When I was a kid, I collected foreign coins… that a little chunk of metal could represent a people’s history, culture and values was fascinating. An article written by Peter Preskar published by Short History and posted on the website Medium, stated the following:
“(Julius Caesar) received exclusive rights to mint coins, recognizing the political power that comes with controlling the money supply. To further solidify his authority, Caesar began minting coins with his own image, a significant departure from tradition. By producing coins with his own image, Caesar effectively used coins as a propaganda tool to bolster his image and authority among the people of Rome.”
The Israelites thought the new Messiah would be a king and ruler, along the lines of David. The pharisees were asking, in a sly way, if Jesus was disputing the power of Caesar and if He was going to attempt to dethrone Caesar as the new ruler. Many Jewish people, the pharisees among them, thought it was wrong to pay taxes to a foreign king, for the Lord was their King. The Herodians, who were also there, were aligned with the ruling class. If Jesus had agreed with the pharisees, the Herodians would have jailed him for sedition. The presence and collaboration of these two groups, typically at odds with each other, indicates the serious, no-win situation Jesus finds himself in. (Barclay, William. The Gospel of Matthew, Daily Study Bible Series, 1977).
Also according to William Barclay, the Roman government exacted three different kinds of taxes. The tax in question here is a poll tax, which is typically paid with the denarius or tribute coin that Jesus refers to. Also referred to as a ‘head or census tax, it is a tax levied on each man and woman simply because they are alive and live in Roman territory. While some paint Roman occupation as a civilized affair, many wars and battles were fought with the Romans because people did not want to be their subjects. In other words, people did die at the hands of the Romans. Lots of people. So we could call this a ‘be glad your alive tax.’
It is natural to want to fight against such oppression. But here Jesus indicates that these are two separate issues. Money and the power to demand others give it to you, does not connect or relate to Jesus or the Lord. To paraphrase, Jesus says rather bluntly, “This is a red herring, and I ain’t biting. The power of Caesar belongs to this world, my Kingdom lies elsewhere. Determine for yourself what of you belongs to this world and what belongs to the Lord, and act accordingly.”
Reflection Journal Questions
Recount a time when someone else was goading you into an argument. Expand on the before and after, exploring the motivations behind the pot-stirring.
Writing to Pray 