“His character had its distinct periods. It was a bright period while Augustus ruled, he was an honored private citizen, and his son was alive. While his mother still lived, he was a compound of good and evil, infamous for cruelty, veiling his debaucheries. Finally, he plunged into every wickedness and disgrace, cast off shame, and indulged his own inclinations.” (Quote from Wikipedia, paraphrased).
That’s what the Roman historian Tacitus had to say about Tiberius Caesar. Looking at history, we can say that he was certainly not the worst emperor to rule Rome. At the time, he was only the second emperor, after his step-father Augustus. Not the worst, but not exactly good, either. In politics he constantly fought with the Roman Senate. In his private life he was rumored to have all sorts of disgusting and wicked habits. Especially by the end he became paranoid, and maybe it was deserved, because a few months before he turned 78 it appears he was smothered to death. When the news of his death came out, crowds gathered in Rome and shouted, “To the Tiber with Tiberius!” Instead of a funeral, they wanted to toss his body in the river.
This was the man ruling in Rome during the events of Jesus’ ministry.
Our Gospel for today from Matthew 22 is about a particular question the Pharisees had for Jesus about taxes and about Caesar, but it’s really about much more than that. It’s a lesson about how God’s people are to live in this world, where we are so often ruled over by people who are far from righteous. And it’s a reminder that Jesus rules over all things as the eternal King of kings. He’s the one who establishes the authorities. So honor Caesar, honor God.
This account takes place at the temple courts during Holy Week, those days leading up to Jesus’ death and resurrection. That fact by itself is an important one. Keep it in mind. During those days Jesus spent a lot of time teaching in the temple courts, and the various leaders of the people did what they normally did. They looked for ways to attack and undermine Jesus because they didn’t like him and they were jealous of all the people who wanted to see and hear him.
This time we have some Pharisees who came to Jesus, and we have a different group as well. The Herodians, they’re called. These might best be described as “Herod’s people.” The political situation there in Israel was a pretty complicated one. The simple story is that Rome was in charge, and the Jews didn’t like it. The full story is pretty much the same, but it brings in all the different factions. There were the Pharisees and Sadducees. There were the Zealots and the Herodians. There was King Herod who wasn’t really a king. Pontius Pilate was there too, as governor over what the Romans considered to be one of the worst places to govern. We don’t know too much about who made up the group of people Matthew calls Herodians, but they were people who were loyal to Herod in particular and to the Roman government in general. The Pharisees were kind of the opposite. They had no love for any of these non-Jewish governing officials. They maintained that they were free and subject only to God.
And so with a group of Pharisees and Herodians and a question about the government, they thought that they had the perfect trap. They came to Jesus with some empty flattery:
“Teacher,” they said, “we know that you are truthful and teach the way of God in accord with the truth. You are not concerned about gaining anyone’s approval because you are not swayed by appearances.
Their description is actually an accurate one, and it’s what any good teacher should be. But they didn’t believe what they were saying. And it’s not hard to understand why. Just as Pontius Pilate would ask in frustration, “What is truth?”, so these liars didn’t really believe in truth. In their minds, there is no truth, only power. They hated Jesus because his preaching attacked their power. And in their power-hungry minds the only reason for that could be that Jesus must want their power.
They did believe the second half of their flattery. Jesus isn’t concerned about gaining approval and he’s not swayed by appearances. They knew this because they had tried. But this is also what they were counting on for their trap. They asked the question. “So tell us, what do you think? Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”
For the Pharisees, this was not just a matter of whether or not you were willing to accept the rule of Rome with its corrupt ruler Tiberius. This was a theological question. God commanded in Deuteronomy 17:15 “You must not set a foreigner over you, one who is not your brother.” To pay taxes to Caesar would be to acknowledge a foreign ruler, against God’s law, instead of to confess that God is their king.
So the sly trap was set. Would Jesus agree, that no true Israelite can pay taxes to Caesar, that illegitimate pagan king? Ah, but then the Herodians were there. These government loyalists would waste no time reporting him as a dangerous rebel. So maybe Jesus would care about appearances. Maybe he’d say, “Oh yes, we must do whatever Caesar says.” And if he did, well, there were the Pharisees and the anti-Roman Zealots who would be quick to tell all the people that Jesus is on the side of the tax collectors and Herod and that awful pagan Caesar.
But Matthew says
Jesus knew their evil purpose and said, “Why are you testing me, hypocrites? 19Show me the coin used for the tax.”
They brought him a denarius.
20He asked them, “Whose image and inscription is this?”
21“Caesar’s,” they replied to him.
Then he said to them, “Therefore give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”
22When they heard this, they were amazed. Then they left him and went away.
Even before Jesus asked them about the image, the coin they produced was a thoroughly Roman coin, a denarius. Tiberius had tons of these made. They featured his face on one side, with the inscription “Tiberius Caesar, son of the divine Augustus.” And on the other side there was a woman, Tiberius’ mother Livia, depicted as a Roman goddess. It’s interesting—isn’t it—that such pious Pharisees would happily carry around coins with other gods on them.
And even if they know very well that the gods of Rome are no gods at all, they can’t deny the man whose picture and face are right there on every coin. So Jesus says, “Give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”
We aren’t living under the rule of Tiberius Caesar in Rome nor are we Jews living under the Old Testament law. And yet this short lesson from Matthew isn’t just for them. It’s for us too. And really, this is a matter that Christians today struggle with mightily. Should we do all we can to cut ourselves off from civic society, forming monastic societies or communes like the Amish? Should we fight for some sort of Christian control of the government? Should we practice our Christian faith only in the privacy of our homes and never in the public sphere? Should we vote only for Christian people, only those whose lives and doctrine can be tested and approved by Scripture? Can we honor a government that is “a compound of good and evil?” What about one that plunges into every wickedness and disgrace?
Jesus has the answers for us. We live as citizens of this world, under governing authorities who, as Jesus would tell Pilate later that week, have all their authority from God. That means that our attitude toward the authorities over us always ought to have God in the background. This is not to excuse any of their sins. God also sent his prophets to rebuke kings. But we cannot despise our government while honoring the God who has put them there. Look at your dollars, even if you don’t have very many. Whose picture is there?
And when you honor Caesar, do so to glorify God. Jesus did not foment rebellion against Caesar or Herod or Pontius Pilate. He saw how even in their wickedness he would glorify the Father. Their greatest injustice was to condemn and crucify the most innocent man who ever lived. And yet through Jesus’ cross God brought about his greatest mercy, for the whole world, for you and for me. Jesus, our perfect and holy king, subjected himself to sinful rulers to save us from subjection to sin.
We’ve just had another election in our country, and there’s always a lot to complain about. Instead of complaining, try praying. Pray for those who are in positions of leadership, whether you voted for them or not. Pray for God’s justice and mercy for all of his people. Pray for Jesus to come quickly. Remember that the one you are praying to is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He is the eternal God, and he’s also your merciful Savior. You live in this world now, a citizen of the country in which God has placed you, under the rulers he has established. But your true home is in heaven. You are a citizen of that glorious kingdom.
You have nothing to fear from the mightiest and most terrible of earthly rulers. Tiberius boasted that he was the son of the “divine Augustus.” You though, are a true royal son of God. That’s what your holy baptism proclaims you to be. You have a seat at God’s table. There’s a foretaste of that here at the Lord’s Supper. You are loved by the one whose kingdom reaches to the ends of the earth and whose reign lasts forever and ever. The Lord has established our earthly authorities until the time when he brings us home. So honor Caesar, honor God. Amen.
— Pastor Seth Georgson