“What Belongs to God?” Colchester Federated Church, October 22, 2023, (Matthew 22:15-22) Twenty-First Sunday after Pentecost

One of my favorite places in New England is Walden Pond in Concord, Massachusetts.  Walden was only 10 miles down the road from my former parsonage in Lexington, and it was not uncommon for me to go there for a walk to just be in that peaceful place.  Walden Pond is loved by locals for walking or swimming, and of course, tourists flock to Walden to find out more information about the famous American naturalist and philosopher, Henry David Thoreau.

Thoreau lived in his small cabin at Walden for two years.  Though one of my favorite stories about him is when he left his cabin and ventured into downtown Concord only to get arrested.  On July 23, 1846, Thoreau went on an errand and encountered Sam Staples—Concord’s constable, tax collector, and jailer.  Sam Staples asked Thoreau to pay his taxes, even offering to cover them for him if he didn’t have the money.  But Thoreau was an abolitionist and opposed the Mexican-American War.  Thoreau had refused to pay his poll tax because of his moral convictions—not paying his taxes wasn’t on accident.  At that time, the tax was imposed on all males from 20-70 years-old and Thoreau hadn’t paid his poll tax in six years.  So Henry David Thoreau maintained his stance on the matter and Sam Staples politely escorted him to jail.

The legend is that Ralph Waldo Emerson (who held similar moral convictions) visited Thoreau in jail, asking, “Henry, why are you in here?”  Thoreau replied, “Why are you not here?”  Rather anti-climactically, someone ended up paying Thoreau’s tax for him—I’ve heard it was a relative though some say that he never knew who paid those six years of taxes.  At any rate, Thoreau was released from jail the next day to go back to Walden Pond feeling resentful that someone interfered with his protest.  And out of this night in jail for refusing to pay taxes, Thoreau wrote a lecture which was published as “Resistance to Civil Government” and is more commonly known as “Civil Disobedience.”  Thoreau’s words would one day influence Leo Tolstoy, Mahatma Gandhi, and Martin Luther King Jr. among others.[1]  Though it’s worth remembering that this all came about because Thoreau refused to pay taxes as an act of civil disobedience.

Now another famous American—Ben Franklin—is credited with saying, “The only two certainties in life are death and taxes.”  And isn’t it funny (when we really think about it) that even Jesus got asked about taxes.  Two thousand years ago!  Maybe Ben Franklin was right after all—death and taxes are two certainties in life.

Our Gospel story shows that Jesus is still in the temple and he’s still with the crowds and the religious leaders.  We are still contemplating Jesus’ teachings in the Gospel according to Matthew as we have been over the last few Sundays.  Though we are moving from the parables (the parable of the two sons, the parable of the tenant farmers, and the parable of the wedding party) to other questions that folks had for Jesus.  Today we see the religious leaders attempting to trap Jesus.  Basically the leaders are attempting to find a reason to arrest Jesus (remember that this remains the Tuesday of Holy Week).  The leaders are hoping to give Jesus an opportunity to either encourage rebellion against Rome or weaken the popular support that Jesus had among the crowds by Jesus seeming to support Rome.  How?  By asking Jesus a question about taxes.  “Teacher . . . we know that you are genuine and that you teach God’s way as it really is.  We know that you are not swayed by people’s opinions, because you don’t show favoritism.  So tell us what you think: Does the Law allow people to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”[2]

This question is a trap.  If Jesus says that the Law of Moses doesn’t allow people to pay taxes to Caesar, he will be challenging the authority of the Roman Empire.  The Romans had a vast empire and cared about the Pax Romana—the Peace of Rome.  As long as folks throughout the empire were staying in line (no rebellions and such) and paying their taxes, relative peace and stability could be maintained.  If Jesus says that people shouldn’t pay their taxes to the Roman Empire, that would have been rebellious.  Think of Thoreau’s civil disobedience when he refused to pay taxes. 

Though if Jesus says that the Law of Moses does allow people to pay taxes to Caesar, then it will be as if Jesus is pro-Roman.  This stance would in effect call into question some of his teachings about the kingdom of heaven!  Teachings like the last will be first and the first will be last.  Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.  The meek will inherit the earth.  The merciful will receive mercy.  The pure in heart will see God.  The peacemakers will be called children of God.  But we’re going to pay taxes to the Roman Empire and just turn a blind eye to injustice?

Jesus knows that the question about paying taxes is not sincere, even though it begins with flattery.  So he asks the Pharisees to show him a coin that is used to pay taxes.  They bring Jesus a denarion—a Roman silver coin.  Jesus asks them, “Whose image and inscription is this?”  And they reply, “Caesar’s.”  Jesus says, “Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.”[3]  The Pharisees hear Jesus’ response and Matthew tells us that they are astonished.  Afterwards, they just leave.

The CEB Study Bible helpfully explains that this coin would have had an image of Emperor Tiberius.  When an emperor minted coins with his own image on that coin, that coin was viewed as the property of the emperor.  So the Pharisees have in their possession these coins that belong to Emperor Tiberius.  Notice that Jesus doesn’t seem to be carrying that coin, but those who are trying to trap him do.  Jesus is saying that the coin may belong to Emperor Tiberius (even though now it’s in the possession of the Pharisees), but the lives of each and every person belong fully and completely to God.  Jesus’ answer cannot be used to trap him in that he is calling for the overthrow of the Roman Empire.  He’s not calling for acts of civil disobedience.  Though Jesus is also not saying that Caesar is the be-all and end-all of power and authority in the world.  Because what belongs to God?  Everything and everyone.

What does this mean for us today?  Some of us may have grown up in traditions that have catechisms whereas others of us may not be familiar with such confessions of faith.  Catechism are summaries of the main principles of Christianity that are presented in the form of questions and answers.  The Heidelberg Catechism written in 1563 is one of those confessions of faith that some folks in the United Church of Christ view as a testimony of faith, particularly folks from the German Reformed Tradition of the UCC (where I trace my roots in our denomination).  In fact, my father had to memorize The Heidelberg Catechism as a teenager because part of his Confirmation in the UCC church of his youth was being able to answer the questions that members of the congregation would ask from that particular confession of faith.  Anyway, this whole question in Matthew’s Gospel about Caesar and God and taxes made me think of one line from The Heidelberg Catechism that is so beautiful and hopefully helpful for all of us to hear.  The first question is, “What is your only comfort in life and in death?”  And the beginning of the answer is, “That I am not my own, but belong—body and soul, in life and in death—to my faithful Savior, Jesus Christ.”[4]

I am not my own.  I belong, body and soul, in life and in death, to Jesus Christ.  What belongs to God?  I do and you do.  Thanks be to God.  Amen.

[1] “July 23, 1846, Henry David Thoreau Spends Night in Jail,” Mass Moments, http://www.massmoments.org/moment.cfm?mid=214
[2] Matthew 22:16-17, CEB.
[3] Matthew 22:19-21, CEB.
[4] The Heidelberg Catechism as shared by The Reformed Church in America, https://www.rca.org/about/theology/creeds-and-confessions/the-heidelberg-catechism/

Photo by Rev. Lauren Ostrout, taken at Walden Pond in Concord, Massachusettts.