Then Jesus said to them, “Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.” And they were amazed at him. Mark 12:17
“The world is not divided into two parallel kingdoms. There is neither encouragement in this text for dividing the world into “secular” and “sacred,” with Caesar ruling the one and God the other, nor is there any “balancing” of civic obligation to the state and religious obligation to God. Obligation to God overbalances all else. Caesar is relative and God is absolute…
Caesar does have a kingdom and Jesus’ followers live in it, but God is the creator of all, and God’s kingdom embraces all, including that of Caesar. Thus, while the saying itself calls on Jesus’ hearers to give both Caesar and God their due, it is not directed to those situations in which one must choose between God and Caesar as Lord. When those situations arise, devotion to God must clearly take precedence over Caesar; God demands all.”
M. Eugene Boring in Mark: A Commentary (NTL; Louisville: WJKP, 2006) 336.
As we draw near to passion week, we see that Jesus’ biggest opponents come from within the religious and political establishment who (sadly!) are motivated by self-preservation rather than service. So, when the Pharisees (who were not fans of their Roman oppressors) and the Herodians (who were in cahoots with the Romans) team up to try to trick Jesus into saying something anti-Roman to get Him arrested, Jesus turns the tables on them. He raises the stakes of the conversation. He says, “Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.”
What’s this got to do with generosity?
With this “give back” statement, Jesus proclaims that everything came from God, belongs to God, and must be returned to God. We can joyfully and worshipfully participate in the process like the widow with two mites or the woman with the alabaster jar that we recently have read about who held nothing back from God. Or we can be like the rich fool who arrogantly stored up treasure for himself and was promptly relieved of his distribution duties.
Using the language of poker, we’ve got to be “all in” which makes complete sense in light of Jesus’ call to discipleship. Don’t miss the gravity of these scenes that lead up to passion week. Jesus does not celebrate it when people give out of their abundance. He labels “foolish” those and hold back portions for themselves! With regard to generosity, hold nothing back from God. It’s all His anyway. Jesus got the last word in that scene and gets it now.
“Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.”