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Matthew
22:15-22
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Reading the Text:
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| Historical
References, Commentary and Comparative Texts:
 | The
Five Gospels Parallels, John W. Marshall, University of Toronto. |
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Comparative texts about
Pharisees
& Sadducees from Josephus, Tosefta, Mishnah & Babylonian
Talmud. At (Rutgers University Dept of Religion) Mahlon H. Smith's
Into His Own: Perspective on the
World of Jesus companion to the historical study of Christian
texts. |
|
Chapter, XVII, The First Apology of
Justin Martyr. (c 150) |
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XXXIV.1-3, 5-7; Tatian's
Diatessaron (c. 150-160). |
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Chapter XIV,
The Martyrdom of Polycarp (ca. 156). |
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III.VIII.1, Adversus Haereses,
Irenaeus of Lyons. (c. 180) |
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II.1,
III.12, Paedagogus,
Clement of Alexandria (c 200) |
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Chapter XIV, On Idolatry,
Tertullian (c. 211) |
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Chapter XXII, On the Resurrection of the Flesh,
Tertullian (c. 211) |
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Chapter XII, De Corona,
Tertullian (c. 211) |
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Concerning Flight in Persecution
(paragraph 12)
Tertullian (c. 212) |
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Chapter XIV, Scorpiace,
Tertullian (c. 213) |
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XIV.16, Commentary on the Gospel of Matthew,
Origen. (c.247) |
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II.23,
Ecclesiastical History, Eusebius of Caesarea, (c. 320). |
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Homily LXX - Matthew 22:15, Homilies on the Gospel of St. Matthew,
St. John Chrysostom (c. 380) |
| From the
Catena
Aurea, Patristic Commentary by St Thomas Aquinas. |
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Twenty-Third Sunday after Trinity, Matthew 22:15-22, Martin
Luther, c. 1521. |
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"Render to Caesar," Martin Luther, c. 1522. |
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From the
Geneva Notes.
 | "The
penny was paid to the Romans for tribute, according to the proportion
they were rated at, and the drachma was payed by everyone to the Temple,
which also the Romans took to themselves when they had subdued India." |
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From
Matthew
Henry's Commentary.
| "Christ
did not interpose as a judge in matters of this nature, for his kingdom
is not of this world, but he enjoins peaceable subjection to the powers
that be." |
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From
Wesley's
Notes.
| "The
current coin of every nation shows who is the supreme governor of it.
Render therefore, ye Pharisees, to Cesar the things which ye yourselves
acknowledge to be Cesar's: and, ye Herodians, while ye are zealous for
Cesar, see that ye render to God the things that are God's." |
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|
From the
Commentary on the Whole Bible
(Jamieson, Fausset and Brown, 1871).
| "...and to God the things that are God's--How
much is there in this profound but to them startling addition to the
maxim, and how incomparable is the whole for fulness, brevity,
clearness, weight!" |
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Contemporary Commentary, Studies, and Exegesis:
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Commentary,
Matthew 22:15-22, Jeannine K. Brown, Preaching This Week, WorkingPreacher.org,
2008. |
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Comments
(commentary) and
Clippings
(technical notes for in-depth study), Chris Haslam, Anglican
Diocese of Montreal. |
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"God and Caesar," Rev. Todd Weir, bloomingcactus.
| "Many churches pray
weekly for our leaders to act morally and govern righteously. There is a
great paradox here, since we want godly leaders, yet we do not want
leaders who claim divine right in the naked exercise of power." |
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|
"Paying Taxes to Caesar," Gospel Analysis, Sermons from
Seattle,
Pastor Edward F. Markquart, Grace Lutheran Church, Seattle,
Washington. Detailed background and exegesis.
| "A denarius was part
of the Roman monetary system. Many scholars believe that the Roman coins
with their images of the emperor on them were not permitted to be used in
the Jerusalem temple for offerings." |
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"First
Thoughts on Year A Gospel Passages in the Lectionary," Pentecost 23,
William Loader, Murdoch University, Uniting Church in Australia.
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"With this passage we
must expose the fallacy of dividing reality into God's area and other
areas." |
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Exegesis, Michael Barram, Lectionary Homiletics sample, 2008.
| "They are failing to give to God
what is due God, despite the fact that the internal logic of their
initial question is predicated on obedience to God! In the end,
Jesus 'traps' them in their hypocrisy. God is much more important
than Caesar." |
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Commentary, Matthew 22:15-22, Frederick Douglass Haynes, III,
The African American Lectionary, 2008.
| "This text challenges us to
engage the political process, remembering that our ultimate
allegiance belongs to God." |
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"Allies or Enemies?"
