Matthew 22:15-22
Proper 24 / Year A
If Jesus and the religious
leaders had been playing a game of chess today’s reading would begin with the
religious leaders moving a piece and saying “check.” They pose their question: “Is it lawful to
pay taxes to the emperor?” The Jewish
people despised Rome’s poll tax so if he answers “yes” Jesus risks having turn
against him the folks who just the day before hailed his arrival into Jerusalem
with palm branches and shouts of “hosanna”.
If he answers “no” Jesus will face the wrath of the Roman
government. The religious authorities
believe they have him just where they want him.
Then Jesus asks them to
show him the coin used to pay the tax.
What does it say to you that Jesus did not have a coin in his possession? He forces the religious authorities to
produce one. It bears the image of the
emperor who himself claims to be divine.
Faithful Jews would not carry this coin because doing so is a violation
of the first two commandments: have no other gods but God and make no graven
images. What does it tell you that the
religious authorities are able to put forward a Roman denarius?
“Whose head is this and
whose title?” The Greek word translated
here as ‘head’ is ikon which some
versions of the bible render as ‘image’, others as ‘likeness.’ His challengers respond, “It is the
emperor.” “Render unto the emperor the
things that are the emperor’s and unto God the things that are God’s.” And with this answer Jesus claims “check” and
“mate.”
In our zoom call last
Tuesday we began our time, as we always do, talking about one of the readings
for the upcoming Sunday; usually the gospel.
Bishop Susan said she loves to preach on today’s reading and I asked her
why. She said, “If the coin bears the
image of the emperor, who bears the image of God?” This, I think, is a really good question to
explore.
It is a central question
addressed in the very first story in the bible.
Genesis 1:26 reads, “And God said, let us make man in our own image, in
our own likeness.” So God creates human
beings, male and female, in God’s image.
Therefore, one way to answer this question is every person, regardless
of age, gender, ethnicity or religious persuasion bears the image of God and
therefore is infused with dignity and worth.
This truth forms the foundation of all human rights and equality. Any attempt to build barriers, create
divisions, or assert dominance over another person or group is a fundamental
rejection of the biblical truth all people bear the image of God.
I don’t intend to comment
every Sunday about the conflict between Israel and Hamas, but today’s reading
with its focus on how every human being bears the image of God, has much to say
about this crisis. I read an interesting
article this week in which the author argued we should not be pushing people
either to side with Israel or with Palestine.
The real division in the middle east is between people who want peace
and those who don’t. My hunch is more
want peace than don’t, but, sadly, it only takes a small minority to throw that
volatile region into chaos.
Who bears the image of
God? We who confess the to the Christian
faith hold Jesus Christ is the perfect image of God. He is God from God, Light from Light, true
God from true God. He proclaims to
Philip, “Anyone who has known me has seen the Father” (John 14:8-9).
We who hold to this faith commit
ourselves through baptism to live intentionally into the image of God, using
Jesus’ words and deeds as our measuring stick.
Think about the promises we have made:
Will you
proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ?
Will you seek
and serve Christ in all persons, loving your neighbor as yourself?
Will you
strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every
human being?
To each question we
respond, “I will, with God’s help.” So,
not only are we committed to bearing the image of God, we are empowered to do this
through the Holy Spirit who dwells within us.
Render unto the emperor
the things that are the emperor’s and unto God the things that are God’s. Some people take from this we should simply
be compliant with our government and do whatever it tells us. But I think just as the coin bearing the
emperor’s image circulates throughout society, we are to circulate God’s image
everywhere we go and with whoever we have contact. Whose image is on you? In whose likeness are you made?
