Hi All,
I am having problems understanding the B section of this verse. "Caesar's," they replied. The he said to them, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's," Matthew 21. I understood the part "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's. Whoever, i did not understand the part God what is God's. The reason i do not understand is because the verses prior or preceeding that they never talked about what belong to God. I understand God owns all things however, when they showed the coin to the Pharisees and Caesar's face was on them i take that Jesus was telling them to do just what he said in the passage. But then the part that confused me was and to God what is God's. Please HELP??

I am seeking to grow closer to Christ Jesus and sometime i just do not understand all the things in his word.

~Tanya~
~Amazed By His Grace~

Hi, Tanya,

You ask an interesting question. As we read the scripture, the coins the Pharisees brought to Jesus bore the likeness of Caesar. Although the Pharisees tried to entrap Jesus into paying some type of worshipful homage to Caesar, Jesus saw through their deceit and told them that political respect and obedience for Caesar is proper.

Today, we owe our current political leaders and local and national laws our proper obedience.

God is to be given the things that are His only. What things are the Lord's? Our worship, love, dedication of our lives, adoration--Our Life.

Or so it seems to me. What do you think, Tanya?

Mr. Nick,
Praise the name of the Lord. I know have an understanding about the things that are the Lord's. I to believe that the things that are the Lord are our worship, love dedication of our lives, adoration, praise, honor and all those things that are pleasing in his site. Praise God for you and my God continue to us you in the ongoing of his ministry.

~Tanya~
~Amazed By His Grace~

I thought it was referring to the tithe, or first fruits of what income we have.

Pax - To view this passage as only referring to income greatly diminishes the true meaning. We are to be obedient to the governmental laws which are placed over us, so taxes imposed by the government belong to the government. To withhold our taxes is stealing. However, EVERYTHING we have - including our income, our time, our abilities, and our heart - belong to God. Jesus is calling us to give to God what is His.

Nick's answer to this is pretty much on target.

I have yet another take on this scripture...

Do you remember Pokemon cards ? I sure do. All the kids went NUTS over these stupid things. They became a strange kind of currency among younger kids. Many kids were consumed and totally pre-occupied with Pokemon!!! Most adults ( myself included) looked upon these cards as rediculous, frivolous, silly items that for some reason seemed to almost rule the lives of children. We parents (knowing how silly these things really were) knew they were of no REAL value. The elusive Pekachue card meant absolutely nothing to us - but for some reason it meant "everything" to some kids.

I think Jesus looks upon our pre-occupation with what we perceive as "our" money as just as frivolous. Jesus was more concerned with real issues like our SALVATION! I think he may have looked upon this question with the same disdain for its irrelevence to the "BIG PICTURE" as we parents did to the now long forgotten fad Pokemon cards....

Mr. Morgan,
That was a very good analogy! Thanks

~Tanya~
~Amazed By His Grace~