Rightful Things Belong to God
To catch him they sent spies to watch him. These spies according
to Matthew 22:16 were the disciples of the Pharisees and some Herodians. Pharisees are a priestly sect within the daily
life of the Jews. They were “extremely
influential among the townsfolk, and all prayers and sacred rites of divine
worship are performed according to their exposition[1]”
Most people followed their way of religious practice in observance of their
worship of Yahweh. As we note though in the parable of the "Publican and the
Priest" that the Pharisee observes all that is considered right in the way of
living and justifies himself as righteous. Their “interpretations of the law
compromised the authority of God’s own revelation. To make matters worse, the
genius of those interpretations was to distort the doctrine of grace by
relaxing the divine standards[2]”
Jesus’ charge to them in Mark 7: 9-13
“…You are good at setting aside the commandment of God in order to keep your
tradition. For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘He who speaks
evil of father or mother, is to be put to death’; but you say, ‘If a man says
to his father or his mother, whatever you might benefit from me is Corban (that
is to say, given to God),’you no longer leave him to do anything for his father
or his mother; thus invalidating the word of God by your tradition which you
have handed down; and you do many things such as that.”[3]
Herodians “also known as the
Boethusians. Theologically they were in agreement with the Sadducees, but
politically they were more pro-Herodian than the Sadducees. While the Pharisees
looked for a cataclysmic messianic kingdom to remove the present Herodian rule,
the Herodians worked to keep Herod’s dynasty in power.[4]”
Both put aside their difference to conspire against Jesus to catch
him in a statement and deliver him up to the authority of the governor.
These spies pretend to be righteous before Jesus. These men filled
with deceit feign righteousness in order to listen to watch Jesus is saying and
catch him in some wrong statement. Matthew Henry states “It is no new thing
for bad men to feign themselves just men, and to cover the most wicked projects
with the most specious and plausible pretenses. The devil can transform himself
into an angel of light, and a Pharisee appear in the garb, and speak the
language, of a disciple of Christ. A spy must go in disguise. These spies must
take on them to have a value for Christ's judgment, and to depend upon it as an
oracle, and therefore must desire his advice in a case of conscience.[5]”
These slick men who have crept into the congregation speak to
Jesus with vain flattery. They are feigning to be righteous, so their
question is not that of a humble student but of deceit and craftiness. Oh, the
serpent and his way, the father of lies and deceit. prowls like a lion ready to
pounce and devour.
“Teacher, we know that You speak and teach correctly, and You
are not partial to any, but teach the way of God in truth.” By who’s
standard? Pharisaical standards don’t line up to God’s standards, you can see
the empty flattery in their words. Their statement is true by God’s standards but
since they have wicked hearts they twist into vain flattery. They again challenge him and ask, “Is it LAWFUL for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”
“Their pride and covetousness made them loathe to pay taxes,
and then they would have it a question whether it was lawful or no. Now if
Christ should say that it was lawful the people would take it ill, for they
expected that he who set up to be the Messiah should in the first place free
them from the Roman yoke, and stand by them in denying tribute to Caesar. But
if he should say that it was not lawful, as they expected he would (for if he
had not been of that mind they thought he could not have been so much the
darling of the people as he was), then they should have something to accuse him
of to the governor, which was what they wanted.”[6] according
to Matthew Henry.
Jesus, perceiving their trap, the craftiness of the flattery and challenge of the Law of God over their established traditions, answers them. “Note, Those that are most crafty in their designs against Christ and his gospel cannot with all their art conceal them from his cognizance. He can see through the most politic disguises, and so break through the most dangerous snare for surely in vain is the net spread in the sight of any bird.”[7] Again, we see the priests challenging Jesus and Jesus returning with a “Why tempt me?” We learned this last week when they questioned Jesus Authority so now they question God’s law.
He did not give them a straight answer but asked them a question
in return. “Show Me a denarius. Whose likeness and inscription does it have?”
They rightly own to the fact that the coin bears the mark of Caesar.
They should have asked whether it was lawful to pay and receive Caesar’s money
among themselves, and to admit that to be the instrument of their commerce.
“Then
render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s” “In civil things you ought to
submit to the civil powers, and so, if Caesar protects you in your civil rights
by laws and the administration of justice, you ought to pay him tribute.”[8] In the same way, we pay
taxes in this country to afford the protection of a sovereign state. We do not
have a Caesar; our governing rule is the Constitution of the United States and
by that, we live under the reign and laws of God. A dollar bears the image of
Washington, so render unto Washington that which belongs to Washington. “but in sacred things, God only is your King.
