WordLive - Year OneSample

Prepare: What do you owe to God? Spend some time reflecting on his goodness to you. Ask him to help you to have a generous attitude. Trick question ‘Nothing is certain but death and taxes,’ goes the old saying. The only people who like taxes seem to be those who receive them. Now taxation is the focus of the next challenge to Jesus. The pressure on him is mounting. As often happens, even now, strange bedfellows join together in opposition. Unlike the Pharisees, the Herodians supported the Romans, but here both groups tried to catch him out (v 14). If Jesus answered ‘yes’ the patriotic Jews would desert him. Answer ‘no’ and there would be a charge to take to the Romans. But the trick question didn’t work; Jesus saw through their hypocritical flattery (vs 14,15). Wise answer The small coin which Jesus asked for (why didn’t he have his own?) had Caesar’s head on it, together with an inscription (vs 15,16). Those markings asserted Caesar’s authority. Jesus’ wise answer (v 17) was a challenge to everyone. If they wanted the benefits of the state they should pay their taxes. But that was not enough. More important was their obedience to God, a failing exposed in the earlier parable (12:1–10). The challenge of this passage is no less for us than it was for them. Respond: Are you more afraid of human authorities than you are of God? Pray that obedience to God will be the focus of your life today. http://www.wordlive.org/Session/Classic/2012-11-17