the Tidings The Image Inside this issue: Adult Education . . . . 16-17
In Matthew 22 is an account of Jesus being tested by Pharisees and Herodians. Standing in the Temple, they gave Jesus false compliments to try and flatter him. Then, they asked if it was lawful to pay taxes to Caesar.
Care Ministries . . . . . . . 8-9
The Roman coin most likely used to pay taxes had a picture of Tiberius, with the inscription:
Children’s Ministry . . 20-21
“TI CAESAR DIVI AVG F AVGVSTVS.”
Churchwide . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Translated, it meant, “Tiberius Caesar, son of the divine Augustus,” and on the back was the inscription:
College Ministry . . . . . . . . 5 Elder Care . . . . . . . . . 12-13
Tim Carpenter Senior Pastor
“PONTIF MAXIM,” which meant “high priest,” as the emperor was also the High Priest of the state religion.
Finance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Generosity . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 GUWF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Hospitality . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Membership . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Message from Pastors Tim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Scott . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Mimi . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Missions . . . . . . . . . . . 14-15 Music . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-19 Older Adults. . . . . . . . 9-10 OLEC . . . . . . . . . . . . 25-27 Youth . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22-23
Roman coins like this were not allowed to be carried in the Temple precincts, because they were seen as being idolatrous. That is one reason money changers were employed in the Temple, to exchange Temple coins for idolatrous Roman coins. Jesus was confronted over whether it was lawful to pay taxes to Caesar. If he had said, “Yes,” the Pharisees would have accused him to the people as a betrayer of the liberties of his country. If he had said, “No,” the Herodians would have accused him to the Roman governor. Jesus asked for a coin to be presented. Someone pulled a coin from their pocket, which immediately revealed their hypocrisy of having a Roman coin in the Temple precincts. Those who tried to trap him were themselves exposed as being guilty.
Jesus asked, “Whose image is on the coin?” “Caesar’s,” they answered. Jesus declared, “Render to Caesar that which is Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” According to Jesus, the determining factor was the image on the coin. The implication is that things with Caesar’s image belong to Caesar. The inference, therefore, is that those things with God’s image belong to God. The lesson from Jesus is to recognize in whose image we are, and, thus, to whom we owe our lives. Look in the mirror. Whose image is on you?