Taxes
BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY…. “So they watched Jesus and sent some spies who acted as if they were sincere. They wanted to trap Jesus in saying something wrong so they could hand him over to the authority and power of the governor. So the spies asked Jesus, “Teacher, we know that what you say and teach is true. You pay no attention to who people are, and you always teach the truth about God’s way. Tell us, is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”  Luke 20:20-22 NCV
Is it lawful to pay taxes? You might find it interesting that after thousands of years this is not a “settled question.” Just “google” that question and you will see the articles and opinions that remain to this day. This question to Jesus was an attempt to create a conflict between God’s “way” and the human “way” or government.
The context is revealing and is appreciated the most by those who have run for public office. The religious leaders were trying to set Jesus up, to trap Him in order to accuse Him. That is the world of politics that exists down to this day. Our current political system does not focus on understanding a candidates position on issues, but is an endless system of trap-setting in an attempt to see what words can be uttered in order to bring an accusation, Â to take a candidate off message and to create a narrative that is controlled by the opposition.
Four years ago when I ran for the State Senate, the candidates of my party were instructed to avoid debates and a candidates forums. It was due to the fact that most of these events are attended by people who have already made up their mind about who they support and they become “set up” opportunities to catch a candidate misspeaking or to twist words. While the strategy was criticized, many political observers actually praised the strategy in the end.
In this situation Jesus did not take the bait. He knew what was going on and answered astutely. As a side note, I noticed the religious leaders did not ask about the “temple tax.” Looking at a coin, Jesus spoke those well known words, “give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.” (Luke 2:25) We give our required money to “Caesar” but our hearts, our lives belong to God and should be freely offered to Him.
On another occasion in Capernaum, we read, “the collectors of the two-drachma temple tax came to Peter and asked, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the temple tax?” (Matthew 17:24 NIV) After giving a rationale that would make Jesus exempt, He told Peter, “But so that we may not cause offense, go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours.” (Matthew 17:27 NIV)
In Romans 13, Paul says that taxes are to support the governments work in punishing those who break the law. He says, “This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing.” (Romans 13:6 NIV) He goes on and says, “If you owe taxes, pay taxes…” Romans 13:6 NIV)
So, when I received a notice that I owed the State of Colorado taxes due to an error on my 2012 tax return….I paid it. As the old saying goes, “two things are certain in life: death and taxes.” In the end Jesus helps us conquer death and frees us from taxes!
Prayer for today…. Lord we often begrudge that tax burden we may face, but help us not be reluctant in offering You our lives that bears Your image.