In his book The Cultural World of Jesus John J. Pilch writes that in ancient Mediterranean culture no question was neutral. It was always intended and perceived as a challenge to one’s honour!
The Pharisees and Herodians had a plan to trap Jesus by asking him to respond to their question: is it permissible to pay taxes to Caesar or not? They wanted to catch him out with this question because if he answered ‘yes’ he would be going against those Jews who wanted to resist paying taxes to the Romans as an occupying power.
The Zealots were one such group and we know that Simon called the Zealot was a disciple of Jesus.
If Jesus answered ‘no’ to the question then he was a problem for the Roman authorities and for a group like the Herodians who supported the status quo.
The taxes imposed by the Romans as an occupying power were significant. This tax may have been a census tax on every man, woman and slave between the age of twelve and sixty-five. It was a denarius which was equal to one day’s pay. The coin carried the image of the emperor Tiberius, and the words, ‘Tiberius Caesar, Augustus, son of the divine Augustus, high priest.’ This was considered idolatrous to the Pharisees especially and offensive to the people in general.
The fact that the Pharisees and the Herodians were working together, when in fact they came from different points on the political spectrum indicates how seriously they regarded.
Jesus whose popularity with the people still held sway and gave him power.
Jesus sees their ploy immediately and easily eludes the trap. His response has given us much to ponder since then and especially for his followers today. He told the crowd to give the money to Caesar since it belongs to him, and in turn, give to God the things that belong to God.
From a Jewish perspective and one we hold today as Christians, God is the creator of all that exists and everything belongs to the divinity. Caesar may have had his place in the scheme of things but nothing compared to the majesty of God. Giving Caesar his due in no way sets up an ‘either/or’ situation which locked Jesus into a ‘no win’ stand on paying the tax.
What matters most then as now, is acting in a way that is pleasing to God.
Our separation of church and state cannot be traced back to this scripture. Nevertheless, the scripture poses the reality for the followers of Christ on how to live in the world.
On the one hand, we have obligations to participate in civic life across the spectrum of society. On the other hand, we have the tenets of our faith to uphold and to be translated into thought and action in our political and social life.
Some people in society would like a purely secular way of dealing with reality without any input from people of faith because they view Christian faith as ‘ideological’. But Christians always need to play their part, God’s part.
Columban Fr Gary Walker is currently living at the Columban house in Sandgate, Brisbane.
