OT XXIX [A) Is 45:1, 4-6; 1 Thes 1:1-5b; Mt 22:15-21

Today’s gospel presents the Pharisees and the Herodians, who were traditional enemies, ganging up to set a trap for the Lord. They attempt to butter up the Lord with flattery and insincere praise before springing the trap: “Master, we know that you are an honest man and teach the way of God in an honest way and that you are not afraid of anyone because a man’s rank means nothing to you. Tell us your opinion, then.” Is it permissible to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”

What is this tax due to Caesar? To a 21st-century reader who often complains about being subjected to a myriad of taxes, from income tax to service taxes, the people who lived during our Lord’s time would have also laboured under various taxes. There was the temple tax, which amounted to half a shekel levied upon every Jew, 20 years and above. There was the income tax: one percent of one’s income was to be given to Rome, and then, the ground tax or property tax: one-tenth of all grain and one-fifth of all oil and wine were to be paid in kind or in coinage to Rome. Finally, to further humiliate the colonised, there was the poll tax: a denarius or a day’s wage was to be paid to Rome by all men ages 14-65 and all women ages 12-65 to remind them of their subjugated status. The tax referred to here as being due to Caesar would most likely belong to the last category of taxes - the poll tax.

A rejection by Jesus of the poll tax would have been reported as treason to Rome by the Herodians. On the other hand, if Jesus had agreed to pay it, the Pharisees would have accused Him of betraying His own people since it would be acquiescing their continued subjugation under Roman rule. Furthermore, anyone dealing with the coin could also be accused of blasphemy and idolatry because the coin displayed an image of Caesar, who is a self-proclaimed god. Discerning a plot of entrapment, our Lord cuts through the hypocrisy and political differences to the very heart of the matter, “Give back to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and to God what belongs to God.”

It is no longer either Caesar or God, but Caesar and God, each on his appropriate level. It is the beginning of the separation of religion and politics, which until then had been inseparable among all peoples and regimes.

The Jews were used to understanding the future reign of God founded by the Messiah as a theocracy, that is, as a government directed by God ruling over the whole earth through his people. But now the words of Christ reveal a kingdom of God that is in this world but that is not of this world, that travels on a different wavelength and that, for this reason, can coexist with every other political regime, whether it be sacral or secular.

Here we see two qualitatively different sovereignties of God over the world: the spiritual sovereignty that constitutes the Kingdom of God and that is exercised directly in Christ and the temporal and political sovereignty that God exercises indirectly, entrusting it to man’s free choice and the play of secondary causes. Caesar and God, however, are not put on the same level because Caesar, too, depends on God and must answer to him. Thus, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s” means: “Give to Caesar what God himself wants to be given to Caesar.” God is sovereign over all, including Caesar. We are not divided between two loyalties; we are not forced to serve “two masters.”

The Christian is free to obey the state, but he is also free to resist the state when it goes against God and his law. In such a case, it is not legitimate to invoke the principle about the obedience that is owed to superiors, as war criminals often do when they are on trial. Before obeying men, in fact, you must first obey God and your own conscience. You cannot give your soul, which belongs to God, to Caesar.

St. Paul was the first to draw practical conclusions from this teaching of Christ. He writes: “Let every person be subordinate to the higher authorities, for there is no authority except from God. … Whoever resists authority opposes the order that God has appointed. … This is why you also pay taxes, for the authorities who are in charge of this are ministers of God” (Rom 13:1 ff.). We live in societies governed by laws and rulers, and we have a vital role to play in contributing to the betterment of our communities and nations.

In the Jewish tradition, we find the story of Daniel. He served as a high-ranking official in the court of King Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon. Despite the challenges of living under a foreign ruler with different customs and beliefs, Daniel upheld his faith and performed his civic duties with integrity. His unwavering commitment to his responsibilities not only allowed him to excel in his role but also to serve as a positive example to those around him.

The Christian life requires, so to speak, the daily "martyrdom" of fidelity to the Gospel - that is, the courage to let Christ grow in us and direct our thinking and our actions.” So, give to God what belongs to God … which is everything.

As we navigate the complexities of our world, may we fulfil our earthly responsibilities while keeping our hearts and minds steadfastly directed towards God. Let the Lord help us to stay balanced in our duties towards God and the state and be sincere in our actions, guided by truth, and free from hypocrisy.