00:00Why did Jesus tell people to pay taxes to the very empire that ruled over them?
00:05And here is why his answer was so remarkable.
00:09In the Old Testament, tithes supported the Levites, religious worship, and the care of those in need.
00:16But when Israel demanded a king, Samuel warned them that a king would take a portion of their crops,
00:22livestock, and possessions to support his rule and military power.
00:26By the time of Jesus, the Jewish people lived under Roman rule.
00:31They faced imperial taxes, while the Jewish community also maintained its own religious obligations, including the temple tax.
00:39So when Jesus said,
00:40Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's, and unto God the things that are God's,
00:46he was not declaring Caesar to be righteous or placing Caesar above God.
00:51His words drew a distinction between earthly obligations and what belongs to God.
00:57We may have responsibilities to earthly authorities, but our ultimate allegiance belongs to God.
01:03Because while earthly rulers may demand our money,
01:07no earthly ruler deserves the worship and devotion that belong to God alone.
