Here is a little of what our tax dollars go toward.... Giving these guys jobs.
This is so sad and yet its getting to this point everywhere!
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Friday, April 15, 2011
"Give unto Caesar"
Wow.. its been a while... it's a cold/cloudy/windy day here and I guess I'm a little bored and my brain starts working when that happens :) Anyway... here's what's on my mind.....
I've talked with a lot of people about our responsibility to worldly authority and how we should behave toward them. I think everyone I've talked to about this has brought up the passage "Render therefore unto Cæsar the things which are Cæsar's;" - Matt 22:17 um... but thats actually only half of a verse... .or maybe less. The full passage in context reads like so:
Whether you read that or not ... you know the story. I believe this is very important. And I really don't think this is going to win an argument or anything, but this verse has been taken WAY out of context today and it needs to be corrected which is what I am attempting to do here.
Most people will use this verse to say that Christ commands us to pay our taxes/give tribute.... and I don't think Christ was saying that at all in this "encounter". I'll call it that because he seemed to have quite a few "encounters" with the Pharisees.
So how does this encounter start out?
He started His answer by asking them a question about the tribute money "Whose is this image and superscription?" They answered... "Caesars".... In making THEM answer this questions he remained completely neutral. Finally.. His answer "Render therefore unto Cæsar the things which are Cæsar's; and unto God the things that are God's" Again.... he has remained completely neutral. I really don't think there is any way you can interpret this to say that Christ commands us to pay taxes. Instead he asks us... What is Caesars and what is Gods?
If you truly believe that Our God Yahweh is infinite, all knowing, the creator of heaven and earth and protector and provider for us all .. you will know that EVERYTHING is Yahweh's by right of creation.
Christ is also drawing a line between Caesar and God that cannot be crossed. What is God's cannot be Caesar's and what is Caesar's cannot be God's. And again....Everything is Gods by right of creation.... if you believe that Ps 24:1 is truth then Caesar is nothing and owns nothing.
I'm not condemning anyone at all for paying taxes... but I do think you are on dangerous ground if you're telling someone they are wrong if they prefer not to.
Thats all for now... Peace :)
I've talked with a lot of people about our responsibility to worldly authority and how we should behave toward them. I think everyone I've talked to about this has brought up the passage "Render therefore unto Cæsar the things which are Cæsar's;" - Matt 22:17 um... but thats actually only half of a verse... .or maybe less. The full passage in context reads like so:
15 Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk. 16 And they sent out unto him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any man: for thou regardest not the person of men. 17 Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not? 18 But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites? 19 Shew me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny. 20 And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? 21 They say unto him, Cæsar's. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Cæsar the things which are Cæsar's; and unto God the things that are God's. 22 When they had heard these words, they marvelled, and left him, and went their way. KJV
Whether you read that or not ... you know the story. I believe this is very important. And I really don't think this is going to win an argument or anything, but this verse has been taken WAY out of context today and it needs to be corrected which is what I am attempting to do here.
Most people will use this verse to say that Christ commands us to pay our taxes/give tribute.... and I don't think Christ was saying that at all in this "encounter". I'll call it that because he seemed to have quite a few "encounters" with the Pharisees.
So how does this encounter start out?
15 Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk. 16 And they sent out unto him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any man: for thou regardest not the person of men.So what do we know from that? We do know that the Pharasees wanted to kill Christ and right here.. they were trying to "entangle Him in his talk". And they even tried to butter Him up a bit.
17 Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?They wanted Him to say something that would get Him in trouble with the "authorities". Pretty clever really.... but Christ knows all things!
18 But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites? 19 Shew me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny. 20 And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? 21 They say unto him, Cæsar's. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Cæsar the things which are Cæsar's; and unto God the things that are God's.This the WHOLE answer.... not just the part that says "Give unto Caesar". So lets try to get a glimps into the all knowing mind of Christ. Personally I think this is one of the most completely brilliant answers ever. I spent a while studying this verse and I came to conclusion that it doesn't really answer their question at all. Instead it gives them a decision to make..... I'll try to explain here...
He started His answer by asking them a question about the tribute money "Whose is this image and superscription?" They answered... "Caesars".... In making THEM answer this questions he remained completely neutral. Finally.. His answer "Render therefore unto Cæsar the things which are Cæsar's; and unto God the things that are God's" Again.... he has remained completely neutral. I really don't think there is any way you can interpret this to say that Christ commands us to pay taxes. Instead he asks us... What is Caesars and what is Gods?
If you truly believe that Our God Yahweh is infinite, all knowing, the creator of heaven and earth and protector and provider for us all .. you will know that EVERYTHING is Yahweh's by right of creation.
Ps 24:1 The earth is the LORD'S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.To deny that.... is to deny God. I believe something that Christ is asking the Pharisees is ..... who are you worshiping?
Christ is also drawing a line between Caesar and God that cannot be crossed. What is God's cannot be Caesar's and what is Caesar's cannot be God's. And again....Everything is Gods by right of creation.... if you believe that Ps 24:1 is truth then Caesar is nothing and owns nothing.
I'm not condemning anyone at all for paying taxes... but I do think you are on dangerous ground if you're telling someone they are wrong if they prefer not to.
Thats all for now... Peace :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)