WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:04.080 If you would take your Bible and turn with me over to Matthew chapter 22. 00:00:05.440 --> 00:00:07.280 Matthew chapter 22. 00:00:08.320 --> 00:00:15.359 Jesus shines brighter than the sun, and we get to see the sun in all of his brightness in this passage of scripture. 00:00:16.320 --> 00:00:20.079 Those of you that are just visiting or coming, we've been going through the Gospel of Matthew together. 00:00:20.239 --> 00:00:24.480 We've been working our way through it from beginning to and hopefully to the end. 00:00:24.879 --> 00:00:26.800 We're in chapter 22 now. 00:00:27.120 --> 00:00:33.840 We're in the middle of a section that's part of the last week of Jesus Christ and his ministry here on earth. 00:00:35.439 --> 00:00:44.399 The past few weeks we've been noting Jesus in Jerusalem and particularly in the temple, teaching in the temple and healing people in the temple. 00:00:44.719 --> 00:00:54.799 And while there was accosted and confronted by chief priests and the elders of the people who asked him a question for the authority that he had that had been conferred to him. 00:00:54.960 --> 00:00:58.240 Where did he get that to be able to do the things he was doing? 00:00:58.560 --> 00:01:05.519 And Jesus replied to them in that sort of confrontive question by asking them a question about John the Baptist. 00:01:05.840 --> 00:01:09.760 If they could answer that question, he would answer their question. 00:01:10.239 --> 00:01:13.680 Well, they didn't, and so Jesus didn't. 00:01:13.840 --> 00:01:18.879 And then Jesus followed those that question with three parables. 00:01:19.120 --> 00:01:27.359 And we've looked in the past couple of weeks at those parables as they reveal the lack of integrity of the religious leaders in Israel. 00:01:28.159 --> 00:01:36.400 They walk away from that confrontation, seething, angry, upset. 00:01:37.439 --> 00:01:43.760 They want to get back at Jesus for exposing them in front of a crowd. 00:01:44.000 --> 00:01:47.599 And that brings us to what the passage we're going to look at today. 00:01:48.079 --> 00:01:59.120 Because what we look at today and what we'll be looking at in the next few weeks ahead is Jesus interacting again with the leaders, the religious leaders of the people of Israel. 00:01:59.519 --> 00:02:06.799 Today we'll see him speaking to the disciples of the Pharisees and to the Herodians. 00:02:07.359 --> 00:02:13.599 And then next week you'll see him confronting another group of religious leaders called the Sadducees. 00:02:14.639 --> 00:02:22.240 And then after that, Jesus will have a talk with a law expert about the greatest commandment. 00:02:22.800 --> 00:02:31.039 And then finally, Jesus will talk again to the Pharisees and a question about the Messiah as the Son of David. 00:02:31.360 --> 00:02:38.639 So here is the first of a series of conversations that follow on from the three parables that we've looked at the past couple weeks. 00:02:38.800 --> 00:02:47.039 And in each of these conversations, the people that are meeting with Jesus are trying to set him up in a trap. 00:02:47.599 --> 00:02:57.520 They're contriving questions and situations in order to sort of catch him out and condemn him. 00:02:58.479 --> 00:03:02.879 And each of these times, Jesus takes on the confrontation. 00:03:04.000 --> 00:03:09.280 Today we're going to look at a question that was a political question of the day. 00:03:09.919 --> 00:03:22.240 But in the middle of this answer that Jesus gives to this political question that's posed to him, he gives us a principle about human existence and life. 00:03:22.639 --> 00:03:31.759 He gives us an understanding of what human flourishing is all about, what the center of our very souls ought to be directed toward. 00:03:32.159 --> 00:03:44.479 He moves us way beyond the earthly discussions that are being asked him into the realms of eternity, and not just for the people of Israel, but for all people for all time. 00:03:45.120 --> 00:03:49.840 And so this morning, let's take a look at that as we work through this passage of scripture. 00:03:50.080 --> 00:03:55.840 And the first thing I want us to notice is the plot that's been contrived against Jesus. 00:03:56.639 --> 00:03:58.639 Verse 15, it says this. 00:03:59.360 --> 00:04:05.759 And the Pharisees went and plotted how they how to trap him by what he said. 00:04:06.879 --> 00:04:11.120 Matthew chapter 21, we learn that they were ready to arrest Jesus. 00:04:11.360 --> 00:04:17.519 And now in verse 15, they're plotting together to find a way to justify that arrest. 00:04:18.079 --> 00:04:21.360 They're plotting to entangle him in his words. 00:04:22.639 --> 00:04:25.279 Certainly they don't know who they're dealing with. 00:04:25.680 --> 00:04:30.319 And the bait that they'll use, as we'll see in a moment, is a tricky question. 00:04:30.560 --> 00:04:39.600 And their hope here is by bringing this to Jesus, to impale Jesus on the horns of a dilemma that would land him in trouble. 