Here in the UK, it was the Budget this week and there is much talk about tax and benefits. That also coincided with our Life Group looking at Luke 20:20-26 where Jesus is asked a question about paying taxes
Early readers of Luke’s Gospel, perhaps in the late 60s/early 70s of the first century will have picked up on some important links and clues as they read about how Jesus answered the question about paying tax to Caesar. Most immediately was the link back to Palm Sunday. Jesus had ridden into Jerusalem and gone in to purify the temple, acclaimed at the heir of David by the crowd. He was being seen as the saviour king. The Jewish leaders were looking for a way to get rid of him but could not go up against a popular leader directly. So, they needed to involve Pilare and the Romans. The tax question looked like an obvious way to do this. Get Jesus to either recognise Caesar’s right to the tax and in so doing give up his popular appeal or insist that tax should not go to the oppressor and be guilty of treason.
When Jesus invites them to bring a coin and tell him whose image is on it, that echoes the declaration in Genesis 1:26-28 that we are made in God’s image. However, it might also have made early readers think of John’s description in Revelation of a beast exercising dominion and requiring all to have his mark to buy and sell. Early Christians did not need to look to an end times scenario for this. They already needed Caesar’s mark to trade. Note that the mark in Revelation was on the hand and forehead. This counters the requirement for God’s people to have his law on their heads and hands and signifies worldview and lifestyle, what we believe/think and what we do.
In truth, the religious leaders carried the mark or image of Caesar because they were sold out to him. They were looking to him to fix their little problem with Jesus, they ruled and served at his pleasure. They followed the sharp and ungodly practices of his world.
There is however another link or echo. In Ephesians 1:13, we are told that we are sealed with the Spirit. The martyrs in Revelation did not just refuse to bear the beast’s mark. They bore the mark or the seal of the Spirit. So too do we. This means that we can be in the World but not of the World.
Faithroots 