October 19, 2014 Grace Lutheran Church Elyria, Oh. What Image Do You Serve?

Matthew 22:15–22
The Herodians and Pharisees band together here with a motive to trap Jesus. They pose a question regarding the payment of taxes and Jesus points them to allegiance.

15Then the Pharisees went and plotted how to entangle [Jesus] in his talk.
16And they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are true and teach the way of God truthfully, and you do not care about anyone’s opinion, for you are not swayed by appearances. 17Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” 18But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why put me to the test, you hypocrites? 19Show me the coin for the tax.” And they brought him a denarius. 20And Jesus said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” 21They said, “Caesar’s.” Then he said to them, “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” 22When they heard it, they marveled. And they left him and went away.