Tuesday 6th of June
“Give back to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.”
Mark 12:13-17
The Pharisees were trying to trap Jesus into responding that people should not pay taxes to their Roman occupiers. They thought that Jesus would have to get in trouble with either the Romans or with his own people. But Jesus was too wise for them. The Romans thought that “Give back to Caesar what belongs to Caesar” meant that people should give Rome their money.
But Jesus added, “Give back to God what belongs to God.” We can ask, “What belongs to God?” The Gospel of John 1:3 tells us, “Through God all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.” Also, the book of Genesis tells us that we are made in the image of God. So, Jesus was really saying that we should give God everything, including our hearts and our lives. Jesus took a trick question and turned it into a teaching of the way of God in accordance with truth. Thank you, Father God, for giving us everything and for always wanting the best for us. Please give us a spirit of gratitude and of generosity in sharing what we have.