Today's Gospel reading has the famous expression, "Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God." Just before this, Jesus held up a coin with Caesar's image and inscription on it. While the Pharisees were trying to entrap Jesus by either making Him a rebel or a Roman sympathizer, Jesus points out that their obsession with paying taxes or not suggests that what they truly worship is money.
Time and again, Jesus warns against being obsessed with money. Rather, He frequently warns people that their devotion to worldly possessions bars them from entering the Kingdom of Heaven. In this case, He is asked if the Jewish people should pay taxes to their oppressor, and He answers that they should give up the Roman coin as is required not only for Roman law but for their salvation.
Often, this is taken as needing to follow the laws of the secular authority as well as the laws of God. However, Jesus is not implying that unjust laws deserve our obedience. As pointed out in today's homily, God's law of loving one another should come before the laws of man. Rather, Jesus is saying that since the money itself comes from Caesar, it can be demanded back in repayment. However, what belongs to God should be repaid to God.
Time and again, Jesus warns against being obsessed with money. Rather, He frequently warns people that their devotion to worldly possessions bars them from entering the Kingdom of Heaven. In this case, He is asked if the Jewish people should pay taxes to their oppressor, and He answers that they should give up the Roman coin as is required not only for Roman law but for their salvation.
Often, this is taken as needing to follow the laws of the secular authority as well as the laws of God. However, Jesus is not implying that unjust laws deserve our obedience. As pointed out in today's homily, God's law of loving one another should come before the laws of man. Rather, Jesus is saying that since the money itself comes from Caesar, it can be demanded back in repayment. However, what belongs to God should be repaid to God.
RSS Feed
