The Divine Image Within Mankind

We continue from yesterday’s reflections on the religious elite's attacks on the Lord Jesus, who was angry that Jesus interrupted their money-making schemes in the temple courts by forcing them out. In this new attack, they tried to discredit Him before the people by asking, “Is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” (Luke 20:22). When Jesus was a child, this heavy tax issue led to the deaths of many people. The Jewish historian Josephus records a major revolt against heavy taxes. Besides the property taxes, the Romans also levied an annual tax of one denarius, equivalent to about a day's wage for a common laborer, which every adult was required to pay. The Jewish leaders wanted to corner Jesus on one side of the issue or the other. If the Lord said it was right, He risked alienating the Jewish people listening to Him. If He said it was wrong, they could bring the wrath of Rome down on Him:

He saw through their duplicity and responded to them by requesting that they show Him a denarius coin, and He then asked them whose portrait and inscription were on it. The request was a simple one, "Show me a denarius. Whose portrait and inscription are on it?" ²⁵"Caesar's," they replied (Luke 20:23-25).

Why do you think Jesus asked to see a Denarius coin? This coin was detestable to the Jewish people. It featured an image of Caesar embossed on it, accompanied by an inscription around the image that declared him to be divine. Most Jewish people did not even like to have a denarius in their possession due to the coin's portrayal of Caesar and all it represented. However, the religious leaders came up with a denarius, more likely obtained from the ill-gotten gains of the money changers in the Temple Courts. They had no qualms about an image of Caesar in their pockets! Perhaps, as He looked at the coin, Jesus focused their attention on the fact that there were "two sides to the coin." The image of Caesar on the coin was a property symbol: it belonged to Caesar. When they replied that it was Caesar's image, the Lord said: “Then give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s” (v. 25).

If Caesar's image were on it, it would undoubtedly belong to Caesar. In the same way, Jesus said that we are to give to God whatever bears His image. In the beginning, as stated in Genesis 1:26, God created humanity in His own image. Though marred by sin, the divine image is stamped on every human being on Earth. There is a missing piece within us, a God-shaped hole, a divine imprint that only God Himself can fill. He is our Creator, and we are His treasured possession and made in His image. Just as Caesar had the right of ownership over the coins, God has the right of ownership over our souls, and we do well to give ourselves to God and let Him take His rightful place at the center of our lives.

While we live in this world, we are subject to the authorities, but we are not to serve them when their law conflicts with God's moral law. The Sadducees were astonished by His answer and became silent. Again, the religious elite was publicly outwitted with their attempt to discredit Christ, and their attack came to nothing. Give to God what is God’s and let Him entirely stamp you with the character of Jesus. Keith Thomas

Shortened from the more extensive study at the following link: 54. Questions About Eternity