15 Then the Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap him in his words.16 They sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians. “Teacher,” they said, “we know that you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren’t swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are. 17 Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay the imperial tax[a] to Caesar or not?”
18 But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, “You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? 19 Show me the coin used for paying the tax.” They brought him a denarius, 20 and he asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?”
21 “Caesar’s,” they replied.
Then he said to them, “So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”
22 When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left him and went away.
Steve Diehl
Forgiveness Ministries – Concord CA
Observation: The Pharisees, thinking that Jesus was just an average man, thought they could outsmart Him. This was a situational ethics question I’m sure they themselves debated unsuccessfully with each other. It reminds me of the kinds of questions students today are challenged with in school. No one ever comes up with the “right” answer because the question is designed to make everyone compromise his or her moral integrity. The only way to beat these questions is to think outside of the small, constraining box the question itself builds. Jesus did this. Jesus answered in a way they never imagined. God is smart. Or as Paul says in 1 Corinthians 1:25, “…the foolishness of God is wiser than men…” They went away amazed at His answer.
Action: What sticky problems are you facing in your life today? Are you out of answers? Do you see no way out? Do you feel trapped? Bring your situation to God in prayer with thanksgiving and faith in the simple fact that God is smarter than you are and thinks outside of the box. Then wait expectantly upon Him. As we wait on God, He will display His wisdom and power in ways completely unexpected by us. He will amaze us. Then, instead of going away from Jesus as they did, we will be drawn to Him in love and admiration.
Observation: You’ll catch more flies with honey than you will with vinegar. The Pharisees realized this and tried to set Jesus up like they were fans, all the while trying to lead him into temptation.
Action: Today, I want to listen to the Father’s will, not the people who will lead me astray. May my ears be open and my heart attentive to see through flattery and to clearly see and follow our Father’s will.
observation: they come to Jesus thinking he can’t see right through them. i do the same thing. sometimes i think my buttery word cover my heart from your eyes.
action: right now i want to plead the 51st. psalm 51, but even that right now is just buttery sounding words. i know my heart is known to you and i have sinned. i have been a hypocrite. i am fighting not to be today. you see right through me. the difference is that when you see into me, you see Jesus inside covering my sin and calling me to be who you say i am. the difference is that the hypocrisy is acting outside the character that is mine as your child. today – i will consciously lean into the new creation that i am in you.
Observation: I see that the Pharisees were disingenuous, trying to trap Jesus, using flattery to do so. As Steve mentions, this is some thing I’m familiar with, something I saw done and did myself in Bible college and after. So many times we tried to trap people, catch them in heresy and implicate them as heretics. We did not ask, “Is God in this? Is this person doing the work of the Kingdom?” as we should have.
Action: I will repent today, Lord, and I will remember how Your Son rightfully rebuked those who acted this way. I know I will someday be tempted to resort to these hypocritical tactics again. Knowing that, I will pray as Jesus taught “Lead me not into temptation.”
Observation: I don’t want to be a hypocrite!
Action: Jesus, help me see where I’ve grown hard hearted. Let my words, thoughts and actions reflect yours.