Today you should read: Luke 20:19-47
There is a lot of content in this passage, so I want to sit on just a portion today. I love anytime Jesus has the opportunity in scripture to be tested by the religious leaders. I say this because He always navigates those times brilliantly. In this passage, the scribes and chief priest realize that the parable Jesus had just told was directed towards them (the parable of the wicked tenants).
So the religious leaders decide to trap Jesus. They ask Jesus if it is lawful to give money to Caesar as tribute. Jesus responds by asking who appears on the denarius. Of course it is Caesar. I would imagine that at this point the Jewish leaders probably thought they had Him. But Jesus was not too concerned with their civil and political agenda. He simply says give to Caesar what is Caesars.
But don’t miss this, Jesus is referring to the concept of bearing an image. The coin bore the image of Caesar. So if that is so then give what is in the image of Caesar to him. But He continues to say “give to God the things that are God’s.” Jesus is referring to what is in the world that bares the image of God.
We often talk about the aspect of money in this passage, which is not in itself bad. But we can easily look over what Jesus is saying about who we are. We are created in the image of God. Therefore, should we not give ourselves over to God? We do not belong to ourselves. We belong to the creator who made us in His image. It is a call to humility and to recognizing who God truly is. The Religious leaders were missing this. They were consumed with politics, status, and the condemnation of others.
We give ourselves as tribute to many things in this world. With the reminder today that we are to Give to God what is made in His image (Ourselves). What will you stop giving yourself to today in order to give yourself to God.
By: Dakota Gragg — Student Ministry Associate
JumpstartCPC.com 
I’ll admit, the second part of this passage has always been one of the more difficult passages for me to swallow. I’m rather fond of my wife, and the idea that marriage doesn’t continue into heaven is a little depressing. Talk about a difficult teaching! On the flip side of the coin though, it does stroke my curiosity as to what heaven will really be like!
i Completely agree John! It makes me appreciate how amazing Heaven must be!
“Well said, Teacher!”
This part of today’s scripture made me chuckle. A pious “teacher of the law” complimenting Jesus as if he were a young student being affirmed by someone of greater stature. The Pharisees & Sadducees worked overtime coming up with clever ways to trick Jesus. Of course His responses were always perfect and left them speechless. They simply couldn’t accept that this humble carpenter born in Bethlehem could be the long awaited Messiah.
I wonder….. how often is God working in ways completely beyond what I expected? Does my agenda ever get in the way, or blind me, to the work God is doing?
Thanks for the commentary today Dakota!
Thank you for faithfully reading mike!
Thank you for pointing out the image bearer connection in this passage. I had never read it that way. I appreciate your commentary and perspective, Dakota.
An image-bearer of the Lord – me? Well…
There’s all kinds of things in life to make you thankful! I don’t like medicine and all the geriatric garbage that came to me via age 50 but
I’m thankful for good drugs!!! Better living through chemistry!
Two weeks ago, I was diagnosed with trigeminal neuralgia. It’s called the suicide disease and I’m one of the special few!! But – hey, that’s life!
So then I had to have a troublesome tooth out and that came with a few side perks. Turns out that’s a trigger for trigeminal neuralgia. So what I thought was tooth pain is really my facial nerves attacking my face. BUT, Dr. Vance, my excellent oral surgeon, figured out that it was the TN. So he gave me some steroids (the wonderful horrible drug).
After a few days, the must have kicked in!!! YAY!!! Now I just feel my toothache. But I’m ecstatic!! Truly! I’m SO happy not to have the other pain! So if having something given to you and then taken away makes you this happy, well HALLELUJAH! I needed an attitude adjustment!
So this joy can only happen because I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. It’s certainly NOT my normal response! That kinda stuff only comes through the Holy Spirit!