00:04:40.079 --> 00:04:48.800 A question that no matter how he answered him, would cause him to be captured. 00:04:49.600 --> 00:04:50.879 They think they've got it. 00:04:51.040 --> 00:04:53.360 This is the right question for him. 00:04:53.680 --> 00:04:57.519 Let's take a look at the players for a second, verse 15 and 16. 00:04:58.079 --> 00:05:09.360 Verse 15, it said the Pharisees went and plotted how to trap him by what he said, and so they sent, verse 16, their disciples to him along with the Herodians. 00:05:09.680 --> 00:05:14.959 Now, part of their ploy is to set this up as a plausible situation. 00:05:15.680 --> 00:05:22.240 Notice it doesn't say the Pharisees grabbed some Herodians and went and talked to Jesus with a question. 00:05:22.480 --> 00:05:27.759 It says they sent the disciples of the Pharisees with the Herodians. 00:05:28.319 --> 00:05:37.360 Because if the Pharisees and the Herodians had walked in together, it would have been an immediate signal that something was up. 00:05:37.600 --> 00:05:48.160 Because as we'll see, these these two people had very wide-ranging divergent opinions about the question that they're about to pose to Jesus. 00:05:49.839 --> 00:05:55.279 And it would have been obvious to anyone, what's going on here? 00:05:56.079 --> 00:05:58.000 Why are you guys together? 00:05:58.240 --> 00:06:00.480 Because they wouldn't have been together. 00:06:01.279 --> 00:06:10.240 However, by having the disciples of the Pharisees mixed together with the Herodians, there is an air of plausibility to the question. 00:06:10.480 --> 00:06:23.120 Maybe the disciples of the Pharisees had sort of, you know, like a like a young seminarian, you know, just walked out of theology class and is full of ammo and just wants to go find somebody to argue with. 00:06:23.360 --> 00:06:30.319 And so these disciples of the Pharisees have sort of been, well, we've just got all that we need to get from our teachers. 00:06:30.480 --> 00:06:33.839 Let's go find some Herodians and have an argument with them. 00:06:34.240 --> 00:06:37.519 And so there's this air of plausibility. 00:06:37.680 --> 00:06:39.439 Maybe this is exactly what's happened. 00:06:39.600 --> 00:06:44.240 And the disciples of the Pharisees have gotten in a little too deep because the Herodians had some good answers. 00:06:44.319 --> 00:06:46.319 So Jesus, let's talk to him. 00:06:46.560 --> 00:06:48.879 Let's see if he's got an answer. 00:06:50.959 --> 00:06:52.639 Here's their ploy. 00:06:53.519 --> 00:06:55.439 Verse 16. 00:06:56.160 --> 00:06:59.759 So they sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians. 00:07:00.000 --> 00:07:05.439 Teacher, they said, we know that you're truthful and teach truthfully the way of God. 00:07:05.519 --> 00:07:09.759 You don't care what anyone thinks, nor do you show partiality. 00:07:09.920 --> 00:07:12.639 Tell us then, what do you think? 00:07:13.040 --> 00:07:16.959 Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not? 00:07:17.839 --> 00:07:19.199 Well, this is their ploy. 00:07:19.279 --> 00:07:24.240 They've got a plot, they've got a plan, they've got people in partnership, and here's their ploy. 00:07:24.319 --> 00:07:28.959 And the first one is this smarmy talk. 00:07:29.120 --> 00:07:32.000 I mean, this these smooth words, right? 00:07:32.240 --> 00:07:35.600 This sycophantic fawning over Jesus. 00:07:35.839 --> 00:07:44.319 Oh, Jesus, teacher, teacher, we know that you're truthful and teach truthfully the way of God. 00:07:44.560 --> 00:07:49.040 You don't care what anyone thinks, nor do you show partiality. 00:07:49.439 --> 00:07:52.160 Please share your wisdom with us. 00:07:52.319 --> 00:07:53.920 Tell us what you think. 00:07:55.920 --> 00:08:00.959 They don't mean a word of this, not a single word of it. 00:08:02.079 --> 00:08:04.319 It's all just a trick. 00:08:05.439 --> 00:08:07.920 And why do they use flattery? 00:08:08.959 --> 00:08:14.800 Because they themselves were people who loved flattery. 00:08:15.360 --> 00:08:18.800 Jesus warned about the Pharisees in Matthew chapter 6. 00:08:19.120 --> 00:08:27.199 When you fast, don't fast like those who walk around looking like they're fasting. 00:08:27.439 --> 00:08:32.799 When you fast, wash your face, anoint your head with oil, look like you just come from a party. 00:08:33.360 --> 00:08:37.919 Do it in secret, because these guys want to be seen of others. 00:08:38.240 --> 00:08:45.039 When you pray, don't stand on the street corner so you can be heard of men like the Pharisees. 00:08:45.679 --> 00:08:47.120 Pray in secret. 00:08:47.519 --> 00:08:56.720 When you give to the poor, don't flash your cash at the street corner and say, look what good I'm about to do, like they do. 00:09:00.480 --> 00:09:09.120 These people were faking their flattery because they themselves loved flattery. 