Oct 22 – 20 Pentecost
Matthew 22:15-22
The Question about Paying Taxes

Background: Matthew tells the story of Jesus’ life with the most Jewish tone of the four Gospels. The text provides a clear insight into Jesus’ teaching and a moral guideline for the Christian community. This passage falls in what is postulated as the final of five sections in Matthew; the focus of this section is Jesus’ ministry in Jerusalem.

Theme: As part of Jesus final confrontation with his enemies and testimony to his disciples. In this passage, Jesus delivers a critique of the legalism of the Pharisees; calls the Jewish community into account for its stewardship of God’s bounty; and questions their relationship between citizens of the earth and citizens of heaven.

Questions to Ponder:
* Please read Matthew 22:15-22.
* Place this reading in context; where does it take place, who are the characters, what is the relationship between the characters, etc.?
* Who are the Herodians? What is their vision?
* Who are the Pharisees? What is their vision? What is their relationship with the Herodians?
* Why might the Pharisees send their disciples to interview Jesus as opposed to going themselves?
* What do you find ironic about the statement made to Jesus in verse 16?
* How might Jesus “teach the way of God in accordance with the truth”? What do you think “the truth” was that the questioners were referring to? What do you think the statement meant to those who asked it of Jesus?
* What is the irony of the questioners’ reference to Jesus’ sincerity?
* What was the purpose of the tax the questioners were referring to? What might their argument be to declare the tax either lawful or unlawful?
* What do you think would make the tax unlawful for a Jew to pay? Why might the tax be lawful for the Jews to pay it to the Emperor?
* What is the tone or nature of Jesus’ response, “…give therefore…”? Do you think Jesus’ answer is an answer to the question posed?
* What was amazing about Jesus’ response to the question of paying taxes?
* Do you think Jesus is advocating a theology of the state as a divine mandate through his direction to render those things that are the emperor’s to the emperor?
* What do you think Jesus believes belongs to the emperor and to God? What might be the confusion about “giving back” to the emperor and to God?
* What do you think is Jesus’ statement about the nature of a right relationship with God alongside our right relationship with the state?
* How does our social consciousness impact the consciousness of our faith?
* What is the importance of this passage for us as we live out our faith at the intersection of the sacred and the secular?