This Sunday’s Gospel shows Jesus’ local opponents colluding with Roman sympathizers. The Pharisees and the Herodians are colluding in a plan to trap Jesus. They use a tax question to set the trap. “Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar?” Jesus’ response is commonly misinterpreted by self-titled Christians. Martin Luther famously misinterpreted it in favor of the state. His misinterpretation was later used in favor of the Nazis. Luther and other self-titled Christians claim Jesus’ response conceded that earthly rulers have God given authority over people. All people are duty bound to submit to them. The exact opposite is true.
Romans asserted their rule in the name of Caesar, who was, for them, worshipped as a god. When the Pharisees and Herodians confronted Jesus with the tax question they were also confronting him with a religious question. They wanted to either coopt Jesus to affirm Caesar’s divine status or to arrest Jesus for refusing to do so. Jesus response to the question differentiated between Caesar and God, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.” Jesus’ response did not affirm Caesar’s Divine authority. It did the exact opposite. Jesus was demoting Caesar from Divine authority. Jesus was introducing an entirely radical idea into human history – earthly rulers do not reign in the place of or in the name of God. 2,000 years ago Jesus was letting people know they need not submit to priests, princes, presidents, prime ministers, or popes as if God ordained their rule. It was and is a shocking truth; so shocking Jesus’ opponents realized they were in the presence of an altogether radical authority. The authority of Jesus marveled those intent upon killing him, “When they heard this they were amazed. So they left him and went away.” Jesus’ hunters left the exchange understanding a truth present day conformists don’t – Jesus didn’t affirm the authority of any ruler in the encounter – he gave witness to his own – as all commoners can. Jesus thus encouraged conscientious authority in people. It is not an encouragement taken up by Martin Luther, Nazi’s, any militaries, and any of their many supporters throughout history.
Our conscientious authority requires not submission to earthly rulers but courage in standing up to them. This courage is difficult if not impossible to find in the military. Military superiors train subservient recruits to diminish conscientious authority and obey their commands instead. It is the exact opposite of Jesus’ conscientious authority. Conscientious authority means people are peacemakers when Caesars chose war. Common people share when Caesars feign scarcity. Common people heal when Caesars wound and kill.
Prayer: Spirit of Peace, guide us in courage during the contentions of our era.
Question: What are the false gods that need to be dethroned in my life?
October 19, 2014 Gospel Matthew 22:15-21 Twenty Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time