Will the Fed cut interest rates again today?  Today's New York Times profiles the debate.  Supporters say such measures are proactive and necessary.  Critics say the government is putting Wall Street ahead of Main Street.  I'm glad my name is not Ben Bernanke.

Now step back to another Tuesday morning.  Jesus is teaching the crowds gathered in the Temple corridors.  The authorities "hoped to catch Jesus in something he said so that they might hand him over to the power and authority of the governor" (Luke 20:20).  So they asked him their now-famous question: "Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?" (Matthew 22:17).  Their grammar requires a "yes" or "no" answer.  And either will do.

They have pushed a very hot button.  The "taxes" to which they refer were the poll-tax or "census" tax paid by all males over the age of 14 and all females over the age of 12.  This tax was paid directly to the Emperor himself.

And it required the use of a coin which was despised by the Jewish populace.  This was the "denarius," a silver coin minted by the Emperor.  On one side it pictured the head of Emperor Tiberius with the Latin inscription, "Tiberius Caesar son of the divine Augustus."  On the other side it pictured Pax, the Roman goddess of peace, with the Latin inscription, "high priest."  It was idolatrous in the extreme.

The tax it paid led to a Jewish revolt in A.D. 6 which established the Zealot movement.  That movement eventually resulted in the destruction of Jerusalem and the Jewish nation in A.D. 70.  At this time that movement was growing in power and influence.  Jesus' enemies were asking him to take a position on the most inflammatory issue of the day.

If Jesus says that it is right to pay taxes to Caesar, the public will turn from him and his influence will end.  If he says that it is not, he will be a traitor to Rome and the authorities will arrest and execute him.  Either way, his opponents will win.

Remember Jesus' timeless answer.  He asked for a denarius, then asked them, "Whose portrait is this?" (v. 20).  They told him that it bore the image and inscription of Caesar.  He replied, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and give to God what is God's" (v. 21).  And "when they heard this, they were amazed. So they left him and went away" (v. 22).

Jesus is the wisest, most intelligent man who ever lived.  In these challenging and confusing times, where do you need his wisdom today?

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