00:09:10.399 --> 00:09:13.120 They love the greetings in the public places. 00:09:13.360 --> 00:09:15.519 They loved the chief seats. 00:09:15.840 --> 00:09:18.399 They loved to be seen of others. 00:09:18.559 --> 00:09:24.960 They love this sort of bolstering one another's reputation with loud public words. 00:09:27.360 --> 00:09:29.120 Oh, teacher, teacher. 00:09:29.440 --> 00:09:31.759 Oh, how wonderful you are. 00:09:32.000 --> 00:09:37.440 Oh, how admirable your qualities, how forthright you are to tell the truth. 00:09:37.679 --> 00:09:39.279 You don't care where it lands. 00:09:39.519 --> 00:09:40.159 Teach us. 00:09:40.240 --> 00:09:42.960 We're we're just humble learners. 00:09:44.480 --> 00:09:47.279 Can you answer this dilemma we have? 00:09:49.679 --> 00:09:52.080 And then they give him a sticky question. 00:09:53.360 --> 00:09:55.440 Tell us then, what do you think? 00:09:56.960 --> 00:10:00.320 Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not? 00:10:02.159 --> 00:10:12.799 Well, that's a sticky question, all right, because well, this tax, this poll tax, or this tribute to the Roman Emperor, was an extremely contentious issue. 00:10:13.039 --> 00:10:20.080 In fact, there rose a guy in Galilee, I think his name was Joseph of Galilee, who rose up in 6 A.D. 00:10:20.320 --> 00:10:22.399 Because of this very issue. 00:10:22.720 --> 00:10:30.799 And the government surrounded them and murdered them all because they were acting in seditious sedition. 00:10:32.399 --> 00:10:39.279 People were bitter about this, as any people would be under an overlord. 00:10:41.279 --> 00:10:44.960 Jesus, come on, what do you think? 00:10:45.200 --> 00:10:46.720 Pay it or not? 00:10:48.799 --> 00:10:58.159 This coalition of the disciples of the Pharisees and the Herodians, well, the Herodians would have agreed with the tax, the Pharisees would not have agreed. 00:11:02.240 --> 00:11:15.039 Because if Jesus had said, no, it's not right to pay this tax to the Roman Emperor, then he would have been liable to the charge of being siding with those who were in rebellion against Rome. 00:11:16.960 --> 00:11:23.120 And the Herodians would have sort of run straight to the Romans and said, You got a traitor on your hands here. 00:11:23.279 --> 00:11:29.759 Here's a guy in the middle of the temple trying to raise up a ruckus in rebellion against you. 00:11:29.919 --> 00:11:33.120 And he's telling people to stop paying their taxes. 00:11:36.240 --> 00:11:48.480 But if he said, Yes, pay your taxes and left it at that, then the Pharisees would have said, You see, he's a friend of Rome, just like we've been saying. 00:11:49.120 --> 00:11:51.360 That's why he hangs out with the tax collectors. 00:11:51.519 --> 00:11:53.039 He's just like one of them. 00:11:53.360 --> 00:11:55.440 But there's more to it than that. 00:11:56.480 --> 00:12:08.559 He would have been abdicating his messianic role because the Jewish understanding of the Messiah at this time was that he would never bow to Gentile powers. 00:12:09.679 --> 00:12:19.679 The Messiah was one who was going to come and rescue us from them, not tell us to be responsibly observant to them. 00:12:21.360 --> 00:12:23.039 He's meant to be the deliverer. 00:12:23.200 --> 00:12:25.600 He's meant to set up a global empire. 00:12:25.919 --> 00:12:34.240 You can't have the messiah saying emperor is greater than he and pays taxes to him. 00:12:36.159 --> 00:12:44.080 So if he said yes to the question, then he could be discredited as being the messiah. 00:12:45.519 --> 00:12:47.279 The sticky question. 00:12:49.360 --> 00:12:55.840 So that they plot together, they got a partnership of disciples of the Pharisees and the Herodians. 00:12:56.080 --> 00:13:03.360 They come with this ploy, with this sycophantic language, this smarmy talk, and this sticky question. 00:13:03.519 --> 00:13:05.279 They think we've got him. 00:13:06.960 --> 00:13:07.919 But do they? 00:13:09.519 --> 00:13:13.440 First of all, let's take a look at the rebuke that Jesus gives them. 00:13:16.639 --> 00:13:24.240 Verse 18, perceiving their malicious intent, Jesus said, Why are you testing me, hypocrites? 00:13:26.879 --> 00:13:29.360 None of this is past his eye. 00:13:30.240 --> 00:13:31.440 None of it. 00:13:32.159 --> 00:13:37.519 He calls them hypocrites, something he uses 13 times in the Gospel of Matthew. 00:13:39.120 --> 00:13:40.960 We know what a hypocrite is. 00:13:41.120 --> 00:13:47.519 And it comes from the term of the stage of somebody putting on a mask and playing a role that they're actually not. 00:13:47.840 --> 00:13:52.000 The mask is the role, and of course that's what these people are doing. 00:13:52.240 --> 00:13:59.840 They've put on a mask of discipleship to Jesus when there's nothing like that underneath. 00:14:00.159 --> 00:14:03.279 And so Jesus calls them hypocrites for several reasons. 00:14:03.440 --> 00:14:07.360 First of all, because of the false assertions that they've just made. 00:14:08.240 --> 00:14:09.679 They call him teacher. 