29th Sunday in Ordinary Time
By Fr. Victor Feltes
The Pharisees saw Jesus as an enemy and plotted to entrap through his own words. They sent their followers to him along with some people allied with Herod, the local puppet-king installed by the Romans. If Jesus were to tell people not to pay Roman taxes, King Herod could have him arrested and even executed for sedition. After attempting to soften Jesus up with praises, their trap is set: “Tell us… what is your opinion? Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not?”
Jesus knew their ill intent. He knows the minds and hearts of all. Jesus loves an honest questioner, because those who seek the true and the good are actually seeking him. But insincere questions like theirs, seeking excuses to condemn or dismiss Jesus, understandably displease him. “Why are you testing me, you hypocrites,” Jesus says, “Show me the coin that pays the census tax.” They hand him the coin and he asks, “Whose image is this and whose inscription?” “Caesar’s,” they reply.
Which Roman coin were they considering? The gospel’s original Greek text tells us that it was “a denarius” bearing Caesar’ likeness and title. This coin, popularly known as “the Tribute Penny,” was most-likely one minted by Emperor Tiberius throughout his reign (14 A.D.–37 A.D.). It depicted a profile of the emperor’s face with the text “Caesar Augustus Tiberius, son of the Divine Augustus.” The reverse had an image thought to be the emperor’s mother, Livia, depicted seated and holding a laurel branch in the likeness of Pax, the Roman goddess of peace.
(It is interesting how that ancient pagan empire was led by a king who professed being the son of a god and honored his mother, a woman linked to peace. Of course, I do not think this means Christianity—with Christ our King, the Son of God, with his holy mother the Queen of Peace—is false, some mere imitation of paganism. I see this as another example of how the demons knowingly and sinful men unknowingly parody true reality in order to take the place of God, grasping at what belongs to him. Yet, God permits these evils in our world in part to prepare minds and hearts to turn to Christ, the King of all.)
What was the value of that silver Roman denarius coin? It was the standard, one-day wage for day laborers in the first century. How much is one of them worth today? Searching online, I found this webpage selling “Tribute Pennies” for prices between $700 and $1,650. Their accompanying images show their varying degrees of wear, yet even though these coins may have been lost for many years, each one still recognizably bears Caesar’s image.
When they handed Jesus one of these ancient coins, he asked them, “Whose image is this and whose inscription?” When they replied, “Caesar’s,” Jesus said, “Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.” Beyond that historical context, besides any political theories of the relation of Church and state, Jesus is telling us something important through this gospel today.
In whose image are we made? Whose likeness do we bear? By what title are we known? “God created mankind in his image; in the image of God he created them…” And we are proud to bear the name and title of “Christian.” Always remember: even if you have ever been mistreated or neglected, or have been worn-down by your chosen sins, even if you have been lost for years like one of those Roman coins, you still bear the likeness of our Creator and have enduring, precious value. You belong to God; give yourself to him.
Parishable Items 
Leave a comment