Matthew 22- Jesus Questioned About Taxes

In Matthew 22:15-22 Jesus is questioned about paying taxes.  This story is about our dual citizenship on earth and Heaven, but I want to look at another major point of the story.  In this story we find what God expects of us.

The Pharisees and Herodians try to trap Jesus with a question to make the people angry at Him.  They ask Jesus if it is lawful to pay taxes to Caesar.  Now this was, as taxes always are, a hot topic of the time.

Jesus replies "Show me the coin used for paying the tax... Whose portrait is this?  And whose inscription."

They reply, "Caesar's"

Then He said to them, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's."

Jesus was saying a lot more in this story than, "Pay your taxes".  He is saying that; but He is saying so much more.

Jesus says that the tax must be paid because Caesar's image is on the coin.  Hense, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's."  Jesus also says, "And to God what is God's."  But what is God's image on?

Genesis 1:27 "So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them."

We are imprinted with and made in the image of God.  So, give to God what is God's means to give your whole self to God.  Jesus is saying, "Pay the tax to Caesar and give God the rest."

So, give to Uncle Sam (if you live in the U.S.) what is Uncle Sam's and to God what is God's.  Don't cheat our God by giving less than all that you are to Him today.