You are not bound to be of Caesar’s religion you must render to God the things
that are God's, must worship and adore him only, and not any golden image that Caesar
sets up and we must worship and adore him in such a way as he had
appointed, and not according to the inventions of Caesar.”[9]
Any State that creates a standard by which it proclaims itself as God attempts to usurp power from God. It denies the one true God and thus denies His one true law. The state will start to tell you that you cannot worship your God unless you worship in a way the State prescribes by its law. Thus, like in China, the main Christian church is compromised by the State and true worshipers are underground and persecuted if found. It was the State in Germany between 1938 and 1945 that dehumanized the Jews and slaughtered 6 million of them, it was that State in Communist Russia did its best to remove God and the Church from its presence by killing more people than the total deaths of World War II. The state is not God, God is sovereign over all and is King of kings. Worship him and him only and render unto the ruling authority what belongs to them. No one should submit to another person to worship them, no one person is God. None have rule over you unless you grant that to them. Only God has the right to be worshipped for He is good and righteous and just. He is our creator; our God who reigns with a righteous might and a marvelous grace.
Pharisee
and Herodian spies were unable to catch Jesus in the presence of the people. I
would gather they wanted to do this in front of the people so that they would reject
Him. The crowd would be enraged and swarm Jesus to kill him. That would answer the desires of the Chief Priests. But it never happened, instead, they worshiped Him by marveling at his answer, silencing themselves.
Today we have
people who come into the congregation of Christ’s church feigning
righteousness. There is a semblance of what is right but, in fact, are ravenous
wolves seeking to prey on the weak. Some come in the name of Justice, some in
the name of Reparations, some in the name of Color, some come in the name of
Sex, and some also come in the name of a false Jesus, but none of them come in
the name of the one true God, the Triune God. They instead seek to rule by
their own traditions and standards. They rebuke God and his anointed one says,
“Let us break their bonds apart.” Like last week, these are the ones that do
not want God to rule over them and they will take everyone with them if they
could.
Is this you? Do
you seek to establish your own law and rebel against the one true God? Do you
twist his word to suit your need? Is the word of God folly to you, worthless? 1
Corinthians 1:18 “For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are
perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God.”
I urge you to
repent. Turn from your wicked, devilish ways and turn toward Christ and His
righteousness.
All man has
fallen and cannot keep the Law of God. In His court, we stand guilty and deserve
the payment for our sin which is death. But God made a way for redemption. He
sent His Son Jesus to become human incarnate. 100% God, and 100% human. He
lived on this earth preaching the good news of the Kingdom and lived a perfect, righteous life. Then he willingly gave up His life to be crucified on the
cross. He died and three days later was resurrected. In this act he conquered
death. Through his life, death, and resurrection, those who believe in Him will
have everlasting life, they will be a new creature, born again into the kingdom
of God.
But to those who
do not believe, you still have time while you are alive. Repent, seek Christ
Jesus and humble before him admit you are a sinner in agreement with the Scriptures
and ask for forgiveness. God will surely forgive you if your heart is humble
and contrite. But be not like the spies, the crafty vain flatterers seeking only to satisfy your own desires, be humble and true.
Amen.
[1]
Elwell, W. A., & Comfort, P. W. (2001). In Tyndale Bible
dictionary (p. 1027). Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.
[2]
Elwell, W. A., & Comfort, P. W. (2001). In Tyndale Bible
dictionary (p. 1027). Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.
[3]
Lockman Foundation (2020). Legacy Standard Bible
[4]
Elwell, W. A., & Comfort, P. W. (2001). In Tyndale Bible
dictionary (p. 600). Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.
[5]
Barnes, Albert; Calvin, John; Clarke, Adam; Henry, Matthew; Spurgeon, Charles
H.; Wesley, John. The Ultimate Commentary On Luke: A Collective Wisdom On The
Bible (p. 1454). Kindle Edition.
[6]
Barnes, Albert; Calvin, John; Clarke, Adam; Henry, Matthew; Spurgeon, Charles
H.; Wesley, John. The Ultimate Commentary On Luke: A Collective Wisdom On The
Bible (p. 1455). Kindle Edition.
[7]
Barnes, Albert; Calvin, John; Clarke, Adam; Henry, Matthew; Spurgeon, Charles
H.; Wesley, John. The Ultimate Commentary On Luke: A Collective Wisdom On The
Bible (p. 1455). Kindle Edition.
[8] Barnes, Albert; Calvin, John; Clarke,
Adam; Henry, Matthew; Spurgeon, Charles H.; Wesley, John. The Ultimate
Commentary On Luke: A Collective Wisdom On The Bible (p. 1455). Kindle Edition.
[9] Barnes, Albert; Calvin, John; Clarke,
Adam; Henry, Matthew; Spurgeon, Charles H.; Wesley, John. The Ultimate
Commentary On Luke: A Collective Wisdom On The Bible (p. 1455). Kindle Edition.
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