00:14:09.840 --> 00:14:14.240 Well, they've been questioning his teaching throughout the whole gospel of Matthew. 00:14:14.320 --> 00:14:15.519 We've been looking at that. 00:14:15.759 --> 00:14:18.480 They're not going to call him teacher with sincerity. 00:14:19.440 --> 00:14:21.120 They say he's true. 00:14:21.279 --> 00:14:27.679 And well, they've believed everything that Jesus has done has been of the devil and false. 00:14:30.960 --> 00:14:33.840 You taught the way of God in truth. 00:14:35.200 --> 00:14:39.440 Well, they haven't they haven't submitted themselves to his teaching ever. 00:14:39.519 --> 00:14:41.600 They've always opposed it. 00:14:42.559 --> 00:14:52.240 And if he truly was teaching the way of God in truth, it would have shown up in their willingness to accept what he had to say a lot before this. 00:14:54.000 --> 00:14:56.000 You don't care about anyone. 00:14:56.720 --> 00:14:59.519 You're not biased or prejudiced. 00:15:01.200 --> 00:15:05.919 And then he says, You have no regard for the person of men. 00:15:08.480 --> 00:15:10.399 You don't show partiality. 00:15:13.440 --> 00:15:16.559 The Greek word here is a face looker. 00:15:17.840 --> 00:15:27.039 You know, somebody who's up there whose mouth is going, but what they're about to say is dependent upon what kind of faces they're getting in the crowd. 00:15:29.360 --> 00:15:30.000 Right? 00:15:31.919 --> 00:15:34.240 They're saying, Jesus, you don't do that. 00:15:35.759 --> 00:15:40.720 So he calls him a hypocrite because every single one of those things is a lie. 00:15:41.200 --> 00:15:46.080 Everything they said in every little detail is just hypocritical. 00:15:46.480 --> 00:15:49.279 But it's hypocritical because of their motives. 00:15:49.840 --> 00:15:52.159 Sensing their malicious intent. 00:15:54.159 --> 00:15:55.279 He knows that. 00:15:56.720 --> 00:16:03.600 Psalm 55 says his speech was smooth as butter, yet there was war in his heart. 00:16:03.840 --> 00:16:08.159 His words were softer than oil, and yet they were drawn swords. 00:16:09.279 --> 00:16:11.360 It's exactly what they've done. 00:16:11.600 --> 00:16:15.759 They've taken the weapon of words to try to trap Jesus. 00:16:16.080 --> 00:16:19.440 He calls them hypocrites because of their forced coalition. 00:16:19.759 --> 00:16:25.120 He can see right through that, even if it is the disciples of the Pharisees and not the Pharisees themselves. 00:16:25.519 --> 00:16:30.480 Herodians, they're friendly to the Herodian rule and friendly to Rome. 00:16:30.559 --> 00:16:36.559 The Pharisees obviously are in opposition to Rome, more nationalistic. 00:16:38.159 --> 00:16:46.559 But he also calls them a her a hypocrite for a fourth reason: because of the coin that he's about to ask for. 00:16:49.279 --> 00:16:53.600 Perceiving their malicious intent, he said, Why are you testing me, hypocrites? 00:16:54.159 --> 00:16:56.879 Show me the coin used for the tax. 00:16:57.759 --> 00:17:00.799 They brought him a denarius. 00:17:02.000 --> 00:17:15.680 Now there were all kinds of coinages that were there, not just Roman coins, Greek coins, Hebrew coins, coins used in Israel in all kinds of different ways. 00:17:16.480 --> 00:17:21.039 But there was only one coin that they would use for this tax, and that was a denarius. 00:17:21.279 --> 00:17:24.960 Denarius was worth about one day's wage. 00:17:26.640 --> 00:17:31.680 And so they say, you know, Jesus says to them, so you know, show me the coin. 00:17:31.920 --> 00:17:33.839 And they're like, okay. 00:17:34.559 --> 00:17:36.319 Pull it out of their pocket. 00:17:36.559 --> 00:17:37.680 Here you go. 00:17:38.079 --> 00:17:41.039 Now, why would Jesus call them a hypocrite for that? 00:17:42.799 --> 00:17:44.640 Well, remember where they are. 00:17:44.880 --> 00:17:46.480 They're in the temple. 00:17:46.880 --> 00:17:54.720 They're in the temple complex where the worship of Yahweh alone is to take place. 00:17:55.359 --> 00:18:00.880 And these guys pull out a coin in the temple. 00:18:01.599 --> 00:18:04.880 And Jesus asked them, Whose face is on that? 00:18:05.119 --> 00:18:07.359 And they're like, Caesar's. 00:18:08.640 --> 00:18:20.000 Well, we know from archaeology that it was the coin of Tiberius Caesar, the son of Augustus Caesar, and on it would have been his head with a crown of bay leaves. 00:18:20.079 --> 00:18:29.200 And on one side it would have said this in English, Tiberius Caesar Augustus, son of the divine Augustus. 00:18:31.200 --> 00:18:42.720 And on the back of it would have been a seated female figure, which would have been a sign perhaps of Rome or maybe a relationship to Augustus or Tiberius Caesar. 00:18:42.880 --> 00:18:54.720 But it also said this Pontiff Maxim, the sovereign, highest role in the Roman religion. 00:18:58.720 --> 00:19:07.039 Obviously, this coin has some trouble explaining itself in light of the first and second commandment. 