Luke 17:1-10
Jesus Tells About Forgiveness and Faith
Luke 17:11-19
Jesus Heals Ten Men With Leprosy
Luke 17:20-37
The Coming of the Kingdom of God
Luke 18:1-8
The Parable of the Persistent Widow
Luke 18:9-14
The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector
Luke 18:15-17
Jesus Blesses the Little Children
Luke 18:18-27
The Rich Young Ruler
Luke 18:28-34
Jesus Predicts His Death
Luke 18:35-43
Jesus Heals a Blind Beggar
Luke 19:1-10
Jesus Brings Salvation to Zaccheus’s Home
Luke 19:11-27
The Parable of the King’s Servants
Luke 19:28-40
Jesus Rides into Jerusalem on a Donkey
Luke 19:41-48
Jesus Cleansing of the Temple
Luke 20:1-8
Religious Leaders Challenge Jesus Authority
Luke 20:9-18
The Parable of the Wicked Farmers
Luke 20:19-26
Paying Taxes to Caesar
Luke 20:27-40
The Resurrection and Marriage
Luke 20:41-47
Leaders Didn’t Understand Who Jesus Was
Luke 21:1-4
The Widow’s Offering
Luke 21:5-19
Signs of the End of the Age
Luke 21:20-28
Jesus Tells About His Return
Luke 21:29-34
Jesus tells them to Remain watchful
Luke 21:35-38
Jesus Tells them to Remain Watchful
Luke 22:1-13
Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus
Luke 22:31-38
Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial
Luke 22:39-53
Jesus Arrested in the Garden
Luke 22:54-71
Peter Denies Knowing Jesus
Luke 23:1-12
Jesus Stands Trial Before Pilate and Herod
Luke 23:13-25
Pilate Hands Jesus Over to be Crucified
Luke 23:26-43
Jesus is Led Away to be Crucified
Paying Taxes to Caesar
Luke 20:19–26
» View this passage in NIV (Bible Gateway)
In a newly created nation in Africa, an elderly native was told that he was going to be taxed to support the government. “Why?” he asked. “To protect you from enemies, to feed you when you are hungry, to care for you when you are sick, and to educate your chi … More
These religious leaders knew that they were the ones Jesus had just referred to as murderers in the parable He had given (v. 19). Jesus comments were veiled, but the religious leaders had no trouble interpreting them. They immediately wanted to arrest Him. When they had permitted John the Baptist to be killed, and when they asked for Jesus to be crucified, they were murderers. As a result, they were looking for a reason to turn Jesus over to the Roman authorities for execution.
Jesus turned his enemies attempt to trap Him into a powerful lesson. Jesus knew that these men who questioned Him were sent there by the Pharisees and the Herodians (v. 20). These two groups were usually fighting each other but now they had a common enemy and this had caused them to join forces. They asked Him a question about taxes and Roman authority (vv. 21-22). They hoped to get Him to either offend the Jew by saying they needed to pay the poll tax, or the Romans by saying they didn’t need to pay the poll tax. It is important that we keep our priorities straight when it comes to God and Government. Our duty is always to God before Government.
Jesus told them that to pay the tax meant simply to give Caesar back that which belonged to him. Governmental authority has been instituted by God and must be respected (vv. 23-24). Even if we cannot respect the people in office, we must respect the office. These verses form the basis for the doctrine of the separation of church and state (vv. 25-26). Both are to exist but neither one is to lord their authority over the other as supreme.
Application
It is unfortunate that some Christians seem to think that the more obnoxious they are as citizens, the more they please God. It is true that I must never violate Scriptural principles, but I should seek to be a peace-maker and not a trouble-maker.
Luke 20:19-26 (English Standard Version)
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View this passage in NIV (Bible Gateway) »