Matthew 22:15-22, Give Yourself Back to God

The text for this past Sunday's sermon is found in the Gospel of Matthew in the 22nd Chapter, verses 15-22, and covers one of the more quoted statements of Jesus "Give to Caesar the things that are the Caesar’s, and give to God the things that are God’s".

The end focus of the sermon was the Greek word Ἀπόδοτε or Apodote translated here as "give" or sometimes translated in these verses as "render" or "pay to"; the definition of the word Ἀπόδοτε or Apodote is actually better stated as "I give back", "restore", "return", or "sell".  To change the reading to "Return to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and return to God the things that are God's", give us an entirely different take on this verse.

We are to give back to Caesar that which by the definition of Roman Law is already his, the denarius that bears his image and the inscription "Caesar Augustus Tiberius, son of the Divine Augustus", claiming at least in part deification for Tiberius Caesar the current Roman Emperor (Caesar Augustus was considered a god by the Cult of the Emperor). Under Roman Law, the Emperor owned all of the currency in circulation. This coin, bearing the graven image of the Emperor had no place in the Temple, to begin with, and much has been made of this in endless sermons and commentaries. 

The denarius bore the image of Caesar but what bears the image of God? We find the answer to this question in these verses in Genesis:
Genesis 1:26-27  New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
26 Then God said, “Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.”

27 So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

We bear the image of God, we are God's... to return to God what is God's means that we return ourselves to God. Give to Caesar his defiled coin but give yourself to God.

Be a blessing to someone today!

In God's grace,
Roy

Matthew 22:15-22  New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
The Question about Paying Taxes

15 Then the Pharisees went and plotted to entrap him in what he said. 16 So they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are sincere, and teach the way of God in accordance with truth, and show deference to no one; for you do not regard people with partiality. 17 Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?” 18 But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why are you putting me to the test, you hypocrites? 19 Show me the coin used for the tax.” And they brought him a denarius. 20 Then he said to them, “Whose head is this, and whose title?” 21 They answered, “The emperor’s.” Then he said to them, “Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” 22 When they heard this, they were amazed; and they left him and went away.