Whose Image?

 April 28, 2023

Sometimes we miss what’s staring us right in the face. This morning’s reading came from Matthew 22 where Jesus is tested by his antagonists. Here’s the incident as Matthew recorded it:

“Then the Pharisees went and plotted how they might entangle Him in His talk. 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. Tell us, therefore, what do You think? Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, “Why do you test Me, you hypocrites? Show Me the tax money.” So they brought Him a denarius. And He said to them, “Whose image and inscription is this?” 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.” When they had heard these words, they marveled, and left Him and went their way.” —Matthew 22:15-22

Jesus knew this was a setup. It had to be; the Pharisees were the ultra-religious conservatives, while the Herodians were state lackeys. These two groups were mortal enemies, so when they collaborate, you know they’re up to no good.

This incident has spawned a classic line: “Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s,” in other words, don’t try to wiggle out of paying your taxes. It all hinges upon Jesus taking a coin and asking whose image and inscription are upon it, and the conclusion that he draws that the image and inscription on the coin indicates that it belongs to the state. It’s the next part we miss because we fail to ask the followup question: “Where is God’s image and inscription?”

As any first-century Jew would know, God’s image is on us. Human beings are made in God’s image; it’s theology 101. The conclusion is clear: as the coin belongs to Caesar, so we belong to God. And in case we didn’t understand the image part, Jesus added that there is an inscription that goes along with the image. St. Paul tells us exactly what that is.

“When Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them.” —Romans 2:14-15 

Did you catch it? The law is written in our hearts, in our conscience. That conscience can be seared by sin, but there are always vestiges of it telling us that certain things are wrong and others are right. Where does this notion of right and wrong come from? If there is no God in whose image we are made, there is no logical reason why we should feel bad if we do ill, or good if we do well. There is no real basis for morality and ethics. “Right and Wrong” is whatever we decide it will be, and is variable as times change. 

If however, there is a God in whose image we are made and who has written in our hearts a conscience, then just as the coin belonged ultimately to Caesar, so we belong ultimately to God, and to refuse to give ourselves to him is a deadly sin. And that refusal is the reason Jesus Christ came to earth. He died on a cross so our sins could be forgiven, rose from death to assure us that he has the power to do so, and ascended to heaven so he could give us his Holy Spirit, the very Spirit who alone can soften the hard heart and lead us to repentance and faith and eternal life. God’s image and inscription are upon us. May we not forget or ignore it.