Friday, August 7
MATTHEW 22 15 Then the Pharisees went and plotted how they might entangle Him in His talk. 16 And they sent to Him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that You are true, and teach the way of God in truth; nor do You care about anyone, for You do not regard the person of men. 17 Tell us, therefore, what do You think? Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?”18 But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, “Why do you test Me, you hypocrites? 19 Show Me the tax money.”So they brought Him a denarius.20 And He said to them, “Whose image and inscription is this?”21 They said to Him, “Caesar’s.”And He said to them, “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” 22 When they had heard these words, they marveled, and left Him and went their way.
Thinking flatter and soften his praise, they speak softly, in the hope that he succumbed to them, to say “should not give tribute” and for this reason they grabbed him as a rebel, stirs up the people against Caesar. That’s why they brought with them and the Herodians, dedicated royal power. They say: “You do not look to the face,” that is not going to say anything in favor of Pilate or Herod. So, tell us whether we should be tributary and the people and give them the file, just as God give pay tribute or pay only God? They said that, as I said, for such a purpose, if he says, “should not pay tribute to Caesar”, he was captured and killed, as a supporter of Judas and Theudas, who revolted against the sacrifices of the name Caesar. But Jesus on the basis of the image of Caesar on the coin warn them: it bears the image of Caesar and that, therefore, belongs to him, then what is Caesar’s and should be given. Generally, this means: in foreign affairs relating to the life of the body, should be subject to the kings, and in the inner, spiritual – God. You could understand that each of us must give to the demon, that netherworld to Caesar what belongs to him. For example, you are angry: angry – from Caesar, that is from the evil one; Lead is his anger at his true culprit; in other words, be angry and hate the devil. In this way, you and you give God to God to fulfill His decree. Even understanding that we are dual – composed of body and soul: the body as Caesar, we have to give food and clothing, and more sublime in us – the soul, it is appropriate.
(St. Theophylact)