Give What to Caesar?
Thought for your day #20, Fri 9/15/00.
It's Bible Study time.
Normally I leave detailed Bible references out of my writings. I think they distract the thought process, and in this day they are really easy for any even a half-devout student to look-up for themselves.
But this is different, Dear Friends. Here you get chapter and verse, down to the tiniest detail. Why?
 | There is so much ignorance about this topic that a detailed discussion will be needed. |
| This topic is still being used to abuse God's children. It is very important, and deserves our full attention. |
| It is my hope that this document will be copied and distributed in every Church, Synagogue, Mosque and home in the Western World, wherever the Bible is revered. |
Almost every April, during tax season, and certainly during late June / early July around the 4th of July, preachers by the thousands in America "teach" the congregation that it is their Christian duty to pay every dime of every tax every one of the countless governmental agencies requires. The flock is taught to do this absolutely, unthinkingly, as the lamb going forth to slaughter. (Again, I wish I was better equipped to address the entire world, but must focus my remarks on America).
The main passage used to beat them into this sad submission is the following. It can be found in the Gospel of Matthew (the 1st Book in the Christian New Testament) in Chapter 22, starting at verse 17:
17 Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?"
18 But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, "You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me?
19 Show me the coin used for paying the tax." They brought him a denarius,
20 and he asked them, "Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription?"
21 "Caesar’s," they replied. Then he said to them, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s."
22 When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left him and went away.
The interpretation the so-called church gives is very simple:Jesus paid his taxes, so should you. End of story.
This dialogue happened 2000 years ago, give or take. The times, money system, and governmental systems were all very different from today. Preachers and Bible scholars know this. But most of them deliberately choose to ignore and obscure these facts as they practice child-abuse through MIS-interpreting these verses.
This, my Dear Friends, is a MIS-interpretation. Why?
- It takes this passage out of its historical context.
- It also takes this passage out of the context of the FULL Biblical witness.
- It completely ignores the very different circumstances of America's history.
- In other words, this simple (and wrong) interpretation tries to make a blanket application of this passage to a time and people it does not apply to.
I will detail each of these errors here.
[Note: I realize from reading this, and hopefully it is plain to the reader, that this document is barely a sketch. Each sentence here could almost be the title for a separate chapter. But I have neither the time to write such a book, nor do you (probably) have the time to read all of it. Should this little meditation spark thought or interest in you, with just a little digging you will find a wealth of information available.]
The Historical Context of Jesus' Comment
Jesus was a Radical Revolutionary! Just look at this:
- 2000 years ago Rome and Caesar laid claim to everything. Every person and horse and dollar in the entire Roman world belonged to Caesar. So, when Jesus said "Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s" the really important point is that he was saying there are some things Caesar does not own! And remember, he was soon to be crucified as an enemy of the State. (Luke 23:2)
- The Jews were an occupied people. They were allowed to keep some of their customs and traditions, but Rome laid claim to owning Israel and Jerusalem and the Temple and everything. So, when Jesus said "Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s" the really important point is that he was saying "You may occupy our city, but you can never own our hearts."
- The money used to pay Rome's taxes was the Denarius. It had Caesar's picture on it and everything. But the Jews had their own money, called the Shekel. So, when Jesus said "Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s" the really important point is that he was saying "Here, take your stinking Roman filth with you. I do not need it." And remember, he was soon to be crucified as an enemy of the State!
The Full Bible Witness
- Tax Collectors are always mentioned in the context of evil sinners. See Matthew 5:46, Matthew 9:10, Mark 2:16 and Luke 18:13 to name a few.
- Though Rome was an occupying force, they did (for the most part) leave the Jews alone, as long as they "behaved themselves." So the Bible's strongest words against Rome / Caesar / Government come from a few decades after Jesus' death, when the persecution of Christians was in full swing. Then, The Roman Government was called "Babylon the Great" (Revelations 14:8), "The great dragon...that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan...." (Revelations 12:9.)
- Kings, governments and civil rulers, from the earliest time, have been a "thorn" in the side of God's people. 1 Samuel 8:5 - 20 and many others too numerous to mention show that God should be ruling in the hearts of people, and that civil governments and kings and the like will only oppress and tax God's people.
- And yet, shockingly, in both the "Old" and "New" Testaments, this tax was only 10%. And yet in today's world....well....that brings us to our next topic.
America the Beautiful
And then, some 1,700 years later, something wonderful happened. Many people, having fought a war against unfair taxes (!) and religious oppression, came together in order "To form a more perfect union...." Now this is VERY IMPORTANT, so please pay attention.
