Matthew 102
(Chapter 22)
Politics and Jesus
Matthew 22:15–22 (NLT)
15Then the Pharisees met together to plot how to trap Jesus into saying something for which he could be arrested.
16They sent some of their disciples, along with the supporters of Herod, to meet with him. “Teacher,” they said, “we know how honest you are. You teach the way of God truthfully. You are impartial and don’t play favorites.
17Now, tell us what you think about this: Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”
18But Jesus knew their evil motives. “You hypocrites!” he said. “Why are you trying to trap me?
19Here, show me the coin used for the tax.” When they handed him a Roman coin,
20he asked, “Whose picture and title are stamped on it?”
21“Caesar’s,” they replied. “Well, then,” he said, “give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God.”
22His reply amazed them, and they went away.
Wasting time, bad men will always do bad things
15Then the Pharisees met together to plot how to trap (entangle) Jesus into saying something for which he could be arrested.
· When you are an obstacle in the way
· bad men will always be looking for ways to trap you
· The Pharisees were relentless in trying to take Jesus out
· The more He showed grace and mercy
· The more outraged they became
· So, if you think that being right
o Being kind
o Showing mercy will stop bad men from doing bad things
o You're wrong
· When you are an obstacle in someone’s way, they will stop at nothing to destroy you
And how much time do religious folks waste??
· We spend too much time looking for fault in each other rather than working for the kingdom
Always take the high road
· Paul’s warning!!
1 Corinthians 4:12–14 (NLT)
12We work wearily with our own hands to earn our living. We bless those who curse us. We are patient with those who abuse us.
13We appeal gently when evil things are said about us. Yet we are treated like the world’s garbage, like everybody’s trash—right up to the present moment.
14I am not writing these things to shame you, but to warn you as my beloved children.
· As the world around us sees us as oppressors
· As the holder of an archaic faith
· We take the high road
· Jesus calls us to love, not hate
o To be the torchbearers
o To be the beacon of Hope
o And to endure through our suffering
Flattery will get you nowhere!
16They sent some of their disciples, along with the supporters of Herod, to meet with him. “Teacher,” they said, “we know how honest you are. You teach the way of God truthfully. You are impartial and don’t play favorites.
· Hatred will make for strange bedfellows
o The Pharisees and the Herodians were on total opposite ends of the spectrum when it came to taxes
o But they both saw Jesus as an advisory that need to be dealt with
· And they tried to smooth Jesus over
o “Teacher,” they said, “we know how honest you are. You teach the way of God truthfully. You are impartial and don’t play favorites.
Proverbs 26:23 (NLT)
23Smooth words may hide a wicked heart, just as a pretty glaze covers a clay pot.
· There is all kinds of deceit here
· From whom they sent, to how they approached him
· They were trying to put him in a no-win situation
The world will do the same to you
· Profess Christ, you are a lunatic
o Denounce Jesus and go against God’s word
· Follow culture, you go against all of God’s instructions
o Follow God’s word and you’re a racist, homophobic oppressor
The Question
17 Now, tell us what you think about this: Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”
· The damned if you do, damned if you don’t
· Say yes, the people hate you
· Say no and you’re an insurrectionist
· They couldn’t get Him through God’s law
· So, they went after Him with Civil law
Here is that obstacle thing again
· They don’t care that He is true to God’s law
· They just care that He gets in the way of what they want, what they desire
· Good men, left to their own accountability, will do bad things
· And left alone too long will let that bad wolf inside us all take completely over!
Jesus always knows your motives
18But Jesus knew their evil motives. “You hypocrites!” he said. “Why are you trying to trap me?
· Jesus sees through all the religious smoke screens
· All the bull
· And sees the heart of the matter
· You can run, but you will never hide
· You can deceive the masses, but not the master
· And His is the final judgment
John 1:1–5 (NIV)
1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2He was with God in the beginning.
3Through Him all things were made; without Him, nothing was made that has been made.
4In Him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.
5The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
· Jesus is the alpha and the omega
· The beginning and the end
· And as the world seems to be crashing down around us
· Hold on to that!
The answer to the question!
19Here, show me the coin used for the tax.” When they handed him a Roman coin,
20he asked, “Whose picture and title are stamped on it?”
21“Caesar’s,” they replied. “Well, then,” he said, “give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God.”
· Are we so caught up in the things of this world that forget our true call as followers of Jesus?
· As citizens, we are to do our civic duty
o Vote
o Pay taxes
o Follow the laws set forth
o
· But we are not to mix our beliefs with the secular things of this world
o We can’t entangle things of God's kingdom, with earthly kingdoms
o We are to be good citizens
o Examples to follow
Right now, we are mixing too much religion with secular government??
o Historically, when the church and state have become too closely aligned, the result most often has been the compromise of the church.[1]
There are matters that belong to the realm of civil government, and there are other matters that belong to God’s realm. Jesus does not here specify which matters belong in which realm, but many Christian ethicists today teach that, in general, civil government should allow freedom in matters of religious doctrine, worship, and beliefs about God, and the church should not attempt to use the power of government to enforce allegiance to any specific religious viewpoint.[2]
Jesus foretells this in psalms 2
Psalm 2:2 (NIV)
2The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the Lord and against His anointed,
· The point is Jesus knows!!!
· Nothing on this earth happens without His knowledge
· He was not surprised then, and He is not surprised now
· So our Job is still to spread the word
· Be missionaries in a world that is not our home
[1] Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (p. 1869). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.
[2] Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (p. 1869). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.
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