We are God's Priceless Coins!

March 8, 2011

Mark 12: 13 - 17 

13 And they sent to him some of the Pharisees and some of the Herodians, to entrap him in his talk. 14 And they came and said to him, "Teacher, we know that you are true, and care for no man; for you do not regard the position of men, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? 15 Should we pay them, or should we not?" But knowing their hypocrisy, he said to them, "Why put me to the test? Bring me a coin, and let me look at it." 16 And they brought one. And he said to them, "Whose likeness and inscription is this?" They said to him, "Caesar's." 17 Jesus said to them, "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." And they were amazed at him.

REFLECTION:

Political issues oftentimes divide and cause a rift among people. People can easily be divided whenever they take sides. In politics people are often categorized, in a very rough description, into supporters and non-supporters. In the Gospel today, the drama of destroying Jesus continues. Interestingly, a political issue is used to trap Jesus so that his enemies will find a way to destroy him. The Pharisees, the defenders of Judaism, and the Herodians, the supporters of Herod, brought to Jesus the issue on the legality of paying taxes to Caesar. This was meant to entrap Jesus in committing a blunder that will cause people to go against him. On whatever side Jesus would take, he will be put to danger. If he will agree that it is not legal, the Herodians will declare him a trouble maker siding with the rebels. Jesus can then be regarded as a political-nuisance instigating people to revolt. If Jesus will agree that it is legal, the Pharisees would then declare him a traitor of the people who felt overburdened by their taxes. They can easily inspire anger from the people against Jesus by making him to appear a friend and collaborator of Caesar, their oppressor. Their question then was not asked for an answer, but crafted to put Jesus into trouble.

Knowing the evil intention of the Pharisees and Herodians, Jesus led them to examine where their loyalty is given. Using the inscription and image found in a coin, Jesus told them to "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." Jesus got out from the political trap by aptly pointing out that the coins they were using belong to Caesar. The argument Jesus used was the engraved image of Caesar in the coin.

However, Jesus took the opportunity to remind the people, especially the Pharisees, of their responsibility before God. Jesus indeed taught them the way of God as the Pharisees regarded Him (though with clear insincerity, hypocrisy and deceit) a teacher in the ways of God. Jesus indeed taught them the “WAY OF GOD” by pointing out that the highest authority to whom we must pay our due and render our undivided loyalty is God.

As the coin has the image of Caesar engraved on it, making it a property that belongs to him, God’s indelible image is also engraved in each of us designating that we belong to him. Each of us belongs to God. God created us in his OWN IMAGE! Hence, in the Gospel today, Jesus reminds us to render to God what belongs to Him. In a subtle way, Jesus is very clear in asking us to SURRENDER ourselves to God. We must submit ourselves to him as his possession. And so the celebration of Lent is so meaningful, and has a strong sentimental connotation to us, because it is the time we reflect upon ourselves in relation to how God claimed us back from being hostages of Satan because of sin. Jesus came as a ransom for our freedom from the darkness of sin and death.

Our celebration of Lent, which we are about to celebrate, is a commemoration on how Jesus is playing the part of God claiming what belongs to him. The Gospel of today is a strong call of Jesus for us to RENDER WHAT BELONGS TO GOD!!! Our positive response to this call depends on our recognition on the TRUTH that each of us is God’s PRICELESS COIN!!!