Caesar’s Coin, by Peter Paul Rubens, 1612–1614. (Source)
I usually start these thoughts with an aspect of modern life and its priorities and perspectives, writes Rev Sydney Maitland. Often there are some questions to look into – contradictions, confusions or whatever. Then comes the perspective of the gospels and I usually finish there.
So this is going to be different because at one of our evening celebrations, we were presented with Jesus’ words about paying taxes to Caesar. You know the passage: ‘Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s’. (Mark 12: 17).
Fine. So what is due to Caesar – and what is due to God? Caesar demands the payment of taxes and obedience to the law, including the lawful instructions of the garrison forces. And God says something rather different. Obey the 10 commandments; love God above all else, love your neighbour as yourself, love one another within the fellowship of believers as Jesus has love us. And there is Micah: act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with your God.
So far there is no conflict so long as Caesar does not demand the worship that belongs to God alone. People have faced death for refusing to compromise in this. There is no general edict from the state against good manners and kindness, showing mercy to the poor and in all other circumstances. Yet even here, there have been times when certain interpretations of the gospel have led to one side or the other being proscribed, and sheltering them has become a form of insurrection.
But even apart from these extremes – which the 20th Century has witnessed only too violently – there is another question: what happens when we try to use the things of God for the service of Caesar, and when we turn the things of Caesar’s realm to the service of God?
This is more complicated. Is God really served by the political arts of power-broking, deal-making, the granting and then the repudiation of undertakings and promises? Just how far can His holiness be invoked when politicians make decisions on priorities and the allocation of resources? When compromises have to be made in order to keep the peace or to maintain good trading relations. We all remember how promises to maintain an ethical foreign policy foundered on the realities of real-time international power relations. And our nuclear deterrent? The Russian one seems to be far more effective than our own just now.
Does this kind of political manoeuvring within the councils of the Church really glorify God? And yet can it be avoided when there are just so many different points of view and some people are just better at presenting arguments and marshalling opinion than others, regardless of the merits of the matter being discussed?
And just how long do the imperatives of the gospel last in the public square, when society is multi-faith and multi-cultural? When only a minority of the population even pretend or claim to hold to any kind of Christian identity or commitment?
But having said even that, will we really withdraw from society like the Essenes or the various 16-17 Century German movements (Mennonites, Hutterites etc) In these days of internet connectivity is this even an option when so many services are only available online?
No, I am not sure that that would be a practical option either. Is the situation looks confusing – that is because it is. I think that the best option is to focus on Jesus Christ and Him crucified, to love one another as He has loved us, hold to all the aspects of mutual love as shown us by the gospel – and then to rely on the guidance of the Holy Spirit as we reflect together on these things. Not easy, still prone to getting it wrong, but so long as we are centred on Jesus then that is where we may shape our courses and even drift from that course can be remedied.
Every blessing,
Sydney Maitland