Daniel Deffenbaugh, Seeds of Shalom, 2008.
| "I
realize that our commitment for the future will necessarily lie in a
posture of perpetual discernment, for if the past is any guide, it
is likely that we will continue to confuse our steadfast devotion to
God with our compulsory obligations to the state." |
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"Show Me The
Money: Unconditional Allegiance to the Unconditioned God," The Journey with Jesus: Notes to Myself, Daniel B. Clendenin, Journey with
Jesus Foundation, 2005.
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"As a friend of mine once observed, civilization is
expensive, and taxes pay the tab. But absolute allegiance to an ultimate
God, rendering our entire selves to Him without preconditions or limits,
without hedging our bets, demands a higher order of magnitude. That takes
a lifetime." |
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"Balance Sheet," Judith Johnson-Siebold, The Christian Century,
2005.
| "Jesus’ admonition to render unto
Caesar what is Caesar’s is a clever response, perhaps one that is
appropriate for those of us who have trouble deciding what goes to
Caesar and what to God." |
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Dylan's Lectionary Blog,
Proper 24. Biblical Scholar
Sarah Dylan Breuer looks at readings for the coming Sunday in the lectionary
of the Episcopal Church, 2005.
| "...when Jesus asks the Pharisees and
Herodians who are questioning him to produce a denarius in that setting,
they do so immediately. In other words, THESE GUYS CARRIED AN IMAGE OF
CAESAR INTO GOD'S TEMPLE! And these are the people who were going to teach
Jesus a lesson about devotion to God rather than selling out to Caesar if
Jesus failed to condemn paying taxes to Rome?" |
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"Fair Taxes,"
Resources for Prophetic
Worship, Speaking to North Carolina Justice Issues, North Carolina Council
of Churches, 2008. |
| Exegetical
Notes
by Brian P. Stoffregen
at CrossMarks.
| "We cannot say that
"this part belongs to God, so I will give it to God."
Everything we are and everything we have belongs to God. Everything we
are and everything we have we are to give (back) to God. We are but mere
managers or stewards of these gifts God has given to us." |
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Matthew in the Margins, by
Brian McGowan, Anglican priest in Western Australia. |
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Sermon
Preparation Thoughts and Questions by Wesley White, 2005.
| "May we astonish
ourselves in thundering forth, 'Hypocrite!' and be willing to be
astonished at the truth when finding it thundered back at ourselves. We
need to model both corrective words and corrective actions that build
community." |
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"Conflicting Claims," Edgar Krentz, The Christian Century, 1996.
| "Every claim on our commitment is a
call to ask how God's will in Christ should work its way out in a specific
situation." |
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"Give
to God the Things that Are God's,"
Jerry Goebel, One
Family Outreach. "Focus on scripture from a justice perspective." Exegesis, study, and teen study
and activities.
| "I need to look into the change
purse of my own heart and see the coinage to which I cling. Can I
honestly say; 'In God I trust?' Or, is it more like: 'In this money
I trust?' 'In me I trust.' What or who is on the face of my coin?" |
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"The
Question about Paying Taxes," Rev. Bryan Findlayson, Lectionary Bible
Studies and Sermons, Pumpkin Cottage Ministry Resources. Includes detailed
textual notes. |
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"Conflicting
Priorities,"
Larry Broding's Word-Sunday.Com: A
Catholic Resource for This Sunday's Gospel. Adult Study, Children's
Story, Family Activity, Support Materials.
| "Have you ever been trapped by
conflicting priorities?" |
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Wellspring of
the Gospel, Ordinary 29A, Catherine McElhinney and Kathryn
Turner, Weekly Wellsprings. |
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"Pledging
Allegiance," Susan Pendleton Jones. Commentary from The
Christian Century, October, 1999. At Religion Online.
| "Faithful service to God is
always costly." |
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| Articles & Background:
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"Render unto
Caesar," Pharisees,
Herodians, wikipedia. |
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"Caught between God and Caesar," Joseph A. Califano, Jr., America,
2004.
| "When God and Caesar claim controlling
jurisdiction over public policy in America, public servants who are
Catholic can get caught between a religious rock and a public policy hard
place." |
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"Divine
Folly: Being Religious and the Exercise of Humor," Doris
Donnelly. Theology Today, 1991.
| "Robert Funk also points out
that there is no indication that Jesus returned the coin to the
Pharisee. According to Funk, as Jesus proclaims the punchline-"and
render to God the things that are God's"-he pockets the coin
and has the last laugh." |
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"What
Belongs to God?" Marcus Borg, at Beliefnet.
| "The people identified as
Jesus' opponents were not questioning taxes in general. Their
question was more specific: 'Is it lawful to pay taxes to
Caesar?'" |
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Christian
Anarchy: Jesus' Primacy Over the Powers, by Vernard Eller. Full
text of book at House Church Central. |
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| Articles in
ATLAS Journals. (Direct link when you are
subscribed and logged in to
ATLASerials online collection of Religion and Theology Journals.):
| Donnelly, Doris, "Divine Folly: Being
Religious and the Exercise of Humor," Theology Today, 1991.
