This question was intended to sift Jesus, to see whose side He was on, so I'm sure the air was thick with anticipation. One side was going to rejoice that they'd found His weakness. When the coin comes, Jesus focuses solely on the image. Instead of determining whose side He was on, Jesus turns the tide like Maverick putting on the breaks for the MiG to blow by, and it becomes a question of whose side the question-askers were on.
"Whose portrait is this?" Jesus asks. He draws everyone to look at the image on the coin. It is clearly Caesar's. "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's..." and then the most fantastic part "and to God what is God's."
Jesus is reclaiming the broken image. Claiming ownership over all those who would have known the Genesis story by heart. God's image, though broken, was still part of everyone who heard Jesus' voice, and He was making a declaration that they should give themselves back to God.
In effect Jesus is dismissing this thing they have put so much value in. The Herodians with their identity in Rome and government support and protection. The Pharisees with their identity in following the rules and cleanliness. Jesus wants them to shed those false selves. See this coin, it belongs to Caesar, what's the big deal. Give it to him.
The false identities, attempts to cover the broken image, are self effort - products of the old, sinful self. Jesus is not trying to change their behavior here, He is reclaiming their image.
The image of God implies ownership and security. Jesus takes the shame away so we don't have to cover it by proving our own worth. Through Jesus we don't have to worry about Rome (or Washington), our spouses faults, body image, money, popularity, education, church size - we can stop pretending that our value and acceptability comes from those things.
That is freedom. That is rest. That is available only in Christ.
What are you seeking to be freed from?
In what ways do you struggle to let Christ reclaim the image?
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment