God's Imprint

Mark 12:13-17 Later they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to Jesus to catch him in his words. 14 They came to him and said, “Teacher, we know you are a man of integrity. You aren’t swayed by men, because you pay no attention to who they are; but you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not? 15 Should we pay or shouldn’t we?” But Jesus knew their hypocrisy. “Why are you trying to trap me?” he asked. “Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.” 16 They brought the coin, and he asked them, “Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription?” “Caesar’s,” they replied. 17 Then Jesus said to them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.” And they were amazed at him.
 
JESUS hates hypocrisy. How angry the holy God would be when some Pharisees and Herodians said to him, “Teacher, we know you are a man of integrity… you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth.” Jesus knows they have no interest in the truth. Otherwise they would come to Jesus to say, “We repent. Teach us the truth of God.”
    The Pharisees and Herodians expected Jesus to tell the Jews it was unlawful to pay Ceasar’s taxes. They would report to the Romans Jesus was urging rebellion. But Jesus’ reply pointed the Jews back to creation.
    The Bible says in Genesis 1:26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”  God is definite. He declares his mark is on all people. We understand that man is not a gender term here. It means humankind. The Hebrew word is ‘adam. God imprints his image – the essence of his character – on the first man, so his character will be imprinted on all people. Image means we resemble God in our capacity to love, learn, know, create and fellowship as some examples of God’s character. We are to steward the earth and be God’s ambassadors to one another and all creation. Image also means we have a mind to commit to integrity and to obey laws. Adam bore the image perfectly until sin. The LORD God will completely restore his image in us in the new kingdom of God.
    Jesus’ reply to, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s.” reminds the Jews this coin comes from Rome. It is useful for their life, for physical well-being. Jesus teaches them to be responsible to pay their taxes and obey their government. Paul and Peter confirmed in their epistles we have an obligation to obey the government God places over us. We must also object to government laws when they attempt to erase God’s laws.
    Jesus is the King of the kingdom of God. “Give to God what is God’s.”  is his command to give our lives to the one whose image is imprinted in our souls.
    Guard your life against hypocrisy. We might often speak of Jesus as a good teacher, and we often call him, “Lord”. Are you living into the Lord’s good words? Do you give to God what is God’s – your life? He has printed his image in you. Be faithful to reveal God’s character in the character of your life.
   
Think of this: a coin’s image changes. God’s does not.