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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 thatbelongs to this world. Christ does not say: "Let them take", but "Render!" Only

1Genesis 47:7.

2Matthew 17:27.

3Acts 25:10-11.

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if the authority commands something that conflicts against God's word, then

Acts 5:294

applies;

b. taxes andfees 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 towhat is Caesar's, because God has commanded it

5;

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

4"One must obey God more than men."

51 Timothy 2:2.