Whose Image Do You Bear? Matthew 22:15-22

What does it mean to give to Caesar what is Caesar’s? What does it mean to give to God what is God’s in light of the first question? How do these relate to each other? Jesus teaches us that we exist in two kingdoms and that we are able to do the actions required of both, until the kingdom of man demands us to break God’s law. In these two kingdoms, we live out the callings that God the Father has given us, knowing his grace in baptism, and the life of Christ in us through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

Image: Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

For Caesar or for God? Matthew 22:15-22

Fr. Jeremiah Caughran For Caesar or for God? Matthew 22:15-22

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When Jesus is asked about paying taxes, he carefully turns the tables on his questioners. “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s.” What do we make of this response? How does it apply to us today? How did Jesus fulfill even this command through his death and resurrection? Father Jeremiah examines Matthew 22:15-22 and helps us to see these things.

Image: Denarius featuring emperor Marcus Aurelius, Rasiel at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons location: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Marcus_Aurelius_Denarius2.jpg