Thursday Thought -- August 4, 2011

Good Morning Friends,

“Keeping a close watch on him, they sent spies, who pretended to be honest. They hoped to catch Jesus in something he said so that they might hand him over to the power and authority of the governor. So the spies questioned him: ‘Teacher, we know that you speak and teach what is right, and that you do not show partiality but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?’ He saw through their duplicity and said to them, ‘Show me a denarius. Whose portrait and inscription are on it?’ ‘Caesar's,’ they replied. He said to them, ‘Then give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's.’ They were unable to trap him in what he had said there in public. And astonished by his answer, they became silent.” (Luke 20:20-26)

There are multiple things going on in this short passage that are worth talking about.

There is the deceptive scheming and hateful opposition of the chief priests and teachers of the law. They weren’t out front in their opposition. They schemed and spied trying to trick and trap Jesus. These were supposed to be men of God, but they acted in such ungodly ways.

There is the incredible discernment and deep wisdom of Jesus. He saw through the schemes and traps and defused them. He offered an answer to the question that was posed by His enemies. Although the question was meant to trap Him, He answered it with a straightforward and honest answer that showed such wisdom that not even His enemies could argue with it.

Then there is the principle found in the answer itself. Jesus provided a fundamental principle about life – we give to authority what is rightfully due them and we withhold those things that are not rightfully due. God is due our ultimate allegiance and unquestioning obedience. Government is due its imposed taxes that provide for their services they give. Other authorities are due other things.

So here are a couple of questions in response –

Do you see the incredible wisdom of Jesus? Are you honoring Him for that wisdom? Are you submitting to His wisdom?

Are you giving to God what is rightfully due to Him?

His, by Grace,

Steve