Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?” vs. 17
Matthew 22:15-17
Taxes have always been controversial. American colonists hated it when the English levied taxes on them, particularly since they had no representation in the parliament. In fact, when the English put a tax on the tea that was to be unloaded in the Boston Harbor, the Sons of Liberty, in the dead of night and in front of hundreds of people, boarded the three English ships, battered open the shipping crates, and threw all the tea into the harbor. Some say that their Tea Party triggered the American Revolution. So when the Herodian’s came to Jesus with a question about the legality of taxes there was a potential for real conflict. If he answered “yes” he would lose favor with the people. If he said “no” he could be accused of sedition by the Romans and arrested. At least that was the intention of Jesus’ antagonists. But Jesus, knowing full well what they were up to, devised a clever response that took the wind out of their sails and left them speechless. Jesus knew that taxes are one of the necessities of life, and expected that his followers, as long as they were in this world, would be paying them in one form or another. And while we always tend to believe that taxes are too high, they are generally used for the common good, and that’s a benefit and a blessing to everyone.
Thought for the Day: Are taxes a blessing or a curse?
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