Give back to Caesar

This week the gospel focused on one of those difficult to understand passages in the New Testament, the book of Matthew. It’s a passage that year after year, I read it, hear it discussed at mass, and in the end, I really truly don’t get it. I will say that this week, I think I got it.

It’s the passage where the Pharisees backed Jesus into an either/or position. Instead, Jesus gives them this response. (see expanded gospel text below). 

Then he said to them, “So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”

Literally, this looks like and either/or statement, but when you look at if from the perspective of God, it is not. Consider the perspective of either/and.

It’s true in this world we must pay taxes that are part of our culture as our government mandates, otherwise we risk going to jail. This is the text that, so many people quote regarding the separation of church and state. Taken literally this statement misses the truth of who God really is. God is so much bigger than our limited lens of either/ or, church/ state. God, is everything. It all belongs to Him. The church is the body of Christ, and as a Christian you cannot separate your Christian beliefs and God’s teachings as “not applicable” because they conflict with the secular world. The secular world and governments continue to act in ways that are directly in conflict with the ways of God. Christians need to stand up and defend the Way. Otherwise, we risk losing societal/government rights to life, the Way of God. People all over the world have had these “church” rights denied and have lost their homes and lives because of their beliefs and union with the Church (the body of Christ).

This conflict is one of many in the Bible and reminds me that you cannot always take the Bible literally or you will be misled. The Bible needs to be read and studied with the guidance of biblical scholars, theologians, priests and with an open heart to personal revelation.

This post was inspired by the Holy Spirit and:

Bishop Robert Barron, (2017, Oct. 22). Caesar and God. [Podcast]. Retrieved from Word on Fire.org.

Full gospel passage

Matthew 22:15-21 (NIV)

Paying the Imperial Tax to Caesar

15 Then the Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap him in his words.16 They sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians. “Teacher,” they said, “we know that you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren’t swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are. 17 Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not?”

18 But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, “You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? 19 Show me the coin used for paying the tax.” They brought him a denarius, 20 and he asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?”

21 “Caesar’s,” they replied.

Then he said to them, “So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”

From BibleGateway: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+22%3A15-21   

God Bless

Paula