Matthew 22:20-28: a reflection

20He asked them, “Whose is this image and inscription?” 21They said to him, “Caesar’s.” Then he said to them, “Give therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” 22When they heard it, they marveled, and left him and went away. 23On that day Sadducees (those who say that there is no resurrection) came to him. They asked him, 24saying, “Teacher, Moses said, ‘If a man dies, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife and raise up offspring for his brother.’ 25Now there were with us seven brothers. The first married and died, and having no offspring left his wife to his brother. 26In the same way, the second also, and the third, to the seventh. 27After them all, the woman died. 28In the resurrection therefore, whose wife will she be of the seven? For they all had her.”

When his opponents try to trap Jesus over paying taxes, he asks whose image is on the coin. Caesar's, they say. Then he answers: Give therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's. The coin bore Caesar's image, and so was, in a sense, his. But the deeper point lies in the second half: give to God what is God's. And what bears God's image? We do. As the coin bears Caesar's image and is rendered to him, so we, who bear God's image, are to be rendered to God.

Notice the logic Jesus draws out: what bears an image belongs to the one whose image it bears. The coin bore Caesar's image, and so was to be given to Caesar. And we bear God's image, made in his likeness; and so we are to be given to God. Give to God the things that are God's, Jesus says; and what is most fully God's, bearing his image, is we ourselves. As the coin was rendered to Caesar whose image it bore, so we are to render ourselves to God, whose image we bear. We owe God not merely a portion of our goods, but ourselves.

That is worth taking to heart, for we can imagine we owe God only a portion, some of our time or money or attention, while keeping ourselves. We can give God a slice of our lives, as we might give Caesar a coin, and think we have rendered what we owe. But we bear God's image; and so what we owe him is not merely a portion, but ourselves. Give God not merely a portion of your goods or time, but yourself, who bear his image; for as the coin belonged to Caesar whose image it bore, you belong to God whose image you bear. Render to God the things that are God's, and know that what is most fully his is you yourself; give him not just a slice of your life, but your whole self, who bear his image, as the coin bearing Caesar's image was rendered to Caesar.

Lord Jesus, when your opponents tried to trap you over paying taxes, you asked whose image was on the coin. Caesar's, they said. Then you answered: give therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's. The coin bore Caesar's image, and so was his. But the deeper point lies in the second half: give to God what is God's. And what bears God's image? We do. As the coin bears Caesar's image and is rendered to him, so we, who bear God's image, are to be rendered to God. Show me the logic you draw out: what bears an image belongs to the one whose image it bears. The coin bore Caesar's image, and so was to be given to Caesar. And I bear God's image, made in his likeness; and so I am to be given to God. What is most fully God's, bearing his image, is myself. I owe God not merely a portion of my goods, but myself. Take that to my heart, for I can imagine I owe God only a portion, some of my time or money or attention, while keeping myself. I can give God a slice of my life, and think I have rendered what I owe. But I bear God's image; and so what I owe him is not merely a portion, but myself. Help me give you not merely a portion of my goods or time, but myself, who bear your image, Lord; for as the coin belonged to Caesar whose image it bore, I belong to you whose image I bear. Help me render to you my whole self.