Over the years I must
have heard this sermons dozens of times, as I’m sure you all have. And how many
times has the message been about the morals of paying taxes? Too many. But did
Matthew, who himself was a tax collector, really insert this story into his
gospel to tick the morals of paying one’s bills? Tax collectors were not
exactly the beloved of the people. They were scoundrels who lined their own
pockets with kickbacks and fees for no service. And it made some of them very
wealthy. They were also seen as collaborators with the Romans because it was
Rome that levied the taxes.
It’s interesting to note that Jesus chose a tax collector and a zealot (Simon the zealot) both to include in his chosen group of twelve. Zealots were the terrorists of the day, and wouldn’t think twice about knifing anyone seen as a collaborator with the occupying power. Jesus also chose a thief who turned traitor. Judas was put in charge of the money bag, and would help himself to it. Jesus also chose tradies, fisherman (Peter, James and John) as his followers. Note carefully that Jesus didn’t choose the intellectual elite, with the one extraordinary exception being St Paul, who was a well-educated Pharisee.
Now there’s a good reason why Jesus didn’t choose the intellectual elite, those who were in their own strength academically, and that’s why I think Matthew has included the tax story in his gospel. Yes, there is a moral imperative to pay your taxes because the authorities need income to provide you with civic services, infrastructure and a pension when you turn 67 if you need it. And there is also a moral imperative to pay your dues to God, your worship, your thanksgiving and your obedience to his call. No need to say much more about that, but it’s not why the Pharisees asked the question about paying taxes.
Let’s look at it. In verse 15, Matthew says the Pharisees are plotting to trap Jesus in his own words. They want to engage him in an intellectual sparring match, the Q&A or The Drum of his day, and they are looking to discredit him on their terms to further secure their positions. Notice how they approach the conversation: tell us what you think – setting up the intellectual conundrum. And then the question which is really a silly one. Of course you should pay tax, it’s the law. The question is simply intended as a trap to get rid of Jesus. If he’d said no, they would have gone straight round the Pontius Pilate and laid charges of sedition against him. If he’d said yes, the crowds following him would have vanished. End of story. But of course Jesus sees through them straight away, and gives the brilliant answer he does. Show me a coin. Whose image and inscription is on it? So pay your dues to he who owns the coin and your dues to he who has created and owns you.
The question is not for a moment one of seeking a connection with God. The Pharisees and other intellectual elites don’t for a moment go to Jesus in need and on his terms, which would have been perfectly acceptable. So what did draw people to Jesus? Who were the people seeking connections?
As I said earlier, Jesus chose all sorts for his group of twelve. He went out of his way to eat and sit with sinners, and got criticized for it by the intellectual elites who were righteous in their own eyes. Jesus attracted the unclean, the blind, the lame, the mentally ill. He healed and forgave those who sought him out. The woman with a blood flow who said if she could just touch his cloak it would be enough; the Syrian woman who said even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from the master’s table; the blind man who cried Son of David have mercy on me; Legion who cried out what do you want with me Son of God and was restored to his right mind, dressed and sitting at Jesus’ feet.
These were the people seeking connections. They knew what they were, and they went to Jesus in weakness and in trembling. Lord, I just can’t do it anymore. I’m at the end of my tether. I’m frightened and anxious. Are you available to me? They didn’t ask questions or put Jesus to the test; they simply said Lord help me. And they put themselves at the Lord’s disposal on his terms. The question of taxes is irrelevant; but the question of surrender to Christ and his lordship over you is everything.
Over and over again in the psalms, the writers plead how long O Lord; attend to me for am troubled and in distress; be gracious to me O God for people trample on me. And many other lines of similar lament which are so in tune with human nature and suffering today in our century. Yet the psalmists know and proclaim God as their strength and refuge. That’s because the psalmists knew who to turn to, not to themselves, but to Yahweh the God of Israel.
You see friends, unlike the Pharisees who went to Jesus simply to test him with not so fine sounding questions, those who appeal to the Lord in godly sorrow and dependance are the ones whom the Lord seeks out. They are the ones seeking connections, and God is not slow in making those connections. How true are the words of Jesus, Come to me all you who are weary and heavy burdened, and I will refresh you. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light, and you will find rest for your souls.
Listen to the words another seeking a connection:
Incline your ear O Lord and answer me, for I am poor and needy.
Preserve my life, for I am devoted to you; save your servant who trusts in you.
You are my God; be gracious to me, for to you I cry all day long.
Gladden the soul of your servant, for to you Lord I lift up my soul.
There’s so much need at the moment in these times of social and livelihood disruption. Young children vulnerable to long-term trauma due to being locked out of school and friends and the loss of social value that’s so necessary for their development; mental anguish of those who have suffered months of solitary living; domestic violence due to family pressures of lockdown; the unemployed tossed out of work because business goes under due to lockdown; and of course those who have caught the virus and spent weeks in hospital and are now facing little understood long-term effects.
These are the people for whom Jesus and his church are available. These are the people who are most likely to say, hear us for we are poor and needy. Gladden our souls for we cry all day long. These are people seeking connections, and they are not interested in asking questions like should we pay tax. The question they want to ask is, to whom shall we turn?
We are not interested in asking trick questions like should we pay tax. We are interested in asking real questions like to whom should we go, and who will establish the work of our hands? Well, the answer to the second is that is it the Lord who establishes the work of our hands; while the answer to the first requires us to keep our eyes and ears open, and our hearts and minds at prayer.
So, pay your dues to Caesar, pay your dues to God, and be available in followship to those seeking connections.
Philip Starks
Published under Creative Commons Copyright Licence
