Daily Devotional for Thursday 27th June
What Can I Give Him?
We have seen so far in this week’s readings that attempts to frame Jesus have all failed. Now a different set of religious and political leaders are sent in with a new strategy. The Pharisees and the Herodians address Jesus with platitudes initially (v 14), hoping to disarm Him, before laying their trap. ‘Is it right to pay the poll-tax to Caesar or not?’ If Jesus answers ‘yes’ He will appear to endorse the Roman ruler – the man who through the inscription on his coinage claimed to be the son of a god and the highest priest. So such an endorsement would enrage devout Jews. If Jesus answers ‘no’ He risks enraging the Roman authorities, always wary of any insurrectionist talk. Either way Jesus stands to lose, which of course was their intention.
The duplicity of man, however, is met with the wisdom of God. Jesus asks for a denarius. The coin is simply a symbol of the machinery of state. It’s the way society works, and in many ways Roman rule had given Palestine a significant measure of stability. Jesus answers them in effect – if you are to benefit from the state then pay your dues to the state. But He has something of much greater import to say: give back to God what is God’s! As with the cursing of the fig tree, the cleansing of the Temple and the parable of the tenants we have read about this week, Jesus is yet again passing judgement on Israel for failing to return to God what He is due. The Jewish people had too often enjoyed the benefits of being God’s chosen nation without giving God, their true ruler, His rightful return. This challenges us today to assess how we also, as God’s chosen people, have responded to His goodness and grace.
Time to reflect…
What then should we give back to God?
Paul in Romans 13 points out that a society that is stable politically and economically is to be respected and honoured, because God is the source of such stability. Law and order, justice and equality flow from Him. But there may be times when we sense injustice and inequality in the decisions of our government. What should be our response when the government is doing wrong rather than right in God’s eyes? Sadly sometimes that’s the way society works. What we need to give back to God may overrule our political allegiances.
Pause to pray…
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you anything you may be withholding from God – finances, trust, devotion, standing up for justice for the poor – ask for help to give back to our generous and gracious God. Amen
