Give to God what is God's

Mark 12: 13 - 17

"Give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's"

I wonder what difference it would make if each and every individual on this earth were to realize and live according to the truth that who we are and what we have come from a loving Creator. I wonder if this truth is even understood and lived by those of us who are Christians. It will certainly turn our worlds around, to know how utterly dependent we are on the one Lord of the world. To him alone we owe everything.

Jesus knows his questioners' hypocrisy. They come to him with a fawning approach, praising him for his impartiality. Perhaps they hope that if he openly rejects the head tax, he will be like other rebels who incited revolt and will be arrested for treason. As usual Jesus goes to the heart of the matter. He asked for the coin, a Tiberian denarius with which the tax was paid. The coin bore an image of the emperor with the inscription "Tiberius Caesar, August Son of the Divine Augustus". His opponents were able to produce the coin. For Jesus the answer is simple. Caesar's coins belong to him. His opponents have no qualms doing business with Caesar's money, so they had better pay Caesar's taxes. Moreover, they had no qualms bringing such a coin, an emblem of Caesar's pretentious deity into the God's temple. They are already rendering Caesar tribute by possessing the coin. Why do they need to ask about paying taxes? They are already indebted to Caesar.

The crux of the matter is that they are to render to God what is God's. This statement carries a very loaded meaning for Jesus' opponents. They are the ones whose pride, greed and hypocrisy have stolen from God the glory due him and him alone. One may owe Caesar what bears his image and name - money. One owes God what bears God's image and name. In the name of piety, the religious leaders of Jesus' day have grabbed for themselves the honor due only to God. They pay lip service to God but in reality are in control of his temple and are controlled by their allegiance to Caesar.

We are created in the image of God and bear his name as children of God. We owe him our whole selves. "Render unto Caesar the image of Caesar, which is on the money, and unto God, the image of God, which is in man, so that thou givest unto Ceasar money, unto God thine own self" (Tertullian). Taxes are a trivial matter compared to what we owe God. What belongs to God is not limited to the material. We owe God all our heart, soul, mind and strength. We also owe God a loving concern for our fellow human beings (12: 29 - 31).

On this journey of life, what truly matters? I find myself getting preoccupied with the many happenings around me. We can try all we want to resolve issues but there will always be new ones to deal with. I find myself falling into desolation when I cannot understand and figure out what to do. When that happens, I lose the inner freedom to love God with all my heart, soul, mind and strength and express loving concern for my fellow human beings. I believe it all begins with our inner life. Jesus never gives his opponents rules to follow. He always pointed them back to the condition of their hearts. The only true freedom we have lies within, in our hearts. Along my journey, through the many ups and downs, God is gradually freeing me live as his beloved child, one who is able to give back to him every part of my life.