Mark 12:13-17 - Giving God and Government Their Due

Mark 12:13-17
13 Then they *sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to Him in order to trap Him in a statement. 14 They *came and *said to Him, “Teacher, we know that You are truthful and defer to no one; for You are not partial to any, but teach the way of God in truth. Is it lawful to pay a poll-tax to Caesar, or not? 15 Shall we pay or shall we not pay?” But He, knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, “Why are you testing Me? Bring Me a denarius to look at.” 16 They brought one. And He *said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” And they said to Him, “Caesar’s.” 17 And Jesus said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” And they were amazed at Him.

Message: Giving God and Government Their Due

Time: Mark's personal connection with Peter gave him the source material for this book. This book was composed probably between AD 57 and AD 59. It's a book that is on the move, leading to the cross. 39 times is the word 'immediately' used. Mark reveals Jesus as God's servant, reaching into the lives of people and effecting physical and circumstantial change.

What the Lord is Saying:

Preface - Jesus is in Jerusalem. It is the 3rd day or perhaps the 4th day. He has been causing a stir where he goes, but has mostly been on the defense as the leaders of the community, the religious community have been trying to catch him in a compromising situation regarding who he is. They asked him of his authority but really what they are trying to do was trap him with the question. He knew the leaders were out to get him, but he also had the people of God somewhat protecting Him for the leaders didn't want to do anything to Jesus in front of them.

After the chief priests, scribes and elders tried to trap him with the question on authority, the Pharisees and Herodians come to Him in order to trap Him in a statement. These Herodians were a sect of the Jews who supported the house of Herod, and were in favor of giving tribute to the Roman Caesar. They were so called at first from Herod the Great, who was a great supporter of Caesar. The Pharisees took, of course, altogether the other side, and stood forward as the supporters of the Law of Moses and of their national freedom. So the Herodians and Pharisees cover both sides of the issue.

They *came and *said to Him, “Teacher, we know that You are truthful and defer to no one; for You are not partial to any, but teach the way of God in truth. They come to him with words of flattery. But even in those words overstep their bounds. Saying that Jesus defer to no one is getting him to say that he will speak over the Roman authority. Jesus is however often teaching the way of the heart and the motives of the heart. His confrontation with the Jewish leaders of the day has been speaking against their actions to so much the governing authority.

Is it lawful to pay a poll-tax to Caesar, or not? Shall we pay or shall we not pay? This was a matter that Jesus had not questioned to this point as he would not for he did not question the governments role and that was not who he was in coming.

But He, knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, “Why are you testing Me? Bring Me a denarius to look at.” Jesus, I think, in a way, laughs at this question, as if it is not even a worthy question to be asking him. Many thought the paying of taxes was a form of idolatry because the coin had the image of Caesar on it and so making payment was in a way paying homage to Jesus, but Jesus does confront this issue and shows that this isn't a form of idolatry. He *said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” And they said to Him, “Caesar’s.” And Jesus said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” 

I appreciate this response from Jesus for it is clear that he is come to earth for the things of God and not to speak against the things of Caesar. The government is not the problem, but it is the matters of the heart that is the issue. The matter is fairly simple, as citizens they are to give their government what they request, but then in the same manner they are to give to God what is due Him. If anything, the Christian has the greater responsibility - to give to both what is due.

Summary - The Herodians and Pharisees, each serving two masters and yet each caught up in the legalistic adherence to their respective law, come to Jesus to trap Him. But Jesus responds that the Christian has a responsibility both to God and government. Our beliefs do not excuse us from our responsibilities as citizens.

Promise:  The state is not permitted to overstep its bounds and intrude on matters of God and here God says that God is not overstep its bounds into the state. Believers give to God the things that are God's.

Prayer: Lord, help me to show my service to both God and Man in the way that you decree. Lord, at times it seems easier to give to the government because it is a law that if I don't I could get imprisonment, but to you Lord it seems to be an option, but it is not an option and I must surrender to You all that is due to You. Help me to carry this out in my life. I pray that I would be obedient to your calling and glorify you with my time and money.