Twenty-Third Sunday after Trinity (1882)

Matthew 22:15-22 There are at the present day people who neither want to give to Caesar what is Caesar's, nor to God what is God's. These people are the enemies of all divine and human order, preachers of turmoil and men of revolution. Others may want to give to Caesar what is Caesar's, but not to God what is God's. These people are honorable men of the world whose only revelation is reason, whose entire religion is heathen morality, and they are so proud of their civic virtue that they need not fear God's judgment for their opinion. Finally, still others want to give to God what is God's, but not to Caesar what is Caesar's, like the enthusiasts (e.g. Quakers), in all spiritual light they give themselves, thereafter asking nothing what God has taught and demanded in His Word regarding secular authority. Even honest Christians are guilty of many sins out of weakness against worldly authority. When is the conduct of Christians toward authority pleasing to God? We answer: 1. when they recognize in authority a certain order of God. The fact that authority is a divine order results from the irrefutable Words of Christ: "Render to Caesar" etc., similarly from places like Romans 13:1-4. Whether the authority is Christian or pagan, pious or impious, just or tyrannical, it does not detract from the dignity and power arranged for them by God. At the time of Christ the pagan emperor Tiberius carried the scepter over Israel, the Lord says in relation to him: "Render to Caesar" etc. Pharaoh was a Gentile, yet Jacob with his sons humbled themselves before him.1 How many kings of Israel had fallen away from God and depended upon Baal, yet the prophets did not admonish people away from obedience to their kings. The Lord Himself gave tribute money to the pagan Caesar.2 The apostle Paul appeals to the emperor, who was a pagan, and wanted to be judged by him.3 It would be a great error for this reason if man would not consider an authority as arranged by God because perhaps it is not appropriately chosen by people, or even because it is attained by domination in an unlawful way; 2. when they render the duty owed to authority according to the Word: "Render to Caesar what is Caesar's", namely a. in general obedience in all things relating to temporal life. For the power of authority extends over body and life, worldly goods and everything that belongs to this world. Christ does not say: "Let them take", but "Render!" Only

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Genesis 47:7. Matthew 17:27. 3 Acts 25:10-11.

if the authority commands something that conflicts against God's word, then Acts 5:294 applies; b. taxes and fees in particular. The Jews thought that as God's own people they were not due to pay tax to the Roman emperor; but the Lord find them guilty of another in the most striking manner. How man sin in this way! c. Prayer and intercession for authority belongs similarly in a certain sense to what is Caesar's, because God has commanded it5; 3. when they do everything in obedience to God. Nothing can please God as what flows from faith in Jesus Christ, from fear and love for Him, as from the source of all good works. Only when a Christian gives to God what is God's, namely himself with body and soul for the humblest obedience, he will be a loyal citizen for God's sake and subject of worldly authority. And conversely, those who do not show all loyalty and obedience toward authority proves he is not a Christian. Georg Stckhardt

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"One must obey God more than men." 1 Timothy 2:2.