The man just asked a simple question: Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Jesus just gave a simple response: Show me a coin.
It was a totally loaded political hot-button question: translated - - is it lawful to collaborate with the Roman occupation army?
Jesus response was as complex. Why are you carrying Caesar's image in your pocket? Is THAT lawful.
I seem to remember there were some folks who understood the moment, and set their course to kill Jesus. Remember, Jesus was not killed for being gentle, meek, mild, and non-offensive. Jesus was killed for offering the Kingdom of God as a purification and fulfillment of the eternal purposes of God.
The weather man, giving a senior-citizens' program, was asked about global warming. His answer was careful: "I don't like to comment on issues that are purely political." Some folks say that if lots of people define an issue as political, then preachers should have no comment on it.
Jesus didn't get the memo on that. There is no "button" hotter in our time than "taxes for Rome" in the first century. Israel rebelled, Israel lost in a long conflict that ended with the drama of Masada.
Preparing to preach from Matthew, what is our "style book"? What focus leads our thoughts? Is it political correctness (big problem for preaching from Matthew!!) or is it a loyalty to the definitions, goals, perspectives and wisdom of Jesus?
Starting early, do we have that talk with ourselves and God in our private prayer place, and decide, yet again, to preach the Gospel?
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