About three-quarters of the way through the Gospel of Mark (Mark 12:13-17) an unholy alliance of Pharisees and Herodians, sent by the Jewish leadership, comes together to try to trick and trap Jesus – one of several such attempts to find a way to get rid of this rabble-rouser, by making him publicly state something self-incriminating. Jesus is in Jerusalem at Passover time. Big crowds are hanging on his every word, hoping for some hint that now is the time for him to reveal himself as a conquering Messiah backed by the irresistible power of God, to rid them of the Romans and restore Israel to its rightful place in the world.
Many influential Pharisees are offended that Jesus doesn’t take the Law of God as seriously as they think one should. Especially someone who is teaching and influencing so many. The Herodians are only interested in keeping Herod, their source of status, privilege and wealth, hanging on to his tenuous position as “king.” Herod, son of Herod the Great, ruled the outlying territories of Galilee and Perea. (And those Galilean’s, like this Jesus, were constantly causing headaches – drawing negative attention from Rome). If the Romans become upset or displeased with Herod, his days (and theirs) at the top of his tiny heap are finished. They’re afraid that Jesus will start a riot, or worse, a rebellion, and Herod, responsible for Galilee, will look incompetent as a ruler.
This band of emissaries, oozing with hypocrisy, comes to Jesus and begins with a ridiculous attempt to butter him up. “Rabbi (you can almost hear them choke on this word) we know that you’re a straight-shooter and that you don’t give a fig about anyone’s opinion. You teach God’s way according to truth. Tell us then, is it against our holy Law to pay taxes to Caesar? Help us understand. Is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” Jesus responds, “What’s the point of this test? Show me the coin with which to pay taxes.” So they huddled up and produced from their purses the silver coin, the value of a day’s wages for a simple worker, and brought it to him. Jesus proceeds to ask them, “Whose image, and whose inscription is on this coin?” “Caesar’s,” they respond.
Here’s the rub. The Caesars had decided and declared that they were divine – like, you know, a god. To have the image of a false god would be idolatrous for an Israelite. How humiliating for them! The Israelites were forced to carry around and use this filthy symbol day in day out.
Jesus states, “Okay, pay back to Caesar what belongs to him. But pay to God what belongs to God.” What belongs to Caesar? What can he claim as his own? Some coinage? What belongs to God? In what can we see God’s image? How about all of creation? Everything that is good, true, loving, beautiful, harmonious, united! The Book of Genesis declares that each and every human being is handmade in the image and likeness of God. What do we owe to God?!?