In exploring Jesus’ response to the trap regarding Roman taxes, we recognize the call to navigate our dual roles as citizens of an earthly nation and the Kingdom of God. We see that while we are called to fulfill our civic obligations and work for the “peace and prosperity” of the communities where God has placed us, our ultimate devotion and identity are reserved for the One whose image we bear. We understand that being a disciple means making our neighborhoods better places because of our presence, balancing social engagement with a clear-eyed focus on our primary allegiance to Christ. Ultimately, we seek to be faithful stewards of our earthly lives while remaining fully surrendered to God’s eternal authority.

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Good morning! It is a pleasure to be with you on this Thursday morning. I hope you are having a wonderful start to your day as we continue our journey through the Gospel of Luke.

Today we are in Luke 20:20-26. This is a famous passage that deals with the intersection of faith and the world around us—specifically, our duties as citizens and our devotion to God. It contains one of Jesus’ most famous sayings: “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s.”

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The Coin and the Trap (Luke 20:20-26)

Let’s look at how Luke sets the scene:

“Keeping a close watch on him, they sent spies, who pretended to be honest. They hoped to catch Jesus in something he said, so that they might hand him over to the power and authority of the governor. So the spies questioned him: ‘Teacher, we know that you speak and teach what is right… Is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?’ He saw through their duplicity and said to them, ‘Show me a denarius. Whose image and inscription are on it?’ ‘Caesar’s,’ they replied. He said to them, ‘Then give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.'”

Curiosity vs. Duplicity

I love that quote from Sky Jethani: “Curiosity is a side effect of confidence.” When we are confident in our faith, we are free to be curious, to ask hard questions, and to seek truth.

However, the religious leaders in this passage were not curious. They weren’t seeking truth; they were setting a trap. In the world of first-century Judea, taxes were a volatile subject. Tax collectors were seen as sellouts and oppressors, often using extortion to line their own pockets while serving a pagan Roman empire.

The “Heads I Win, Tails You Lose” Trap

The spies hoped Jesus would give one of two firm answers, both of which would lead to his downfall:

• If he said “Don’t pay taxes”: They could report him to the Roman Governor for sedition and rebellion.
• If he said “Yes, pay taxes”: The Jewish people would see him as a sellout to Rome, an idolater, and a false prophet.

Jesus’ response is brilliant. He asks to see a denarius.

By asking whose image and inscription were on the coin, Jesus points to the reality that the currency belonged to the state. If the coin bears Caesar’s image, give it back to him. But the unspoken follow-up is even more powerful: What bears God’s image?

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Dual Citizenship: The City of God and the City of Man

This passage reminds us that as Christians, we hold dual citizenship. As St. Augustine famously wrote in The City of God, we are citizens of an earthly kingdom and citizens of God’s eternal kingdom.

1. Working for the Flourishing of Our Neighbors

When the Jews were in exile in Babylon, God told them through the prophet Jeremiah to work for the peace and prosperity of the city where they were sent. Why? Because if the city flourished, they would flourish too.

As disciples, we should make our communities better simply because we are in them. Whether it’s in Madison, Ridgeland, Jackson, or the surrounding Metro area, we should want our children to learn, our neighbors to thrive, and our communities to be healthy.

2. Our Ultimate Allegiance

While we pay our taxes and fulfill our civic duties (as Paul encourages in Romans 13), our ultimate allegiance belongs to God.

• We give Caesar his coins.
• We give God our lives, our hearts, and our worship.

Christianity isn’t about shrinking back from the world or leaning so far into politics that we lose our witness. It’s about a faithful balance. We use the tools at our disposal—whether through political engagement, community service, or simply being a “good neighbor”—to make the world a more faithful place, all while keeping our eyes fixed on our true Home.