Tuesday, October 24, 2023
V15 – The pharisees wanted to trap Jesus into saying something He could be arrested for. Their intention to go and see Jesus is not to get life and counsel, it is to undermine him and find a way to “defeat” Him.
They were going to justify themselves. They wanted him to be seen as a revolutionary against Rome. They called him false prophet, they said He casts out demons by Beelzebub, and called him a glutton and a drunkard. They never went to him for the forgiveness of sin.
When I come before Jesus, what is my attitude? Am I going before him to justify my actions? Am I trying to make him look as if He is wrong? Am I going with an attitude that his commandments are tough to follow and obeying his word to be impossible? Am I coming before him with excuses?
My heart must be careful to come before him with the right understanding. And this is it…. He is perfect (it is impossible for him to be wrong), He has good thoughts towards me (not evil), He is not eagerly looking for a way to punish me, He has no evil in him, He gives me life, He is my savior – the one I come to for salvation and redemption.
I must come before him with brokenness. That must be my continuous sacrifice.
Psalm 51:17 NIV – My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.
V16 – They use flattering words to him yet even they know deep in their hearts that He is indeed truthful but they are not saying that with a clean heart.
Beware against flattery.
Proverbs 29:5 MSG– A flattering neighbor is up to no good; he’s probably planning to take advantage of you.
The meaning of the word “Flatter” is “lavish praise and compliments on (someone), often insincerely and with the aim of furthering one’s own interests.”
V17-V18 – “Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” This was their question but Jesus knows their evil motives. Jesus asks them directly why they wanted to trap him.
May the Lord give us discernment to always know when people pretend to have pure motives when they actually evil in their purpose. Here Jesus knew their intention and was therefore very wise in his response.
He did not play into their trap.
But thank God who protects us. When a person with an evil intention sets a trap for us, the Lord saves us from it. Ours is to walk humbly and sincerely with the Lord. He is the one who knows people’s inner motives and intentions.
Proverbs 26:27 NIV – Whoever digs a pit will fall into it; if someone rolls a stone, it will roll back on them.
Psalms 35:7-10 GNTA – Without any reason they laid a trap for me and dug a deep hole to catch me. But destruction will catch them before they know it; they will be caught in their own trap and fall to their destruction! Then I will be glad because of the Lord; I will be happy because he saved me. With all my heart I will say to the Lord, “There is no one like you. You protect the weak from the strong, the poor from the oppressor.”
V19-21 – Give to Caesar what is his, and give to God what is his.
Jesus had one purpose for his coming – to do his father’s will. And at this very moment, we see how the master turns around this “trap” into an opportunity to preach. Instead of discussing with them about taxes, Jesus goes beyond that.
The picture on the coin was of Caesar and so Jesus says that you should give to Caesar what is his. It is his anyway. The image of Caesar was imprinted on that coin and so Caesar had a right to his property. He made the coins and put his image on them. If He demanded a part of his coins back, then its okay.
But then Jesus says something more: Give to God what belongs to God. And that is the sermon. He points them to God. He points them to reflect on what belongs to God and whether they are giving God what He deserves.
There is something extremely wise in what Jesus says…. Human beings have the image of God imprinted on them, just like Caesar’s image was imprinted on that coin. The coin had an image of Caesar.
Genesis 1:27 NIV – So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.
And so because we have been created in God’s image, He then deserves what belongs to Him. And so, the question becomes ” What belongs to God?”
- The glory due his name
- My utmost devotion
- My praise
- My worship
- My sacrifice
- Fruitfulness
- Obedience to his word
- My thanksgiving
He deserves my all. He is the one who saves us and gives us life. We cannot live on earth as if we created ourselves and do not have his image and likeness.
1 Chronicles 16: 28-30 NIV – Ascribe to the Lord, all you families of nations, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; bring an offering and come before him. Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness. Tremble before him, all the earth! The world is firmly established; it cannot be moved.
Reflection: Am I giving the Lord what belongs to Him? What He deserves?
Oh Lord, I fail so many times in giving you all the glory you deserve. I place many limits on what I think you deserve not realizing that you indeed deserve it all… you are my creator, I live because you designed it that way in your own wisdom. Why should I be so deceived and be led astray by my own thoughts and ideas of who you are? Have Mercy on me, my God my creator. Help me to give you what belongs to you. Search me Oh Lord and know me, see the hidden things in my life, correct me and lead me in the path of life. Grant me Oh Lord to know you intimately and very closely. Grant me to fear you and to worship you in holiness. Grant me the strength and ability to do everything as unto you. Give me a clean heart Oh Lord and teach me worship you in truth. Let my walk on earth be sincere and truthful. Move me away from all lying, thievery and human tricks because I know these do not lead me to life. Let me led by your precious Holy Spirit. I surrender to you, I need you, I realize my need for you and how weak I am. Be glorified in my life. Amen.