Sunday, October 18
Matthew 22:15–21
At that time, the Pharisees went off and plotted how they might trap Jesus in His own words.
They sent their disciples to Him, along with some supporters of Herod, saying:
“Teacher, we know that You are truthful and that You teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You are not concerned with anyone's opinion, for You do not judge people by their status.
Tell us, then, what do You think? Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”
But Jesus, aware of their malicious intentions, said:
“Why are you testing Me, you hypocrites? Show Me the coin used to pay the tax.”
They brought Him a denarius.
He asked them, “Whose image and inscription are these?”
They replied, “Caesar's.”
Then He said to them:
“Then give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and to God what belongs to God.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
Commentary
The Pharisees agreed to trap Jesus through His own words. They were convinced that Jesus was a deceiver, an impostor whose growing success was delaying the coming of the Kingdom of God.
For them, the arrival of the Kingdom depended on strict observance of the Law.
The Pharisees believed that the same person who causes damage should also be responsible for repairing it. It is easy to break a window, but how much care and effort does it take to make a good pane of glass? Destroying things is much easier than repairing them.
They believed that by observing the Law, they could enter the Kingdom of God. However, they themselves were unable to fulfill the Law completely, and their lives became an example of hypocrisy.
Therefore, they attempted to place Jesus in a difficult position: if He opposed Caesar, they could accuse Him of rebellion; but if He supported Caesar, they could call Him a traitor.
Jesus responded with wisdom, teaching that each should receive what rightfully belongs to them.
Questions for Discussion and Reflection
Am I more concerned with following rules than with sincerely seeking God?
Do I give God what truly belongs to Him in my life?
Do I use my faith to serve others, or to justify my own hypocrisy?
Author: Lucio Nontol, T.O.R.
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