Who do we belong to? ~ 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Is 45:1, 4-6
Ps 96:1,3,4-5,7-8,9-10
1 Thes 1:1-5b
Matt 22:15-21

It is interesting to see how slyly the Pharisees and their enemies, the Herodians, worked together to trap Jesus. In today's gospel, we see that this time, the issue was the division between the secular and the religious.

They began their assault by heaping praise on Jesus for his truthfulness in teaching the way of God. They noted that Jesus was not concerned about the opinions of others; or about their status. He simply taught the truth. (Matt 22:15ff)

And then these hypocrites posed the critical question: "Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not?"

As an aside, it is important to note that the Pharisees were against the tax for several reasons; one being that the Roman coins used to pay the tax had the image of Caesar, who claimed to be divine, inscribed on it.

On the other hand, the Herodians, who were pro-Roman, supported paying the tax. Thus these two opposing groups were positive that by asking their question, they would trap Jesus into advocating one side or the other, thereby making him lose credibility and embarrassing him.

Jesus could not be trapped. Holding up the coin, he replied: "...repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God." (Matt 22:21)

As we ponder this incident in the ministry of Jesus, we understand that actually everything and everybody belongs to God. Even Caesar and all he stood for. We recognize that God uses even kings and nations for his own purposes. We see this being described in the first reading from the prophet Isaiah, where the Lord calls the pagan king, Cyrus, his "anointed," and uses him for the sake of Israel, his chosen people... even though Cyrus does not know the Lord.

How beautifully the psalmist praises our God. He recognized God as the Doer of wondrous deeds; the just Lord of all the nations. "...great is the Lord and highly to be praised; awesome is he, beyond all gods." (Ps 96:4)


~ Image found at St Takla Haymanot Coptic Orthodox Church