Never to Caesar what belongs to God!

Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God (Matt 22:21). ..Never to Caesar what belongs to God!

Many of us would like to think that the above words from Jesus were to divide faith from our public domain (politics included). But what was in Jesus’s mind when He answered with those powerful words above? Let’s see what the context was.

Some Pharisees & Herodians were eager to put Jesus in trouble with the authorities. I’m sure they had some grudge on Him after He called them a tomb, snakes and what not.

They wanted to get more than just even with Jesus. They wanted to finish Him off.

So, they threw Him a question “Should we pay or shouldn’t we pay taxes to Caesar?” (Matt 22:17)

This was a very specific but dangerous question brought about by 2 groups of dangerous people. If Jesus was born in Malaysia and He happen to answer them wrongly the authorities would have Him charged under the Sedition Act of course!

Look at His answer:-
- Firstly, Jesus accused them of trapping Him (Matt 22:18)
- Secondly, He asks for a coin from them. Most probably He wanted to expose their hypocrisy coz they are not supposed to carry/bring in a heathen coin into the temple (Matt 22:19)
- Lastly, He climaxed it with an answer “Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God” a brilliant example of Jesus’s skill thinking on His feet! (Matt 22:21)

This narrative shows that we have an obligation to both. By no means are we to substitute one for God’s area and the other areas.

But what happens after paying taxes to the government? Do we have a say on how it should be used for the benefit of its people/rakyat?

Jesus didn’t say much on that. So, does that mean we are supposed to be quiet when WE KNOW pretty well that our taxes is being used for questionable projects/ventures?

That our money is being used as a source of wealth to feed cronies & the wanton greed of their families.

That our taxes is being used to further plunder & corrupt our country.

What is our response then? Pray, pay & obey?

How about you?