Christ’s enemies came near to him pretending to be of his disciples to ask him important questions. They did that to ensnare him, to file a claim against him, and to lay hands on him immediately. Both contradicting parties, the religiously fanatical Pharisees who refused paying taxes to the Roman authority, and the soldiers of King Herod who cooperated traitorously with the Romans, concurred for this repulsive purpose.
It is no new thing for those that are at variance, to join in a confederacy against Christ. As such the enemies have, at all times, united and cooperated to consume those who believed in Christ, and to follow their master of craftiness who taught them hypocrisy and lying. They ask questions politely with apparent humility, and intend at the same time to destroy him whom they asked. Hypocrisy is the most impure sin. Therefore, you have to examine yourself: Are you true and upright in all your words and deeds, or do you pretend to be a friend to someone while you hate him from within?
Christ’s enemies had to confess that he was free and truthful who feared no man, but taught, in his connection to God, the way of love through the jungles of selfishness.
They asked Jesus about a financial matter, for with money love ends in many. Money has power in this and not in the other life. Here in this life, covetousness and greediness with envy spread over millions. Our economic systems are founded on capitalism or nationalization. Money has more power than we can imagine, and many are servants to money.
The Pharisees considered the tax imposed on them by Caesar as a sin. They hated it for they willfully sacrificed for the temple and for their good deeds, while Herod’s soldiers supported the tax collection in principle, for they lived on it. They asked the meek Son of God: “Is it against our Law to give tribute to Caesar?” supposing that he would be trapped by any answer of his.
Then Jesus took a coin. He showed them the face and name of Caesar on it, to indicate that the coin did not come from the Jews, but was issued by the Romans, and said to them: “Pay to the Emperor what belongs to the Emperor, and pay to God what belongs to God.” In this statement, he neither contradicted the Roman law, nor created the thought of revolution in his followers. The apostles also called for submission to the existing government. Christians are not out of law, but are prayers for the rulers who are answerable before God, knowing that the authorities entrusted to them by God are according to their worthiness.
In addition to obeying the political rulers, Christ put obedience to the great God. As much as God is greater than Caesar, we have to obey God rather than men. Finally, God possesses the Caesars with their money, and all the gold of the world, as he possesses all the states and countries. They are like drops of water in his hand.
Christ is wiser than all the wise of the world. He is truthful and straight in his wise saying. His love to those who wish to trap him is a part of his wisdom, that he may guide them to repentance and submission to the Almighty God.
Christ commands us to submit to the temporal authority, and to pay the payable taxes. Moreover, he calls us to submit to God, and to put our money and lives at his disposal. Do not take firm hold of earthly things, but trust your Lord giving up to him all your life concerns. He who serves his Lord faithfully experiences that the Holy One never leaves him.
Our submission to the living God is the limit at which the right of possession ends. Where the religion and the state are separated from each other the Christian can serve his state sincerely and sacrificially. Yet, he has to serve God rather than men, for the Holy One is the center and the keeper of the universe.