Render to God That Which is God's: Matthew 22:15-22

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. The text is the Gospel reading from Matthew 22.

In sixteen days, you will go to the polls and cast your ballot for the President of the United States down to local city and county officials. In seventeen days, I’m afraid, the mudslinging will amp to new heights as one side claims a victorious mandate while the other side casts aspersions on the victor, and neither party wins nor concedes with grace. I pray that I am wrong, but there is nothing that I’ve seen thus far to make me believe that Wednesday, November 4 will usher in peace, harmony and happiness across the aisle, let alone across main street America.

First, I want you to know that, in the strict sense of the word, God does not care if it is Trump or Biden at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave, if the donkeys or the elephants have the majority in Congress, whether Judge Barrett is or is not confirmed. The beautiful irony is that God both establishes and uses governments and authorities– even those that refuse to recognize and honor Him, and whether they like it or not! – for His purpose. Regardless the relative foolishness or intelligence of the American voter and politician, God will use whomever is elected for His purpose. He is God; I assure you, He is in control.  He does care how government is run, that it governs fairly, in justice, for good order, with eyes toward the weakest and most feeble. He cares that citizens show love, mercy and compassion to each other in word and action. It concerns Him greatly when people’s reputations and good names are destroyed for the sake of expediency and when governments become corrupt and those First Article, daily bread gifts cannot be delivered.  These can be demonstrated from the Scriptures.

It is timely that this morning’s Gospel and Old Testament lessons both seem to speak to God’s First Article gift of government. A few weeks ago, we heard St. Paul speak of this in Romans 13 – I encourage you to re-read Romans 13 this afternoon; it, too, is most apropos for these days ahead. Today, Isaiah prophecies that years later, God will make the wicked, heathen King Cyrus of Assyria be His instrument for the good of His people. Jesus also lends His Divine words that we know so well, “Render to Caesar that which is Caesar’s and to God that which is God’s.” Given the givens, it seems like it’s a perfect recipe for a sermon on stewardship of our American citizenship, giving thanks to God for our government officials, even though they are less than perfect, and celebrating the freedom we have as Christians in America.

Or not.

For centuries, Jesus statement, “Render to Caesar that which is Caesar’s and to God that which is God’s” has been used to define and explain a church doctrine of separation of church and state.  Even Luther used it in that sense, developing what we refer to as “the theology of the two kingdoms.” He called God working in time through civil government the “Left hand kingdom,” and God’s working into eternity through the church the “Right hand kingdom.” He also argued that the Roman Empire should keep it’s nose out of the Church while at the same time affirming God gives the gift of government for the purpose of establishing good order so the church can function in society.

But this is not the intent of Jesus’ words against the Pharisees and Herodians. This phrase is not really about the government, per se. It’s not about giving ten percent to the Lord and fifteen percent to Uncle Sam. It’s not about separation of church and state. It’s funny, if you stop and think about it. We focus on the “Render to Caesar,” part of this. In so doing, we forget the latter part. Jesus’ focus isn’t on Caesar; the focus is on God and paying to God that which is His.

Remember, we’re reading Jesus’ interactions with the Pharisees and Herodians. The last few Sundays, you’ve followed along as every day of Holy Week the tension ratcheted up another notch as the Jewish leaders realized Jesus was speaking of their unfaithfulness, their loss of the blessing of God, their failure to be good and faithful servants, all leading to the mighty crescendo of Maundy Thursday. You heard how they falsely flattered Jesus, gave hollow complements they themselves did not believe about His truth and His teaching. Their purpose, I believe, was to lull Jesus into a false sense of congeniality and sociability, so that He might slip up in the proverbial question of the legality of taxes. If Jesus said, yes, pay the tax, the Pharisees would jump on Him for supporting a government opposed to Israel; if He said no, do not pay the tax, the Herodians could accuse Jesus of anarchy and insurrection. It seemed Jesus was painted into the proverbial corner.

