Tax Time!

Matthew 22:15-22

22:15 Then the Pharisees went and plotted to entrap him in what he said.

22:16 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.

22:17 Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?"

22:18 But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, "Why are you putting me to the test, you hypocrites?

22:19 Show me the coin used for the tax." And they brought him a denarius.

22:20 Then he said to them, "Whose head is this, and whose title?"

22:21 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."

22:22 When they heard this, they were amazed; and they left him and went away.

Ok, no one likes paying taxes, but for Jesus it was something way more sinister.  Taxes went to support the evil Roman Empire.  The Israelites were literally being forced to fund the enemy occupying their country.  Repeatedly Jesus refused to enter into social commentary. When forced to directly address the evil of the Roman Empire, Jesus once again, cleverly, avoids directly addressing the Roman issue.   Why?  We live in a society that is obsessed with addressing social ills.  Some theologians, who call themselves "liberation theologians", go so far as to say that addressing social evil is a primary purpose for Christians in this world.  Yet, Jesus, even when pushed to the wall to make a statement on social injustice, simply would not engage. 

I believe it is because Jesus knew that social evil was a spiritual problem, not a social or political one.  He knew that no matter how you dug at the roots of iniquity in this world with worldly tools, the best you would accomplish is to root out one social ill, while spreading a new one...or several new ones.  The problem was not Caesar, or Rome, or the representatives of King Herod (Herodians)...the problem was sin... and Jesus DID address that problem, and he still does.  

 So here are some questions I want to leave with you to think about:

1. What does it mean that Christians live "in this world" but not "of this world"?
2. What duty does a Christian have to addressing social issues?  Do we have one at all, or do we have a different mission?
3. How do we apply spiritual solutions to seemingly worldly problems?
4. What crop of sinful produce do you wish you could root out of your life and what sinful attitudes in your heart are at the root of that harvest?