Twenty-Third Sunday after Trinity (1879)

Matthew 22:15-22 It was in itself a important question which the Pharisees aimed at the Lord Christ in today's Gospel. The correct doctrine of secular authority concerned them. How much depends on this doctrine for the welfare of the world, what unspeakable misery is the consequence, if the state of secular authority is not properly evaluated and honored according to the Word of God. The entire history of the world as well as the Church teaches this. Therefore it is to praise the Lord that He has given a magnificent, highly important answer to this important, though seductive question. The highly important answer of the Lord to the testing question of the Jews: Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? 1. The testing question of the Jews, a. The evil intent which this question was based1, b. The hypocrisy with which such intent was obscured2, c. The question itself . according to its content.3 (The question initially was referring to the relationship of the Jews to the Roman authorities. The Jews believed as the peculiar people of God to owe no pagan government taxes. However, this question further relates to the relationship of subjects to the government in general), . according to the danger associated with it (The question was such that it seemed that this time Christ could not escape: He must answer Yes or No, He was thus "caught". Not without reason were the disciples of the Pharisees added to the servants of Herod4); 2. The highly important answer of the Lord, a. the preparation which Christ meets this.5 (Evil intent and hypocrisy are not hidden to Him: He is preparing "to catch the wise in their craftiness"6), b. the answer itself, . according to its first half7, .the content itself: "Give to Caesar" etc., i.e.: "Yes, it is right that you pay taxes to Caesar." (From the tax money, the Lord had convicted them that they are subjects of Caesar, that they are
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Matthew 22:15. Matthew 22:16. 3 Matthew 22:17. 4 Matthew 22:16. 5 Matthew 22:18-21. 6 Job 5:13. 7 Matthew 22:15a.

to pay to him the taxes owed him. It was impossible for them to rebuke this answer and were thus caught themselves.), .the high importance of the answer. (Hereby all duties of obedience to authority are confirmed, the power it has over us8, prohibition of all uproar, etc.); . according to its second half, .the content itself9, "Render to God what is God's." (This is the content of the First Commandment: We owe to God everything that we have. Everything He gives us we should graciously give back to Him), .the high importance of the answer. (From this we see that on the one hand even the obedience to authority only then is pleasing to God when at the same time God is given what is God's, and that on the other hand one should not give to Caesar what is God's, e.g., faith and confession. Where the authorities dictate something that conflicts against God's Word and the conscience, we must obey God rather than man.10) Georg Stckhardt

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Romans 13:1. Matthew 22:15b. 10 Acts 5:29.