The world is full of bondage of money, craftiness, deception, and flaming revolution. A delegation came to Christ, representing two groups: first, the professing Pharisees, enemies of the Roman authority; and second the Herodians, servants of King Herod, agent of the Romans, who supported them to remain in his chair. Yet both different groups united in their common design to destroy Christ, who is born of the Spirit of God, for he had unveiled their sins, ignorance, and lies that they appeared naked, and insolently disrespectful before the people.
Now, they designed to ensnare Christ with their hypocritical words and sly trickery, pretending to be righteous, straight, and truth seekers, but from within they were savage wolves. So they propounded their planned, embarrassing question to entrap him. They said with hypocritical sedateness, and outward godliness: "Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?" out of their belief that all the people harbored feelings of hatred against the heavy taxes, and consequently anyone who recognized the Roman authority or cooperated with it was entirely against the rights of the kingdom of God. If Christ said, "Yes, it was lawful" the people would take it ill, and he would be regarded as a collaborator with Rome, and would lose favor with the public. If he said, "No!" he could be accused of revolutionary tendencies and would immediately be arrested by the Herodians, who were ready to arrest every rebel against the government, and every person who criticized its commands and behaviors.
Jesus perceived their craftiness. He openly stabbed their hypocrisy, uncovered them, and compelled them to confess his truthfulness, and his telling of the truth at all times, without adulation. He called for a denarius, for he was penniless, poor, not depending on the power of money, and not surrendering to the deception of riches. As the denarius shone in his hand, he turned it upside down, and showed them Caesar’s image with the words inscribed around it: "Titus Caesar, son of the divine Augustus", and on the other face: "The greatest high priest"
Through that denarius, Jesus proved to them that they were automatically subjected to the economic authority of Caesar, whether they knew it or not, for each coin was tantamount to an authorized Roman draft, or check whose value is subject to rise and fall according to the victory or defeat of that worldly empire. He, who used that money, built himself on the colonial authority, which guaranteed them. Even today, each banknote is entirely conditional upon the economic situation of its country. Its value becomes less if the state collapsed. Money belongs to the state even if individuals possessed it.
Then Jesus condemned stinginess and greediness in the servants of money, and asked them to take a part of their perishable treasures willingly to pay the taxes without objection, for every denarius issued by the Roman minting die belonged to it.
Furthermore, Jesus commanded us to submit to the government of our state, to accept its rules and orders, to participate in its development with faithfulness, and not to become disobedient at all. The true Christians pray for the leaders of their people. They are in fact the best citizens of their country, knowing that the government which supervises the public situations is appointed by God, and given by the people with regard only to their worth, for protecting them, stabilizing security, developing economy, educating and cultivating the children, and organizing the social life. Every government is maidservant of God in the areas of its people.
This high attribute, "a maidservant of God" is not transient, even if those in charge misused the authority given to them, made allowance for themselves, and treaded on citizens; for the holy God will punish all evildoers, since every employee beginning with the king and the president and ending with the least servant are directly responsible before God. Every true service to a state means a service to God.
With these good meanings, Jesus did not only answer the embarrassing political question positively, but also commanded all those who believed in him to cooperate faithfully with the present government in all its domains and areas.
At the same time, Christ showed them the essential difference between the fearful Caesar and the great God. Caesar was a created mortal, limited in wisdom and knowledge, and sinful as all other humans; but God is perfect, eternal, holy, omniscient, and almighty. Inasmuch as the great difference between him and Caesar, the service of God is more important than that of the state. Inasmuch as heaven surpasses the earth, you must concentrate your thoughts on God and his will more than attaching importance to the present problems. All newspapers and magazines are not compliant with this principle, for their big titles speak about politics, economics, and scandals; without making any mention of the name of God and the salvation of the soul.
Blessed are you if you sought God, and fled from the slavery of the quickly fading mammon; for then you understand that you do not give God, but he freely showers you daily with his grace, and gives you his love, providence, forgiveness, salvation, and redemption. The love of God is beyond our understandings.
If you understand this holy principle nothing will remain in you but gratitude, faith obedience, and commitment of your life thankfully and gratefully to the great Provider. Christ surely testifies to you that the holy God turns you back into his original image that you may be his son and he your Father. Then you become more precious than all shining coins and paper money, which have images of the faces of leaders, and kings, for you will live forever if you truly submit to the love of God. Give your life to God thankfully for his salvation that you may proceed from mortality to immortality, and find a new meaning for your life in the service of the kingdom of God.
You may ask: "What must I do if my government prevented me from believing in Christ?" The Holy Bible answers you clearly: "We have to obey God rather than men." At the time of persecution in Rome, the faithful disappeared in caves and underground tombs, and preferred to die violent deaths rather than deifying the mortal Caesars.
Today, a dictatorial state requires its people to submit entirely to its principles. It imposes on them to believe in it, commit their lives to its spirit and aims, and deny Christ the only Savior. In those regions and countries, the faithful continue in loving their persecutors. They bless them, and pray everyday for the Lord’s guidance. If they were called for interrogation, they would tell the truth in the wisdom of the Holy Spirit, and bear witness to their living Lord, preferring death in this world and life in the kingdom of God rather than submitting to the spirits of deceivers.
The kingdom of the antichrist is about to be established, where the faithful will not be able to buy or sell, for they will not surrender to the embodied evil spirit. So prepare yourself for the service of God that you may honor him through your complete faith obedience.
When the cunning spies heard Jesus’ answer, "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s" they marveled at his wisdom and authority. Today, we also wish all those who watch our behavior to know that Christ calls us faithful servants to the country in which we live, even if it persecuted us because of our worship to our living Lord.