Paying Taxes

Mid-April is tax time in our country.
Federal, state, and local taxes must be paid.
Benjamin Franklin wrote something in a 1789 letter that we still quote today.
In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.

In 1913, the 16th Amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified.
Congress now had the legal authority to tax all incomes without regard to apportionment.
Apportionment is a legal term meaning the distribution or allotment in proper shares.
Since 1955, Tax Day has typically fallen on April 15.

In 1913, the Tax Day deadline for filing taxes was March 1.
It was then moved to March 15 in 1918 and April 15 in 1955, where it has remained.
When April 15 falls on a Friday, tax returns are due the following Monday.
When April 15 falls on a Saturday or Sunday, tax returns are due the following Tuesday.

Taxes needed to be paid in Jesus’ time.

Later they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to Jesus to catch Him in His words. They came to Him and said, “Teacher, we know You are a man of integrity. You aren’t swayed by men, because You pay no attention to who they are; but You teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Should we pay or shouldn’t we?” But Jesus knew their hypocrisy. “Why are you trying to trap Me?” He asked. “Bring me a denarius and let Me look at it.” They brought the coin and He asked them, “Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription?” “Caesar’s,” they replied. Then Jesus said to them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.” And they were amazed at Him. (Mark 12:13-17)

The Pharisees were trying to trap Jesus with a series of questions and situations.
They asked Him four types of questions that were familiar to the rabbis.
Their questions pertained to wisdom, mockery, conduct, and Biblical interpretation.
Men could not trap Jesus.

Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Should we pay or shouldn’t we?

The wisdom question they posed concerned the paying of taxes.
The tax in question was the Roman Poll Tax that was initiated in 6 AD.
Jesus did not have a coin of His own and needed someone to bring one to Him.
They brought Him a denarius, which was a small silver coin, a day’s wage for the laborer.

They tried to put Jesus in the center of a dilemma with their first question.
This question would force Him to take sides, or so they thought.
If Jesus answered yes, He would be seen as pro-Roman and would alienate the people.
If Jesus answered no, He would be seen as an insurrectionist.

Jesus looked at the coin.
He wisely answered their questions with two questions of His own.
Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription?

The denarius had the image of Tiberius Caesar.
The inscription claimed Caesar’s divinity.
There is only one God.
It is not Caesar.

Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.

Jesus was insisting that divine honor belongs to God alone.
If Rome had any power, God gave it.

Jesus was not suggesting that people should refuse to pay taxes.
Jesus was wisely putting everything in perspective.
All good gifts are from God.
Ultimately, everything belongs to God alone.

God will not share His glory with anyone.
No human leader deserves the homage that is to go to God alone.
Many human leaders elevate themselves to the position of savior.
That is a lie.

We bow the knee to no one but our Lord Jesus.
No one deserves our worship and our praise but God alone.

Claiming divinity does not make one divine.
In fact, the opposite is true.

Your attitude should be the same as Christ Jesus: Who, being in the very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death, even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:5-11)

Lord Jesus, may we be amazed at You. May we bow our knee to only You. May we elevate no man above you, Jesus. You are our only Lord.