00:19:07.359 --> 00:19:09.920 You are to worship the Lord your God alone. 00:19:10.000 --> 00:19:12.559 You're not to make a graven image. 00:19:13.039 --> 00:19:27.920 Here is a coin in the temple that these religious men have brought out that says, Divine Augustus, head priest of the Roman idolatrous religion. 00:19:28.720 --> 00:19:32.559 And it's in their pocket, in their temple. 00:19:35.119 --> 00:19:38.400 So they are certainly worthy of this rebuke. 00:19:38.720 --> 00:19:40.160 Hypocrite. 00:19:41.359 --> 00:19:44.720 But look at the rebuttal that Jesus gives. 00:19:46.559 --> 00:19:48.000 They think they've got him. 00:19:48.319 --> 00:20:02.960 They think, you know, as soon as they hand him the coin, he's going to just sort of burn against this and make a deatribe about polytheism or something, and stand alone and say, God alone should be worshipped, don't pay, or something. 00:20:03.440 --> 00:20:05.440 But that's not what he does. 00:20:06.480 --> 00:20:13.920 He says to them, Give then to Caesar the things that are Caesar's and to God the things that are God's. 00:20:14.240 --> 00:20:16.720 And there's a word plague going on here. 00:20:17.359 --> 00:20:22.000 There's a word plague that's going on here that shows us the strength of Jesus' arguments. 00:20:22.240 --> 00:20:37.279 In verse 17, they asked, Is it lawful to, well, we translate it pay taxes, but it's give taxes to Caesar or not, with the idea of giving it as a gift. 00:20:37.839 --> 00:20:42.160 Is it lawful literally to give Caesar something? 00:20:43.920 --> 00:20:52.000 For the Jewish people, that would have been an obnoxious thought to give their overlords anything. 00:20:54.720 --> 00:20:59.519 This was not for them a legitimate duty, and it was done with the greatest reluctance. 00:20:59.680 --> 00:21:03.359 But here they're saying, should we give Caesar this? 00:21:03.759 --> 00:21:08.880 But this is not the word that Jesus uses when he speaks in verse 21. 00:21:09.839 --> 00:21:12.160 He uses a different word. 00:21:12.720 --> 00:21:20.400 It's not give to Caesar like a gift, it's give back to Caesar. 00:21:21.440 --> 00:21:24.559 Something that's been loaned out to you. 00:21:26.799 --> 00:21:29.119 You owe Caesar this. 00:21:31.200 --> 00:21:36.400 He gave you the coin, give the coin back to him. 00:21:36.799 --> 00:21:38.880 That's how it's supposed to sound. 00:21:39.200 --> 00:21:41.039 This is not a gift at all. 00:21:41.519 --> 00:21:47.200 In fact, you have an obligation to give back to him what is under his realm. 00:21:47.519 --> 00:21:51.519 This tax belongs to the domain of Caesar. 00:21:51.759 --> 00:21:53.279 Give it back to him. 00:21:54.079 --> 00:21:59.759 And the using of this coin would have already been an acknowledgement of Caesar's authority. 00:22:00.480 --> 00:22:06.079 Already an acknowledgement of his rule of the realm, give it back to him. 00:22:08.720 --> 00:22:15.680 Jesus is not trying to bring some statement about the social political structure of the time. 00:22:17.279 --> 00:22:42.559 He's simply saying this: you're enjoying Caesar's benefits, you're enjoying what the Roman Empire provides you, the clean water you have, the sanitation that you're given, the roads that you walk on and travel across, the law and order that's found here, the police protection you have, the Pax Romana, the peace that you have among the nations, all of these things have been granted you. 00:22:42.960 --> 00:22:44.319 This is their domain. 00:22:44.480 --> 00:22:46.160 Give them what's due them. 00:22:46.480 --> 00:22:48.000 Give it back to them. 00:22:49.839 --> 00:22:54.079 All he's asking for is one day's wage out of a year's salary. 00:22:54.480 --> 00:22:55.680 It's not much. 00:22:59.279 --> 00:23:00.799 There's two parts to his answer. 00:23:00.880 --> 00:23:13.920 And the first part is this Jesus is teaching us that while we're in exile here as Christians in this earth, that we continue to have roles and responsibilities that relate to this world. 00:23:14.799 --> 00:23:22.240 That we interact as citizens on earth, even though our citizenship, in Philippians says, is in heaven. 00:23:24.480 --> 00:23:47.200 And when you read the scriptures, the New Testament epistles that draw out this principle that Jesus is providing here, especially in a time when there was not a lot of friendliness of the Roman Empire toward Christianity, you don't read words in the New Testament that speak about rebellion and revolution. 00:23:48.079 --> 00:23:53.759 You don't even read words of political gripes about how heavy-handed it is. 00:23:55.519 --> 00:24:05.599 What you have are words about prayer and respect and submission. 00:24:08.559 --> 00:24:10.480 Let me just read a few of them. 00:24:10.720 --> 00:24:12.400 First Timothy 2. 00:24:13.119 --> 00:24:26.720 I urge that petitions, prayers, and intercessions and thanksgivings be made for everyone, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. 