“Give therefore to the
emperor the things that are the emperor’s and to God the things that are
God’s” (vs. 21)
But God says…
“…for the world and
all that is in it is mine…” Psalm 50:12b
Politics and religion.
Religion and politics. The world
of the First Century was not at all like ours.
No one in that time could have conceived of today’s “separation of
church and state”. In those day, politics
and religion were inextricably intertwined.
Many of the things Jesus said and did had political as well as religious
implications, which is why the religious leaders (who also had political power)
found him so threatening they wanted him dead.
This week’s Gospel is more than just a clever coin trick. It represents a clash of empires and
expectations. The questions it raises
have to do with more than paying taxes. They
have to do with what we consider and accept as the coin of the realm.
The coin the Pharisees brought to Jesus likely bore the
image of the Roman Emperor Tiberius. One
common coin in circulation from that time had an impression of Tiberius on the
front and Caesar Augustus’ wife Liva depicted as the goddess of peace on the
back (pictured above). This coin made
both a political and religious statement.
It depicted a god who claimed ultimate power, which, according to the
Jewish law, was idolatry. Jesus traps
the Pharisees in their own rules. (Gotcha!) But
even more, he calls into question their loyalty to the very God they claimed to
honor by fastidiously following the rules.
Jesus asks, “Who do you Pharisees really worship? Who really is your god? Who do you really think the world belongs
to?” Good questions for us to consider
too!
Today, some Christians would suggest that the community of
faith should have nothing to say about politics. They argue that faith is about our personal
relationship with Jesus, but should have nothing to say about our communal life
in the world. But, the scriptures and
Jesus were adamant that God was the God of heaven AND earth, and that
everything private and public, personal and communal, belongs to God. If our faith has nothing to say about our
public life, then we have a pretty weak faith, and by extension, a pretty puny
god.
But, for those who belong to the Reign of God, the coin of
the realm does not bear the imprint of Washington or Franklin or Hamilton, it bears
the imprint of Jesus. It bears the
imprint of Jesus upon a cross. It bears
the imprint of the One who, in great love, paid the tax of human violence, hatred,
brokenness, pain and suffering in full.
It bears the imprint of the One who has always hung with all those who
suffer and with all those who hang with the suffering of our world today. For us, the coin of the realm is the Love of
the God of heaven and earth, the compassion of God’s Son, and the enduring and
eternal life which he offers free to everyone.
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says, “For where your treasure is, there your heart
will be also.” (Matthew 6:21). So, I wonder, what coin do we have in our
pockets?
Peace,
Bishop Mike
No comments:
Post a Comment