Matins Devotion: April 1, 2025

Mark 12:13-27

It’s a cunning trap the Pharisees have set for Jesus. They go to him with the Herodians, Jews who are loyal to the Romans, and they ask our Lord a question bound to get Him in trouble with one of them. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar? In other words, does Caesar have the right to rule over the people of God in the land God gave them? If Jesus says “no,” the Herodians will report Him to the Romans as an insurrectionist and the Romans just might put Him to death. If Jesus says “yes,” the Pharisees can discredit Jesus among the people as a Roman sympathizer and thus, reveal Him to be very much not the Messiah they’re expecting. Very cunning indeed.

But cunning can’t defeat righteousness. When Jesus asks them about the coin and its inscription, He’s referring to a coin with an image of the emperor, reading “Tiberius, Son of the Divine Augustus.” In other words, He’s saying to them, “you want to know whether I’m a faithful Jew? Tell me more about the graven image of a false god you’re carrying around in your pocket, the graven image you’re trusting to fix your problems.”

No matter how wise you are, no matter how well you think you know the Scriptures, no matter how clever and cunning the arguments you’ve devised in your mind to justify your sin, Jesus sees through them all. While you may be able to convince the fools of this world with these tricks, your Lord will never be deceived. Turn from your sin. Let go of your transgressions. Pull the graven images out of your pockets, cast them to the ground, and follow the Lord who will give you a treasure that will last forever. Come to Christ and you’ll have a King far greater than Caesar, a King who shed His blood to keep the blood in your veins, a King who was condemned for you that you might live with Him in His kingdom forever. Come to Christ and receive the treasure of God’s eternal love, eternal forgiveness, eternal life, and eternal favor.