Whose Image?

Mark 12: 13-17

Paying the Imperial Tax to Caesar

¹³ Later they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to Jesus to catch him in his words. ¹⁴ They came to him and said, “Teacher, we know that you are a man of integrity. You aren’t swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are; but you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not? ¹⁵ Should we pay or shouldn’t we?”

But Jesus knew their hypocrisy. “Why are you trying to trap me?” he asked. “Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.” ¹⁶ They brought the coin, and he asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?”

“Caesar’s,” they replied.

¹⁷ Then Jesus said to them, “Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.”

And they were amazed at him.

There is a broader reference here than just who gets paid what. Yes, the Romans deserved their taxes because of Caesar's image on the coins. They were in charge.  But we are stamped with the image of God, and thus belong to God.  How often do we think of this?  How much does it influence our words and actions?  May we do our best today to "render unto God what is God's":  Ourselves!

Bro. Rene