inscription that Jew consider blasphemous: “Tiberius Caesar, son of the Deified Augustus.” It is a constant reminder of their yoke and humiliation.
The pretentious appreciation of Jesus as a teacher of “the way of God in accordance with the truth” and his independence from anyone’s opinion is a way of reminding him that he must pronounce his teaching without fear or challenging the Roman authority. The Herodians, meanwhile, are waiting to hear him forbid the paying of taxes, an act of treason to the Roman government. By limiting the answer to yes or no, they set a trap.
Jesus knows their malice. He asks for the very coin used to pay the census tax, reminding them that they are living under the Roman authority and using the currency in their daily lives. It is ironic that they use the coin Caesar minted for commercial advantage but do not want to take up the responsibility of paying taxes when a cost is involved. The coin’s inscription makes it a property seal of Caesar. He minted it. It was his. To him it must go back: “Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar.”
But more importantly, Jesus reminds his audience that they are also God’s people and are, therefore, citizens of the divine Kingdom. God has imprinted his image not on silver metal but on human beings. Created by God, human beings are his. What is therefore God’s must be given back to God.
The Gospel does not give us Jesus’ handy prescription on our responsibility towards country and God. Jesus does not point out where the boundaries between the two duties lie. This is up to everyone’s conscience. A good Christian would always know what promotes the country’s welfare. God has ordained that human rule should be established on earth, but only that it may reflect God’s own wise and loving governance and not supersede it with an uncaring and oppressive domination.
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SOURCE: “365 Days with the Lord,” ST PAULS, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 895-9701; Fax 895-7328; E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.