In their attempt to trap Jesus, the Pharisees and the Herodians asked whether it was lawful to pay taxes to Caesar (Matt. 22:15-17). Jesus asked for a denarius, a coin which displayed Tiberius’ image with the blasphemous inscription, “Tiberius Caesar, son of the divine Augustus” (Matt. 22:19). The reverse side of this coin read, “pontifex maximus” meaning “The most high priest.” After asking whose picture is on it, Jesus said, “Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s” (Matt. 22:21). If they were going to use Caesar’s money, then they should pay taxes, but Caesar is only a man, and man is made in the image of God (Gen. 1:26). Thus, all men have an obligation to God.
The Jews had a long, troubled history with other gods competing for the adoration that ought to belong to Jehovah alone. Isaiah wrote of the folly of a man cutting down a tree and using part of it to build a fire to serve his needs of warmth and cooking food then using the rest of the tree to carve an image, a god to which he bowed down and worshiped (Isa. 44:14-17). What was so appealing about idolatry? Idolatry gave religion without rules. Romans 1:28 shows the idolatry of the Gentiles world was due to the fact that “they did not like to retain God in their knowledge.” The concept of the Holy God who holds men accountable makes men uneasy, so they form their own image and call it god (Rom. 1:21-25). Today many say they believe in “God” but what do they mean by “God”? Many believe in a god who would never punish anyone in hell, but just wants everybody to be happy. This is a god made in their own image. “God” as the Bible defines Him is both loving and just (Rom. 11:22). Far fewer believe in Him.
Man making images goes way back; it can be found in the first book of the Bible. Rachel stole images that were her father’s gods (Gen. 31:19, 30). The Hebrew word for “images” is teraphim and refers to domestic gods who were the “guardians and givers of a comfortable life.”1 The reference to Tiberius on the denarius as being both “son of the divine Augustus” and “most high priest” continued a tradition that permeated the ancient world—regarding rulers as gods:
Kings were revered, in many cases not merely as priests, that is, as intercessors between man and god, but as themselves gods, able to bestow upon their subjects and worshippers those blessings which are commonly supposed to be beyond the reach of mortals, and are sought, if at all, only by prayer and sacrifice offered to superhuman and invisible beings. Thus kings are often expected to give rain and sunshine in due season, to make the crops grow, and so on.2
However, the Bible shows that rulers are not to take the place of God, but to be subject to His rules. While the earth and everything in it belongs to God (Psa. 24:1), even the king could not claim land that did not belong to him, as Ahab tried to do (Lev. 25:23; Num. 36:7; 1 Ki. 21:17-22). Israel rejected God and asked for a king in His place (1 Sam. 8). God knew of this rejection aforetime, and ordered the king to keep a copy of God’s law in order to follow Him (Deut. 17:18-20). We understand now under the New Covenant that while earthly rulers are to be obeyed if their requirements do not interfere with God’s, when it comes to ungodly laws, we must obey God rather than men (Rom. 13:1-8; Acts 5:29).
Many in our nation want rulers that will give them everything to live comfortably in sin while silencing any reference to the true God who will punish sin (Rom. 1:32; 2:5-9). They are so fanatical about this that they will sacrifice anything to get their kind of rulers in power. These rulers are their gods who promise them abundance and freedom from restrictions. Will you stand up for the true God? Will you seek rulers who will honor His ways? Will you value the life of every human being as made in the image of God?
-Mark Day
1 Wilhelm Gesenius. Hebrew and Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament Scriptures. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1979. p. 875.
2 James G. Frazer. The Golden Bough. New York: Avenel, 1890. pp. 8-9.
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