Image Browse -
PDF |
| Geisler, Norman L., "A Premillenial
View of Law and Government," Bibliotheca Sacra, 1985.
Image Browse -
PDF |
| Giblin, Charles Homes, "'The Things
of God' in the Question concerning Tribute to Caesar (Lk 20:25; Mk
12:17; Mt 22:21)," The Catholic Biblical Quarterly, 1971.
Image Browse -
PDF |
| Johnson-Siebold, Judith, "Balance
Sheet," The Christian Century, 2005.
Image Browse -
PDF |
| Jones, Susan Pendleton, "Pledging
Allegiance," The Christian Century, 1999.
Image Browse -
PDF |
| Krentz, Edgar, "Conflicting Claims,"
The Christian Century, 1996.
Image Browse -
PDF |
| Owen-Ball, David T., "Rabbinic
Rhetoric and the Tribute Passage (Mt 22:15-22, Mk 12:13-17, Lk
20:20-26)," Novum Testamentum, 1993.
Image Browse -
PDF |
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| Reviews:
| Wilson, Alistair I.,
When Will These Things Happen?: A Study of Jesus as Judge
in Matthew 21-25. PaterNoster Press, 2005.
Review
by Samuel Subramanian, Review of Biblical Literature, 2006. |
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| Sermons:
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"'What God
Has Put Asunder, Let No Man Join Together!" The Rev. Dr. William L.
Self, Day 1, 2006. |
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"God and Caesar, Then and Now," Dr. N.T. Wright, Lecture - Jubilee
Reflections at Westminster Abbey.
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"Who Gets What!"
22 Pentecost - 16 October 2005, Walter W. Harms, Göttinger Predigten im Internet: Every Sunday Sermons based on the
RCL by a team of Lutheran theologians/ pastors. |
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"Paying Taxes to Caesar,"
Sermons from Seattle,
Pastor Edward F. Markquart, Grace Lutheran Church, Seattle,
Washington. |
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"What Is God's?"
Fr. Patrick
Brennan, 30 Good Minutes,
Chicago Sunday Evening Club, 1993. |
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"Nansemond Shepherd's
Rebellion," the Rev. Alex Joiner, Day 1, 1996. |
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"Anatomy of a Spiritual Disaster - How To Shoot Yourself in the Foot,"
John Jewell, 1999. |
| Father
Andrew M. Greeley, "Priest, Author, Sociologist," Commentary and
Homily
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| With Children:
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"Kids Pay Taxes, Too!"
Charles Kirkpatrick, Sermons4kids.com. |
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"Stewardship,"
"Paying Taxes," Fr Max Bowers, Kids Church. |
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"Jesus & the IRS,"
Jim Kerlin, childrensermons.com. |
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"The People Pay Taxes to Caesar," Sunday School
Lessons: Family Bible Study, art projects, music, stories, etc. |
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| Drama:
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Mustard Seeds, Proper 24, 2008. A
lectionary-based ideas resource for leaders of contemporary worship, Ann
Scull, Gippsland, Australia. |
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"For God or For Caesar,"
from A Certain Jesus by
Jose Ignacio and Maria Lopez Vigil. Ideal for catechetical and liturgical
dramatization of today's gospel. Claretian Publications. |
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| Graphics & Bulletin Materials:
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Clip Art Images:
Matthew 22:15-21, Misioneros Del Sagrado Corazón en el Perú. |
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Matthew 22:15-22, Liturgical Drawing,
Maria d.c. Zamora,
Claretian Resources, Philippines. ("Download and use
these for free.") |
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Matthew 22:14-21, at
Cerezo Barredo's weekly gospel illustration.
Liberation emphasis. |
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| Hymns and Music:
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| Fine Arts Images Linked at The Text This Week's
Art Index: |
| Movies scenes with the following themes,
listed at The Text This Week's Movie Concordance: |
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Study Links and Resources for the
Book of Matthew |
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