Whose image will they see?
In the past people most transactions were bartering. I’ll give you 4 of these for 6 of those. But now most transactions are done with
money. Most countries today have their
own currency, or money; although, many countries in Europe have a common
currency. Typically, money has two ways
of existing: one is through electronic transaction, i.e credit cards, debit
cards, etc. The other way – the old way
- is by using paper or coins. Paper and
money have distinct ways of identifying them.
Yes, most countries have different size, shape and color paper and coin
money. But, also within the country, the
money whether paper or coins have their distinct identifying marks.
Here in the United States there are different amount
denominations for both paper and coins.
Our paper currency is all the same shape, size, color, and similar
design; they have different images drawn into them. For the connoisseur, looking at the image can
tell them the denomination of the paper bill.
All images however, tend to be of important characters of American
history, such as dead presidents. The
coins also are distinct. They have the
same shape, but different sizes and different colors on some cases. Also, like their paper counterpart, the also
have different images. Each respective
size is a respective denomination. In
some coins, however, the image can tell you the year they were minted. With all the differences in the coins, there
is no way of mistaking it for the currency of another nation. Anyone that sees it can identify it as
American money. The coin and paper
represent a value of money that is yours as long as it is in your
possession. However, the coin and paper
themselves are owned by the United States Government (Some would argue this
point).
This fact of someone owning the coins is not new. Even in Roman days, the emperor owned the
coins. No one could doubt that, the
image of Caesar – the Roman Emperor – was on the coin. We know this from sources such as History or
archeology. The Bible also tells us
about the image of Caesar in the Roman coins.
Let us read the account,
Matthew 22: 15 Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel
how they might entangle him in his talk.
Matthew 22: 16 And they sent out unto him their disciples
with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest
the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any man: for thou regardest
not the person of men.
Matthew 22: 17 Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is
it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?
Matthew 22: 18 But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and
said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites?
Matthew 22: 19 Shew me the tribute money. And they
brought unto him a penny.
Matthew 22: 20 And he saith unto them, Whose is this
image and superscription?
Matthew 22: 21 They say unto him, Caesar's. Then saith he
unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto
God the things that are God's.
Matthew 22: 22 When they had heard these words, they
marvelled, and left him, and went their way.
Before this incident Christ had exposed the hypocrisy of the. So, they sought revenge. They thought
that about trapping Jesus to make Him look bad, even criminal. They counseled with the Herodians - their
bitter enemies who now had their enmity to Christ in common. The idea was that if Christ said it was legal
to pay taxes, then He would be against God’s word according to the Pharisees. But, if Christ said that it was not legal,
then they could accuse Him to the Roman authorities. Their plan failed. Ellen White says about Christ's reply,
Christ's reply was no evasion, but a candid answer to the
question. Holding in His hand the Roman coin, upon which were stamped the name
and image of Caesar, He declared that since they were living under the
protection of the Roman power, they should render to that power the support it
claimed, so long as this did not conflict with a higher duty. But while
peaceably subject to the laws of the land, they should at all times give their
first allegiance to God. {DA 602.4}
A Christian writer wrote, ‘Give your money to Caesar; it has
his image on it, and thus it belongs to him. But give yourselves to God. You
bear his image, and you belong to him.’
With this in mind, we see that in verse 22 Christ asked whose image and
superscription was on the coin. They all
replied Caesar’s. So, it was evident
that the coin belonged to Caesar. Can
people by looking at us say, “You have God’s image and superscription on you,
you belong to Him?” To see ourselves as
coins is not that big of a stretch.
Christ used a coin to describe us in the parable of the lost coin (Luke
15: 8-10). If Christ were to hold us up
as He did the coin, and asks the crowd, “Whose image and superscription do you
see?, What would the crowd answer, “Your own (Christ’s) or Caesars.” Christ said to the disciples that others
will know that you are my disciples by your love for one another (John 13:35). Can others say that about us? Our character is the image and superscription
that tells others who do we belong to. What
will it say about us?
