Sermon Tone Analysis

Testing Jesus

Mt. 6:19-

The Scene

(v.

15-16)

Temple courts

Jesus’ victory over and condemnation of the chief priests, the Pharisees (21:45) and the elders (21:23).

The Jewish religious leaders now pull in political leaders in order to test him before those faithful to Rome, the Herodians.

False pretense and flattery in order to appear more pious or reverent toward Jesus than they really are.

They say that Jesus is: true, he teaches the “way of God,” and impartial.

Truth - YHWH speaks truth (; ; ; ; ; ; Cf. ).

Jesus himself brings out this reality when he says, “I am the way, and the truth, and the Life” ().

Way of God -

Impartial -

Does this group really believe these things?

This is a false pretense, it is flattery, and as Matthew says, it is a trap.

The Question

(v.

17)

This is the “setup,” the “problem.”

Hoping to trap Jesus, this group of religious and political leaders poses a question of imperial loyalty to Jesus.

“Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?”

“Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?”

The Pharisees and Herodians being aligned is an odd scene, but it makes sense if their goal is to trap Jesus.

The Pharisees might answer this question saying that they must pay taxes, whether they want to or not.

The Herodians would say that they must pay taxes as loyal subjects and to maintain the favor of Rome.

But, if Jesus is the revolutionary religious leader they believe he is (similar to Judas Maccabeus, son of Mattathias, who rebelled against the Greeks when they desecrated the temple), then testing his allegiance is a quick way to have him condemned and sentenced to death.

Then, problem solved!

Jesus’ Response

(vv.

18-21)

This is the “solution,” and the meaning is in the twist.

These opponents are far from pious, or interested in becoming disciples, or in hearing the truth from God’s Word.

Their mind is already made up, they’re simply trying to trap Jesus in his words (ironically enough, this is the same thing that Jesus literally did to them in the previous three parables)

They’re “testing” Jesus - If Jesus is God, which his opponents do not believe, but if he is, then this breaks the command from , used by Jesus in response to Satan when Satan tempted him in the wilderness ().

Jesus calls them hypocrites ()

Then Jesus asks to see the coin.

This must be in the Gentile court of the temple, the reason for the money changers, since Caesar’s image was on the denarius, this type of currency could not be brought into the temple court proper as it breaks the 2nd commandment ()

Once Jesus has the coin, he uses it as a prop and asks whose face and inscription are on the coin.

The answer is obvious, they respond, “Caesar’s.”

Jesus then says the famous line, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”

Boom!

Subjects of Caesar should pay taxes

God doesn’t have a problem with His people paying taxes

The things that taxes go to support, that God and His people disagree with, are still paid for by God’s people.

And, disagreeing with those things is not a good cause not to pay taxes (but why does God allow, or command this?)

While paying taxes, God’s people also must give to God what belongs to Him (What belongs to God? What does Jesus mean here?)

What might be implied here?

God sets up kings and kingdoms, so to challenge those kingdoms is to challenge God

Now, concerning America, and bad government

Context: What was Rome like during Jesus’ day?

What do believers do when the government is tyrannical, and when it is more important to follow God than to follow tyrants?

Is there a good reason for revolution?

Can or Should Christians take up arms against their government?

The Opponents’ Reaction

This is the “resolution”

The leaders hear Jesus’ response, and they have nothing to accuse him of.

They marvel and go away.

This sets the scene for the next confrontation, but for now, Jesus is seen as being “without fault” in God’s temple.

Beautiful Picture!

So What?

Applications:

Who is Jesus?

Good, True, Impartial

Testing?

Without Fault - We can test Jesus, but when we find our answer, we will be held accountable for how we respond to him.

There is no sitting on the fence with Jesus.

The more the leaders try to “test” Jesus and gather evidence against him, the more they fall on their own sword.

Osborne, 811

What does it mean to follow Jesus: Give to Government

What does it mean to follow Jesus: Government

What does it mean to follow Jesus: Give to God

What has Jesus just said in so little words?

For a Jew to handle Gentile money was not necessarily sin or evil.

Subjects of Caesar should pay taxes

God doesn’t have a problem with His people paying taxes

The things that taxes go to support, that God and His people disagree with, are still paid for by God’s people.

And, disagreeing with those things is not a good cause not to pay taxes (but why does God allow, or command this?)

While paying taxes, God’s people also, or more importantly, must give to God what belongs to Him (What belongs to God? What does Jesus mean here?)

The unfortunate reality of the fallen state of the world, which God is working to overturn, is that we are subject to worldly authorities.

This is not ideal for God’s people, but the time when God rules His people directly is coming with Jesus’ second coming.

Thus, God allows governments to exercise (imperfect) authority over His people until He brings history to its consummation at the end of the age.

What might be implied here?

God sets up kings and kingdoms, and those kings and kingdoms are answerable to God

To challenge those kingdoms is to challenge God, while to obey those kings is to obey God.

Thus, submitting to Caesar is to submit to Go

Biblical instructions for following ruling authorities

(; ; ; Cf. ; ; , , ; ; )

Now, concerning America, and bad governments

Context:

What was Rome like during Jesus’ day?

What do believers do when the government is tyrannical, and when it is more important to follow God than to follow tyrants?

When government turns evil, it is up to God to bring them down (Rev 13:10), and he will, often through other governments (as in World War II).

(Osborne, 810)

1 Grant R. Osborne, Matthew, vol. 1, Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2010), 808.

Is there a good reason for revolution?

Can or Should Christians take up arms against their government?

What does it mean to follow Jesus: Give to God

If one rendered to the state its restricted due, all the more is one to render to God his unrestricted due—the totality of one’s being and substance, one’s existence, is to be rendered to God and nothing less.

Osborne, 812; Donald A. Hagner, , Word Biblical Commentary 33b (Dallas: Word, 1995), 637.

the key to discipleship in Matthew (and even more in Luke) is the extent to which Jesus’ followers have sacrificed all for him.

Hagner, , 637.

Grant R. Osborne, Matthew, vol. 1, Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2010).