Hypocrisy and taxes

06/07/2025 • View profile

Photo by The New York Public Library on Unsplash

Before we get started, please read the previous article, here; You can't please everyone, and if you want to help me out, go here, Help with medical bills, and please check out my latest on Locals, here; Coffee and Christianity: Episode 87: Sheep and goats

As is well known to y'all that read my articles, I love me some tangents. And, one of those tangents in a discussion with a friend of mine, was about how the Puritans left England for religious freedom, but didn't extend that same courtesy to other people. (Why did the Puritans, despite fleeing religious persecution in England, establish their own church and persecute dissenters?)
Yep, while the United States had religious freedom, the Puritanical colonies, did not.
And, as an aside, in a predominantly Protestant country, some radtrad Catholics need to be very careful about condemning religious freedom. While I would argue there are some things that should never be tolerated (like the desecration of a consecrated Eucharistic host, your religious rights shouldn't violate mine), the belief that Protestants, Catholics, Orthodox, and even non-Christians should be able to worship as they please, means that same benefit is extended to us.
Remember, THIS WAS NOT ALWAYS SO. Oh, and, because some “conservatives” are weirdly pro russia, I thought I would share these, just as an aside; Russian occupiers destroy Greek Catholic church in Myrnohrad, Patriarch Kirill appeared in public wearing a panagia that may have been stolen in Ukraine, Yes, Tucker, Christians are really killed in Ukraine — for refusing to spy for Putin (it's a good article, but, it doesn't touch on religious persecution of Greek Catholics, which is disappointing).
But, back to the bigger point. Hypocrisy. And taxes. Hypocrisy and taxes? Yep, hypocrisy and taxes.
“And they send unto him certain of the Pharisees and of the Herodians, to catch him in his words. And when they were come, they say unto him, Master, we know that thou are true, and carest for no man: for thou regardest not the person of men, but teachest the way of God in truth: Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar or not?
Shall we give, or not give? But he, knowing their hypocrisy, said unto them, Why tempt ye me? Bring me a penny, that I may see it. And they brought it. And he saith unto them, Whose image and superscription? And they said unto him, Caesar's. And Jesus answering said to them, Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God, the things that are God's. And they marvelled at him.”
(Mark 12:13-17).
Here's the thing, Jesus gave an answer, and one that wouldn't get him in trouble, at that. He's not going to say, “well, don't pay the tax”, because that could get him in trouble with the Roman authorities (he was aware his death was coming, but it was not yet time).
But, at the same time, if he would have answered that it was fine to pay the tax, the tax with Caesar's image on it (and remember, Jewish audience. It is a bit of a myth that Jews didn't have engraved images, see Exodus 25, the prohibition was more against worshiping images).
But, here's the thing...the emperor was often considered divine. Here's an article about Julius Caesar being declared a god, for instance, AEDES DIVI IVLII: The Temple of the Deified Julius (though, he had been dead for a few decades by that point).
So, to the Jews, the money WAS an idol, in at least that sense.
But, you'll note something. Jesus very clearly separates God from the images on the coins.
He says give to Caesar what is his, and to God, what is his. Caesar may be the emperor, but, he's not God.
Jesus is okay rendering to Caesar what is his. After all, the finances for running an empire have to come from somewhere. But, he also wants his audience to know that, God is not the Roman Emperor, though, he is a king.
And, of important note, whether Caesar recognized it or not, everything that Caesar had, was also God's.