- America was founded on the principal of government of, by and for the people. "Caesar" (aka the US government) owned nothing. Nothing. And the purpose of the US Constitution (if you will actually read it) is to show the tiny little bit of "power" reserved for the Federal Govt (doing, I might add, a very respectful (though not perfect) job of embodying the Natural Law), and everything else, all power, reserved to the people.
- Another huge topic here that I can only sketch, but it is important: Economic theory, especially as it pertains to currency. You see, until very recently, all money was based on hard currency: gold and silver. You deposited your gold at the bank. Then, the private bank issued your a certificate of deposit, saying you had your gold there....It was easier than carrying all the gold & silver around. And people got into the habit of "paying for things" by just handing over the certificates. That is the historical background of paper money.
- When America was founded, the Federal Government could and would stamp gold & silver coins. But something tricky happened.....Eventually, as a "convenience," (Satan always taps into our sense of convenience first) the Federal Govt started issuing its own "Federal Reserve Notes." You see, you could be traveling in another state where your private bank reserve note was not recognized, so the Federal Reserve Notes were started under the guise of being a nationally recognized currency.
- And what happened? Though this is so significant, you probably do not even know....Anyway, what began as an option became mandatory: The Feds outlawed private bank notes. Then Richard Nixon said those "federal Reserve Notes" could no longer be exchanged for the real gold & silver they used to represent.
- In short, the Government started competing as an option, outlawed the competition (private bank notes), effectively stole everyone's hard currency (by forbidding the Reserve Notes to be exchanged for gold & silver), and then offered to sell that stolen merchandise back to the people they stole it from.
- The Federal Income tax was not started until the around 1910. At that time the highest rate was 4%. Today we have Federal tax rates as high as 39%....plus State Income Taxes up to 8%....Plus sales taxes up to 8%....Plus other taxes on gas, electricity, phones....And then, should you happen to die with anything after all this taxation, the government demands 50% of whatever is left.
Let me put this as clearly as I can:
When America was founded, all money belonged to the people. Private banks held gold and silver, and issued their private "money" certificates, saying how much gold or silver you had in the bank. Neither the President's, nor "Caesar's", nor any other governmental authority's picture appeared on these private notes.
The bank's picture appeared on it. And they were only holding your money for you.
Give What to Caesar?
Now, to the point. The Bible says in Romans 13 starting at verse 1:
Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.
And we have seen the historical context, and the fuller Bible witness. The challenge for today's student / citizen is to know right from wrong, good from bad. Indeed, in years past, the Christian Church took this passage to obscene extremes, that Hitler's program to exterminate all Jews was from an "authority established by God."
Even if that authority was actually established by God, that authority was misused!
Here is my (hopefully) simple position:
The authorities are established by God only to the extent that they govern with honesty and goodness.
In Paul's day they basically left the Church alone. Later (as I tried to touch on earlier) the Bible takes on a very different tone when it discusses the civil authorities.
The point is, as it pertains to America,
God did, indeed, actually establish this great nation. But evil men, inspired by their own lust for power, have subverted this Divine Gift, to the point that the U.S. Government is now a godless abomination.
- Jesus was speaking as a radical....His was not a statement of giving-up, it was one of contempt.
- When America was founded, "Caesar" owned nothing. Evil men, drunk with their own lust for power, changed that into the abomination we live in today. You must decide for yourself which "authority" God established, but my mind finds no confusion.
- Even at its evil worst, the Roman government only extracted 10% of a citizen's money. And yes, the full Bible witness is that this was evil. And yet, modern America burdens many of its citizens with taxation above 50%.
- Taxation remains, morally and philosophically, theft. No amount of rationalization can change that.
What, then, do you really owe "Caesar"?
A heart and life dedicated to love, honesty and truth. To speak-out against evil in all its forms, regardless of its apparent authority. To oppose and take action against such evil, in what ever way and with whatever strength God grants you.
That is the truth. And in His day and time, THAT is what Jesus' "Give to Caesar..." comment meant.
And that is our duty.
Only then can we begin to restore the American Dream....Only then can we begin to establish freedom world-wide.
Only then can we begin to establish God's Kingdom on earth.
May God Bless America.
And May God Bless You.
Pastor Ahyh, 8:55 am pst, Friday September 15, 2000, in Valley Center California, The United States of America. Written in patriotic love, as a witness to the true God, and as His thinking, living, child.
Next....The Society of Lies.