00:24:30.400 --> 00:24:36.799 Not to raise our hands in anger, but raise our hands in prayer. 00:24:38.480 --> 00:24:40.000 Romans 13. 00:24:40.480 --> 00:24:44.559 Therefore you must submit not only because of wrath, but also because of your conscience. 00:24:44.640 --> 00:24:49.359 And for this reason, pay taxes, since the authorities are God's servants. 00:24:49.839 --> 00:24:58.400 Pay your obligations to everyone, taxes to whom you owe taxes, tolls to whom you owe tolls, respect to whom you owe respect, and honor to whom you owe honor. 00:24:59.279 --> 00:25:00.720 Titus 3. 00:25:01.440 --> 00:25:16.319 Remind them to be to submit to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work, to slander no one, to avoid fighting, to be kind, to always show gentleness to all people. 00:25:19.200 --> 00:25:20.799 1 Peter 2. 00:25:21.359 --> 00:25:32.000 Submit to every human authority because of the Lord, whether to the emperor as to the supreme authority or to governors as those sent out by him to punish those who do what is evil and to praise those who do what is good. 00:25:32.480 --> 00:25:33.839 Honor everyone. 00:25:34.079 --> 00:25:38.799 Love the brothers and sisters, fear God, honor the emperor. 00:25:40.720 --> 00:25:48.960 There's no words of rebellion here, just words of submission and honor and prayer. 00:25:53.680 --> 00:26:03.599 And we live in a government that, in its structure, is so much freer than what they were under when those letters were written. 00:26:04.240 --> 00:26:06.799 God is not opposed to government. 00:26:07.119 --> 00:26:14.480 Government is a servant of God, and it will give an account for that service. 00:26:15.440 --> 00:26:21.279 But we are not the instruments of God's wrath when it does wrong. 00:26:23.039 --> 00:26:26.799 That's the first lesson, but not the biggest lesson. 00:26:27.279 --> 00:26:29.279 There's a bigger lesson. 00:26:29.599 --> 00:26:36.400 You see, the question that they asked Jesus could have stopped right there with that answer. 00:26:36.559 --> 00:26:39.920 But Jesus says more than they asked. 00:26:43.039 --> 00:26:49.119 This tax, Jesus, um, give it or not to Caesar. 00:26:49.279 --> 00:26:50.559 Show me the coin. 00:26:51.119 --> 00:26:53.680 Give back to Caesar what is Caesar's. 00:26:54.160 --> 00:26:55.519 Question answered. 00:26:56.160 --> 00:26:57.200 Doesn't stop. 00:26:59.440 --> 00:27:03.119 And to God the things that are God's. 00:27:03.839 --> 00:27:10.160 Render to the Caesar, give back to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, give back to God the things that are God's. 00:27:10.480 --> 00:27:16.480 This little extra point is the point that Jesus is making. 00:27:17.440 --> 00:27:21.839 The render to Caesar is just the simple lesser lesson. 00:27:23.039 --> 00:27:26.160 The render to God is the major lesson. 00:27:26.640 --> 00:27:34.400 And what he's saying is, well, the coin that you have, that you've shown me, it's got Caesar's image on it. 00:27:34.960 --> 00:27:36.799 It belongs to Caesar. 00:27:37.119 --> 00:27:40.960 Then give it back to him. 00:27:45.119 --> 00:27:47.200 What has the image of God? 00:27:48.640 --> 00:27:50.240 Every single person. 00:27:51.759 --> 00:28:05.599 Every single individual that's lived on the face of this God-created world has the image of God in them. 00:28:08.160 --> 00:28:14.480 What Jesus is saying is give yourself back to God. 00:28:19.200 --> 00:28:30.319 Take that deneri, the denarius that you have, the one that says Tiberius Caesar Augustus, and give it to him, even though he calls himself divine. 00:28:33.119 --> 00:28:36.880 How much more should you give everything back to the one who actually is? 00:28:39.599 --> 00:28:39.920 God. 00:28:42.880 --> 00:29:02.240 In one eloquent stroke, in one short little phrase, Jesus raises the discussion from this minefield of partisan politics and gives us all a remark that all of us should be focused in on and excited about. 00:29:03.599 --> 00:29:06.640 The adventurous quest of pursuing our Creator. 00:29:07.839 --> 00:29:09.680 What is the chief end of man? 00:29:09.839 --> 00:29:13.599 The Westminster Catechism in its first question. 00:29:14.079 --> 00:29:18.480 What is the ultimate aim and focus of human existence? 00:29:19.039 --> 00:29:23.920 To glorify God and to enjoy him forever is the answer. 00:29:24.880 --> 00:29:37.519 That's an adventurous quest, pursuing our Creator, glorifying Him, enjoying Him, sort of looking into all the different ways that we can do both of those. 00:29:39.759 --> 00:29:53.519 So Jesus here says we are to give ourselves back to the one who gave us life, to give ourselves without reserve to the God who's given us everything and formed us in his own image. 00:29:54.799 --> 00:30:05.279 And it was this, this awareness of our glorious destiny of humans, this culmination of human existence itself. 