SERMON 10-23-2011

Romans 13:1-8                                                                         Matthew 22:15-22

“Divided Loyalties?”

PRAYER

        The question for us this morning is: “What is the nature of the right relation between obedience to the state, and obedience to God?

        In the Roman text, Paul explains that, “we are rightly responsible to civil authority, which itself is under the authority of God. There is a responsibility to God that is outside the oversight of civil authority.”

                                    (Andrew Purves, “Feasting on the Word,” Year A, vol. 4. P.188-190)

        “What does a coin tell us about whose we are?

        In the United States, the coins in our pockets make a more moderate theological statement than the coin handed to Jesus. “In God we trust,” as well as “Liberty,” perhaps proclaiming our freedom… The inscription on the denarius Jesus’ opponents handed him was not nearly as ambiguous and much more overtly offensive: Tiberius Caesar, the divine son of Augustus, the high priest.”

                                           (Richard E. Spalding, “Feasting on the Word,” Year A, vol. 4. p.188)

        Let’s remember that in Jesus’ time Palestine was an occupied country and

the Jews were subject to the Roman Empire. There were, in fact, three regular

taxes expected by the Roman government. A ground tax (a tenth of grain and a

fifth of the oil and wine produced), an income tax (one percent of a man’s

income), and a poll tax (1 and a half day’s wage of a working-person), due per

each male and female in the household, collected yearly.”

                                                   (Brueggemann, “Texts for Preaching,” Year A, pg. 532)

        “The Herodians were allied with Herod Antipas, who had been named king of

the Jews by Rome… they supported the paying of the tax to Caesar. The

Pharisees, who were committed to every detail of Jewish law, opposed paying the

tax to Caesar for religious reasons… The Jews were required to use a special coin

(to pay the poll tax) that carried the image of ‘the divine Caesar.’  

        “Given their divided loyalties, it is unlikely that anything could have caused

the Pharisees and Herodians to cooperate, except for their mutual desire to see

Jesus removed from the scene. They posed the question to Jesus: “Is it lawful to

pay taxes to the emperor, or not?”

                                     (Marvin A. McMickle. “Feasting on the Word,” Year A, vol. 4. p.189-190)

        “If Jesus says ‘yes’, then much of the crowd would be disillusioned with him,

for there were many voices arguing that paying the Roman poll tax was an act of

treason… “But if Jesus answers ‘no’ to the question, then he is guilty of treason,

and the Herodians are there in the audience to press their accusations against

him.”                                                                                (Brueggemann, idem)

        “No matter which way Jesus answered their question, it seemed to them they had him trapped. The answer Jesus gave them was as confounding and compelling today as it was in the first century: “Give…to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s.” (v. 21 RSV). Jesus was suggesting that his followers have a dual allegiance, both to the teachings and commands of God and to the government under whose flag and laws they live. (We as) Christians have duties and obligations that are due to both of those realms, and our challenge is constantly to decide: what do (we) owe and to whom?

“Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar?” (v.17 RSV). This is not simply a question of economics or politics or dual citizenship; (church and state) it is essentially a question of conscience. It is a question of what to do when allegiance to Caesar conflicts with our allegiance to Christ. It is a question of what (we as) Christians should do when the God (we) serve and the government to which (we) have sworn allegiance are pulling (us) into a situation of divided loyalties.”

                                                                                 (Marvin A. McMickle, idem)

        I hope that we don’t understand this giving as a sense of obligation, even though, I do feel obligated to pay taxes. But, do we really feel that we are obligated to give to God? I believe we have a commitment to and with God and the church, a commitment that is covenantal and is in the spiritual realm. “Jesus places (us) in the position of having to balance (our) responsibilities as citizens of both an earthly realm and a spiritual realm.” (idem).

        “What is rendered to God is whatever bears the divine image. Every life is marked with that inscription, an icon of the One who is its source and destination.”                                                                     (Richard E. Spalding, ibid. p. 190)

        In the words of St. Augustine: “For humanity was made to God’s image and likeness… Our true and lasting good therefore is to be stamped anew by regeneration. This seems to me the sense which wise interpreters have applied to our Lord’s words upon looking at Caesar’s tribute money: Render (or give) the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s. It is as if Jesus had

said: God, like Caesar, demands from us the impression of God’s own image. Just as we repay Caesar’s coinage to Caesar, so return the soul to God, shining and stamped with the light of God’s countenance.”                                                                                                                  (Nan Duerling, “The Word and You,” Vol.3. pg.33)

I like that idea of being stamped of being marked by God, as part of God’s creation, and to keep that mark intact is in itself a challenge.

 “Another challenge in this text is: what motivates us to give?

1.   (Do we) give from a sense of duty.

Do we give to God in the same way as we pay our income tax - as the satisfaction of a grim duty which we cannot escape.

2.   (Do we) give purely from motives of self-interest. Consciously or unconsciously (we) may regard (our) giving as an investment… in God’s account… (or to be on God’s side). Such giving can be seen as generous, but rationally selfish.

3.   (Do we) give in order to (feel good). It would be better not to give at all than to give for merely to gratify one’s own vanity and one’s own desire for self…

There is Jewish saying: “the best giving is when the giver doesn’t know to whom he/she is giving and when the receiver does not know from whom he/she is receiving.

4.   (Do we give from the heart), because we cannot help it! That is the only real giving … is that which is called the uncontrollable overflow of love.”

                                                                                  (Barclay, Luke, p.191-192)

        On the other side of the coin, we can easily create our own excuses not to give, such as:

I am unemployed, I can’t do that level of giving!

We come from a Roman Catholic background, we don’t do that, why now?

I’ll give when the new minister comes!

I give my time around this church I don’t need to give money!

I give to other organizations let others give to the church!

        Friends, Jesus is clear:

If God is our first priority, then give to God what belongs to God; and give to Caesar what is Caesar’s. Believe me you will have no “Divided Loyalties!!” Amen!

BENEDICTION

May we show all that we are, by our words and our deeds,

Because, all that we are and all that we have belongs to God. Amen!