Jesus’ answer, “Render to Caesar that which is Caesar’s and to God that which is God’s,” is really a non-answer regarding taxes. Jesus is not placing Caesar on one side of the spectrum and God on the other, then asking people to decide whether your dollar goes to one place or the other. To put Caesar on the same plane as God is a ridiculous impossibility. Caesar does not own anything that does not first and foremost belong to and come from God. But Rome certainly tried. If you were to look at a denarius, the coin of the realm at the time of Jesus, it would have been struck with Caesar’s profile and a Latin inscription that, translated, reads “Caesar Augustus, Son of a god, Father of the Country.” The coin demonstrates the idolatry of Caesar, claiming godly authority and power. No - all things belong to God – not Caesar - whether in this world or the life of the world to come.

So, if “Render to Caesar that which is Caesar’s and to God that which is God’s” isn’t about the separation of church and state, or taxation, or even God working through the government, then what is Jesus speaking about? 

To pay to God what belongs to God is to behold Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God who has come into the world to redeem the world. To pay to God what is God’s is to follow Christ, who is God enfleshed. To pay to God what is God’s is to follow His Son in obedient, faithful discipleship. In a word, “pay to God” means repentance. The Jewish leaders and the Herodians missed it – they were too busy trying to trap Jesus to receive Him as Messiah. I submit that we often miss, or at least forget, who Jesus is because we are too busy seeing the government as our god. 

Repent – pay to God – for overpaying to Caesar. I don’t mean taxes. Repent of making the government out to be equal – or, even at times, greater - than God and His Word. Honor and respect the government and our officials, yes; but repent for seeing the government as the answer to all of man’s problems and of seeing a candidate as a savior. Repent of the abuses of government that we tolerate for the sake of expediency. Repent of tolerating political foolishness for our economic benefit. Repent of misusing power and authority, particularly over and against the poorest, the weakest, and the neediest members of our society. Lest you think I speak only of those who are in a political office, this applies to each of us. If you have spoken ill of candidates or their supporters, shared social media posts of one party in derogatory terms, gossiped and spun what “those” people represent, then you repent.  Repent of the politicizing and polarizing language where we brand and label, slander and defame simply to prove our point and win a war of words. Repent of seeing elections merely as how to gain the most benefit instead of how a vote can help preserve and protect the life and wellbeing of my neighbor, particularly the least in the Kingdom who, you remember, are actually the greatest. Repent of mistaking the power of man as the authority of God.

Give to God what is God’s. The Pharisees, the Herodians didn’t see that God was breaking into human history. The Kingdom of God had come and was about to be revealed with Christ reigning from His throne of the cross.

Jesus had asked for a coin, remember, and asked whose likeness and name was on it. Now, turn the question. Where has God put His name? On His Son, “This is my Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Where has God placed His likeness? “If you have seen me, you have seen the Father,” Jesus said. You see God in the person of Jesus, Immanuel, God made flesh to dwell among us. You see God’s mercy at the cross, where the innocent Son of God dies in your stead. There, God used Pilate – a corrupt instrument of the Left-hand kingdom of God – to record His inscription: “Jesus of Nazareth: King of the Jews.” You see God’s grace at the open tomb, where Christ rises, conquering the grave.

God does these things, not only in Christ, but also in you. In your baptism, you are clothed with Christ – your new Adam, your new Eve is in the image of Christ, so closely connected to Jesus that you are baptized in His name and given His name, Christian. So you never forget the blessings and promises of God, chiefly the forgiveness of your sins by grace through faith in Christ Jesus, God continues to place His inscription to you in His Word, and gives you the church to share that Word of faith, hope and love with you and the world.  

In sixteen days, your fellow Americans will render unto Caesar. Cast your ballot, and then live in peace and harmony praying, “Thy will be done.” In sixteen days, and seventeen days, and today and tomorrow, and every day of your life, return to the Lord in repentance, and in faith see Jesus. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.