Meeting guide · command 67

Render To Caesar

Give civil authorities what is properly due while giving your whole God-imaged life to God.

Read

Read the complete passage aloud.

Primary passage

Matthew 22:17–22

17 Tell us therefore, what do you think? Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” 18 But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, “Why do you test me, you hypocrites? 19 Show me the tax money.” They brought to him a denarius. 20 He asked them, “Whose is this image and inscription?” 21 They said to him, “Caesar’s.” Then he said to them, “Give therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” 22 When they heard it, they marveled, and left him and went away.

World English Bible

Mark

Mark 12:17

17 Jesus answered them, “Give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” They marveled greatly at him.

World English Bible

Luke

Luke 20:25

25 He said to them, “Then give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”

World English Bible

Opponents use a tax question to trap Jesus between imperial and popular loyalties; He exposes their malice and answers without making Caesar ultimate.

Discuss

Listen carefully to what Jesus says.

  1. What does Jesus command?
  2. What does this passage reveal about Him?
  3. Where do we resist this command?
  4. What is difficult or unclear?
  5. What legitimately belongs to civil authority, and what can never be surrendered because it belongs to God?

Practice

Choose one specific act of obedience.

Identify one civic obligation and one kingdom allegiance relevant this week. Fulfill the obligation honestly while refusing any demand that belongs only to God.

Return

Come back and discuss what happened.

How did you honor a civic duty without confusing it with ultimate allegiance?

Close together

Pray. Then prepare to teach.

Pray

God, give us wisdom and courage to honor rightful authority while giving our worship and whole allegiance to you alone.

Teach

Avoid using the saying as unlimited state endorsement; Jesus distinguishes obligations while asserting God's greater claim.