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Matthew 22:15-22 NIV
Paying the Imperial Tax to Caesar
15 Then the Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap him in his words. 16 They sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians. “Teacher,” they said, “we know that you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren’t swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are. 17 Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not?”
18 But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, “You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? 19 Show me the coin used for paying the tax.” They brought him a denarius, 20 and he asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?”
21 “Caesar’s,” they replied.
Then he said to them, “So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”
22 When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left him and went away.
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Since the media has taken control of people's thinking, when it wants to attack those it opposes, it uses questions to entrap them or distorts their answers to falsely accuse them. This has become a common occurrence. It is an expression of the malicious human heart that has not changed since ancient times. Over two thousand years ago, the Pharisees and Sadducees also tried to use the same tactic to trap Jesus into making a mistake that could serve as an excuse for them to kill Him. Not only were their intentions evil, but they also hypocritically called Jesus a truthful man, pretending to seek His counsel. They tried every way they could to make the Lord Jesus fall into their trap. The current media is truly history repeating itself. However, none of this could be hidden from the Lord Jesus. He immediately saw through their scheme. They publicly asked Jesus whether taxes should be paid. If He answered "no," He would be branded as a rebel, and this would become evidence for His execution. If He said "yes," He would offend the Jews, leading to the same outcome. But to their surprise, the Lord Jesus' wisdom forced them to come up with a new plan. Jesus said, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's." This means that people, created in the image and likeness of God, belong to God. The conspirators left in embarrassment. The psalmist says, "Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the Lord and against his anointed, saying, 'Let us break their chains and throw off their shackles.' The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them" (Psalm 2:1-4). The death of the Lord Jesus was entirely voluntary; no human could cause it in any way. The Lord Jesus answered Pilate, saying, "You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore, the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin" (John 19:11). The Lord Jesus endured attacks, persecution, and temptation, yet He never lost control. Everything was carried out according to the plan and arrangement of the one and only true God, who is fully in control. Believers should not lose heart because of the seemingly out-of-control media, the confusion between right and wrong, and the chaotic environment. The Triune God is always sovereign. We must hold firmly to God's promises, trust, and obey, aligning ourselves with God's mission. Have we been deceived by the media? Are our responses grounded in truth?
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