Does anyone know the meaning of this phrase...
2007-07-25 03:09:26 · 31 answers · asked by ness_galvez 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
It means "Pay your taxes."
2007-07-25 03:11:35 · answer #1 · answered by Freedom 7 · 2⤊ 3⤋
The saying is in reference to the heavy taxes charged by the Romans to the people who were 'Jews' ... Christ said: Give unto Caesar what is Caesar's, give to God what is God's.
People think that this means 'pay your taxes' to the government, and 'pay your tithes' to the Jewish religious leaders ... or 'do good' which is God's ... but, in fact, without the 'full speech' we don't know for sure ... and this is something that may have been put into the Bible when Rome was the 'head' of the church as well as the Government, which would actually make this a statement to get MORE money for the church at that time, since it WAS the government, as well as being 'God's representative on earth.'
During the days of Martin Luther nailing his paper to the doors of the church, it was this government/church connection and the 'scams' run by many high churchmen (government) that at least partly caused Luther to want to 'rebel' from the Catholic church. He wanted the church to 'change' and not to start 'another relgion' (Lutheran) ... and he didn't do that ... Luther was a Catholic priest and remained a Catholic priest his whole life. He even wrote some of his best 'theological papers' STILL used by the Catholics in this 'technological age' AFTER he had been 'excommunicated' from the church. Excommunication does NOT mean one is 'thrown out' of the church membership, only that they can NOT 'take communion' (the bread and wine representing Christ's body and blood given at the Eucharist) until they have 'completed their penance' ... but they MUST go to Mass every day. An 'excommunicated' priest can not 'say Mass' because part of every Mass is the preparation of the Eucharist, and the priest must both 'eat and drink' in front of the congregation, and since he wasn't 'front and center' many people may have mistakenly thought that he had been 'thrown out' of the church totally.
THIS would be 'give (actually 'render') unto God what is God's.'
2007-07-25 03:24:06 · answer #2 · answered by Kris L 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hi. I want to do right by God. I am calling for help. When Jesus said "Give to Caesar what is Caesar s ...", didn t he mean to obey the law (even when it is not perfect)? I want to do the right thing. In a case like that of Kim Davis, shouldn t we be making legal moves to get these laws changed (so they CAN be righteous), or are we supposed to BREAK government laws that go against scripture? In other words, what part of the solution is "... give to God what is God s"? I am on God s side, but this heroic move by Kim is really making the sinners look like the victims. With such an approach, I fear we, as believers, might be walking into a trap. I implore all who are listening ... please help me understand. I will listen.
2015-09-07 03:04:07 · answer #3 · answered by Jeff 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Did Jesus evade the issue? What image is on this coin? Caesar.. Give to Caesar what is Caesar's. Give to God what is God's: "In the image of God made he man, male and female made he man." People belong to God, and so does Caesar and all that he has. Job says, "The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away." This is farm more than an evasive maneuver or a Catholic attempt tor religiously tax people -- Jeses retaught them. During temptation, Satan says,"All the kingdoms of the World if you will worship me...." Why would he even say such a thing to the Son of God? Jesus doesn't answer "I own it all, already." He answers to the point, "Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and Him only shall thou serve." Taxes are not the issue.
2015-10-16 00:44:20 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Agreed, Jesus was skirting the question to avoid being trapped, but as to the larger point what he is saying is who will you give your life to Caesar or Christ. It does not simply mean divide the two. Look at other passages, when Jesus was tempted after 40 days he says thou shall worship the Lord the God. Also refer to psalm 24 vs 1 and ephesians 6 12 when Jesus says we wrestle against the powers of this world.
2013-12-15 04:27:12 · answer #5 · answered by andrew 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This line comes from the Bible when some people were trying to trick Jesus into denying the power of Rome (the people who controlled Jerusalem at the time) by getting him to say that taxes didn't need to be paid.
Jesus avoided their trap by saying, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's; give to God what is God's." What this essentially means is that you should give to the government what is required of you (like taxes) and give to God what is his (like your soul).
Hope that helps.
2007-07-25 03:15:27 · answer #6 · answered by JebbieGrad95 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Basically it means to obey all the worldly governments laws where you live as long as it does not conflict with God's Law.
Taxes, traffic laws, crosswalks etc.
Acts of worship of anything other than God. No, No. Consider Daniel and the lions den and the 3 Hebrews tossed into the fire. What got them there was not saluting or pledging allegiance to the king and his government religion. God's Law was higher and must be obeyed before man's law.
2007-07-25 04:13:20 · answer #7 · answered by grnlow 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Those who are in the politcal power have their power from God. We must obey their legitimate rules and orders as for the good of society.
But God must be respected also. He owns everything and is everywhere. So we must give him worship.
Jesus was talking about the Political and Religous spheres in society. The two are not opposed, but can work together in fulfilling God's will.
2007-07-25 21:05:51 · answer #8 · answered by hossteacher 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This means that we must obey the laws set by the government, as long as these law don't go against the the laws of God. Paying your taxes for example, is a law that does not contradict the laws of God.
2007-07-25 03:45:00 · answer #9 · answered by macja5 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I means you are supposed to serve God with your whole heart while at the same time try to obey the laws of the land.
God doesn't much care if you pay taxes and refrain from speed your car (these things won't get you into heaven). But you need to do those things to live peaceably with those in the world and to obey the laws of the land.
Serve God with the things that please him and serve the world with the things that are required. Both are required but not related.
2007-07-25 03:23:58 · answer #10 · answered by Airmech 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
It's talking about paying your taxes. The Pharisees were trying to prove that Christ was not following the law when they asked Him if they should pay their taxes, and Christ answered them with the phrase above.
He pointed out that Caesar's face was on the coin, therefore it belongs to Caesar.
2007-07-25 03:13:02 · answer #11 · answered by lookoutthewindow 2 · 2⤊ 1⤋