00:30:06.240 --> 00:30:14.160 Jesus is inviting these malicious men into this adventurous quest of their life. 00:30:14.559 --> 00:30:16.319 Give yourself to God. 00:30:18.000 --> 00:30:21.359 Render to God the things that are his. 00:30:22.880 --> 00:30:25.839 Give back to Caesar what you have. 00:30:26.720 --> 00:30:31.200 Give to God what you are, is what he's saying. 00:30:36.880 --> 00:30:38.480 This is the gospel. 00:30:39.680 --> 00:30:42.240 This is the good news of Jesus Christ. 00:30:43.039 --> 00:30:47.200 This is the message of salvation that we share with humanity. 00:30:47.680 --> 00:30:56.160 A world filled with rebels, all, every single one of us, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. 00:30:56.319 --> 00:30:59.039 There is none righteous, no, not one. 00:31:00.960 --> 00:31:05.519 And the message of the gospel is give yourself to God. 00:31:05.680 --> 00:31:09.839 You're telling a rebel to give himself to the one he's rebellious against. 00:31:11.599 --> 00:31:12.240 Yes. 00:31:14.559 --> 00:31:22.319 Repent of your rebellion and turn to the Lord Jesus is the gospel message. 00:31:25.119 --> 00:31:31.119 Listen to how Paul said it when he was preaching to some people who were actually trying to worship him. 00:31:31.680 --> 00:31:37.039 He said, People, Acts 14, verse 15, why are you doing these things? 00:31:37.200 --> 00:31:38.960 We're people just like you. 00:31:40.160 --> 00:31:42.960 And we're proclaiming good news to you. 00:31:43.599 --> 00:32:01.279 Good news that you turn from these worthless things to serve the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and everything in them. 00:32:04.000 --> 00:32:21.359 In past generations, he allowed all the nations to go their own way, although he did not leave himself without a witness, since he did what is good by giving you rain from heaven, fruitful seasons, filling you with food and your hearts with joy. 00:32:22.799 --> 00:32:25.200 God has given you existence. 00:32:31.680 --> 00:32:38.000 He's given you the ability to benefit from that labor and to do so in a way that gladdens your heart. 00:32:38.160 --> 00:32:40.000 He's given you it all. 00:32:42.559 --> 00:32:43.920 Give yourself to him. 00:32:46.720 --> 00:32:53.920 Sadly, in our day, people preach the gospel as if we're trying to sell something to a skeptical crowd. 00:32:54.480 --> 00:33:00.559 You know, we're so used to buying Fords, and some Toyota guy comes along saying, try this. 00:33:02.079 --> 00:33:05.839 And we sound like a Toyota salesman in the middle of Detroit. 00:33:06.640 --> 00:33:08.000 You know, just give it a shot. 00:33:08.160 --> 00:33:11.279 We're actually a little better than what you've been used to driving. 00:33:11.920 --> 00:33:14.079 Try Jesus on for a little while. 00:33:14.240 --> 00:33:16.160 It'll be better for you. 00:33:18.720 --> 00:33:19.039 No. 00:33:20.640 --> 00:33:28.160 The gospel is speaking to rebellious people that they're missing life itself. 00:33:28.960 --> 00:33:33.759 You're missing out on what you were designed to be and to do. 00:33:34.400 --> 00:33:43.920 You were created by God, who is good and rich and full, who blesses even people that don't know him or care for him. 00:33:44.079 --> 00:33:47.279 He makes the rain fall on the just and the unjust. 00:33:47.519 --> 00:33:50.480 He's given you all this that Paul just talked about. 00:33:51.039 --> 00:33:53.279 Why would you rebel against that? 00:33:53.920 --> 00:33:56.079 Give yourself back to God. 00:33:59.839 --> 00:34:01.519 And so he's calling us. 00:34:01.759 --> 00:34:14.079 Jesus is commanding us to discover in God what is the deepest sense of our identity, to understand what is the source of our existence. 00:34:16.239 --> 00:34:20.639 He's repeating what Genesis said that repeats itself. 00:34:20.960 --> 00:34:22.400 Genesis 1.27. 00:34:22.480 --> 00:34:25.039 So God created man in his own image. 00:34:25.280 --> 00:34:28.000 In the image of God, he created them. 00:34:29.760 --> 00:34:34.800 Such an emphasis, the words get doubled in one verse. 00:34:38.719 --> 00:34:46.559 What Jesus is saying here is so brief that we can feel like it's isolated. 00:34:47.280 --> 00:34:50.239 But the whole of scripture speaks about this. 00:34:51.280 --> 00:34:57.679 Isaiah 41, God is the one who casts down nations before himself and overthrows kings. 00:34:59.039 --> 00:35:06.480 Psalm 24, to him belongs the earth and all that is in it, the world and all who live in it. 00:35:07.440 --> 00:35:09.519 Everything belongs to God. 00:35:11.519 --> 00:35:18.960 Heaven and earth, all people, all nations, all empires, all emperors, everybody. 00:35:20.559 --> 00:35:22.639 Give yourself back to God. 00:35:26.239 --> 00:35:27.599 So Jesus is here. 00:35:27.760 --> 00:35:28.719 Let me say this. 00:35:28.960 --> 00:35:33.519 He's not adding some religious command to a political question. 00:35:34.000 --> 00:35:40.880 He's not adding to the command to pay taxes, the command to do something religious. 00:35:42.559 --> 00:35:48.079 What he's saying here is that obedience to God supersedes all of your life. 00:35:48.960 --> 00:35:51.840 That everything about us comes under this. 00:35:54.719 --> 00:35:57.360 And that his claim on us has no limits. 00:35:59.760 --> 00:36:01.840 It embraces every part of us. 00:36:02.079 --> 00:36:03.920 It embraces our words. 00:36:04.159 --> 00:36:05.760 It embraces our will. 00:36:06.320 --> 00:36:08.079 It embraces our work. 00:36:22.000 --> 00:36:24.559 Why did God create us? 00:36:26.400 --> 00:36:29.840 For his own glory and to enjoy us. 00:36:31.199 --> 00:36:44.239 When you read the creation accounts of the ancient Near East, and I've had the privilege of seeing them and reading them, you'll read one that comes out of Mesopotamia, the creation story called Enuma Elish. 00:36:44.559 --> 00:36:49.840 And it talks about the creation account according to this God called Marduk. 00:36:50.239 --> 00:36:53.360 And this is what Marduk says about creating people. 00:36:53.920 --> 00:36:57.280 Blood I will amass and cause bones to be. 00:36:57.519 --> 00:37:02.079 I will establish a savage man shall be his name. 00:37:02.400 --> 00:37:04.960 Verily, savage man I will create. 00:37:17.440 --> 00:37:28.719 But when you read Genesis one and two, you see that God made humanity in his own image, and then he communes with his creation. 00:37:30.400 --> 00:37:31.920 Relationship. 00:37:33.039 --> 00:37:34.159 Intimacy. 00:37:37.519 --> 00:37:43.760 The biblical record of creation is very different than those ancient Near East records of creation. 00:37:44.880 --> 00:37:48.800 You see, humanity is the crown of creation. 00:37:52.000 --> 00:37:56.639 God made us in his own image, unlike anything else that he made. 00:37:57.440 --> 00:38:18.400 And he did so so that he might relate to us humans, that we might find enjoyment in each other's company, that there might be a pleasurable relationship, that all our doings might be done in mirror of his and in return to him as our Lord. 00:38:19.440 --> 00:38:23.119 That we would glorify him and enjoy him forever. 00:38:26.239 --> 00:38:28.719 This is what Jesus is saying to these men. 00:38:29.199 --> 00:38:31.199 Oh, they're religious, all right. 00:38:31.760 --> 00:38:38.400 Yeah, they're religious to the max, but they don't know God. 00:38:40.159 --> 00:38:43.760 And they have not given themselves back to God. 00:38:48.719 --> 00:38:50.719 What is this about then? 00:38:53.440 --> 00:38:59.679 Well, it means to tell us that, first of all, we're not ourselves. 00:39:00.000 --> 00:39:02.320 We're not self-determinate. 00:39:02.800 --> 00:39:08.079 We can't just make up what we think is right and what we think is wrong. 00:39:08.480 --> 00:39:12.719 As though we were the sovereign one of the universe. 00:39:15.840 --> 00:39:21.760 We're to give up that right of self-determination and submit ourselves to the God who made us. 00:39:24.239 --> 00:39:27.440 That we are to live with a different principle in mind. 00:39:27.599 --> 00:39:32.559 It's not about self-indulgence, but service. 00:39:33.679 --> 00:39:38.639 And in a couple weeks, Banu is going to lead us through a passage that talks about what that service looks like. 00:39:38.800 --> 00:39:41.119 Love the Lord your God with all your heart. 00:39:41.440 --> 00:39:43.519 Love your neighbor as yourself. 00:39:44.239 --> 00:39:54.320 That the center of human existence is God, and that the center of human energies and actions is one of service to God and others. 00:39:57.360 --> 00:40:09.840 It means that we are not to be living our life as though it was all about us, but to give ourselves to Him, body and soul. 00:40:11.199 --> 00:40:30.000 But it also means that we trust in this God, the one who made us, the one who's calling us back to Himself, the One who wants to commune with us, even when life is hard, even when things are tough, even when we come to death. 00:40:32.239 --> 00:40:36.000 Now let me finish by drawing this out one last time. 00:40:38.000 --> 00:40:50.880 These men have come full of hypocrisy, with dishonest intent, with evil intentions to trap Jesus out. 00:40:52.639 --> 00:40:54.480 How does he respond to them? 00:40:55.920 --> 00:40:59.760 With the strong medicine of mercy and truth. 00:41:03.199 --> 00:41:08.239 You see, Jesus wasn't interested in winning this political discussion. 00:41:08.800 --> 00:41:14.159 He wasn't even interested in exiting this argument with his own life. 00:41:16.639 --> 00:41:34.639 No, what he was concerned about was confronting his own creation with the very problem that would, once solved, would change the whole of their existence to bring them back to the Father. 00:41:38.079 --> 00:41:44.400 You see, in 1 Peter it says that Jesus Christ had given himself up on the cross. 00:41:45.039 --> 00:41:51.360 He bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that having died to sins, we might live to righteousness. 00:41:51.599 --> 00:42:02.159