The Tribute to Caesar BY GUSTAVE DORÉ, THE NOTED FRENCH ILLUSTRATOR, DIED 1883. "Shew me the tribute-money. And they brought unto him a penny.”—Matthew, 22, 19. F INDING that they could not befool Jesus by their proffered friendship, the men of the upper classes, both priests and Pharisees and also the “Herodians," courtiers of king Herod, plotted to entrap Jesus, to embroil Him with the Roman government, or else with the impetuous masses of the Jews. So they came to Him with flattery. "Master, we know that thou art true, and carest for no man: for thou regardest not the person of men, but teachest the way of God in truth: Is it lawful to give tribute to Cæsar, or not? Shall we give, or shall we give not?" Here was a dilemma. If the Master answered no, the Romans would arrest Him as a rebel; if He said yes, the people, who hated Rome, would abandon Him and leave Him helpless in His enemies' hands. Jesus smiled at them contemptuously, calling them, "Ye hypocrites!" Then asking for a penny, such as was paid in tribute, He pointed out that the coin held Cæsar's head, had been made by Cæsar's government; and He said, "Render therefore unto Cæsar the things which are Cæsar's; and unto God the things that are God's." ACTS VII-STEPHEN'S SERMON 1711 11 Now there came a dearth over all the land of Egypt and Chanaan, and great affliction: and our fathers found no sustenance. 12 But when Jacob heard that there was corn in Egypt, he sent out our fathers first. 13 And at the second time Joseph was made known to his brethren; and Joseph's kindred was made known unto Pharaoh. 14 Then sent Joseph, and called his father Jacob to him, and all his kindred, threescore and fifteen souls. 15 So Jacob went down into Egypt, and died, he, and our fathers, 16 And were carried over into Sychem, and laid in the sepulchre that Abraham bought for a sum of money of the sons of Emmor the father of Sychem. 17 But when the time of the promise drew nigh, which God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt, 18 Till another king arose, which knew not Joseph. 19 The same dealt subtilly with our kindred, and evil entreated our fathers, so that they cast out their young children, to the end they might not live. 20 In which time Moses was born, and was exceeding fair, and nourished up in his father's house three months: 21 And when he was cast out, Pharaoh's daughter took him up, and nourished him for her own son. 22 And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds. 23 And when he was full forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren the children of Israel. 24 And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and avenged him that was oppressed, and smote the Egyptian: 25 For he supposed his brethren would have understood how that God by his hand would deliver them: but they understood not. 26 And the next day he shewed himself unto them as they strove, and would have set them at one again, saying, Sirs, ye are brethren; why do ye wrong one to another? 27 But he that did his neighbour wrong thrust him away, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge over us? 28 Wilt thou kill me, as thou diddest the Egyptian yesterday? 29 Then fled Moses at this saying, and was a stranger in the land of Madian, where he begat two sons. 30 And when forty years were expired, there appeared to him in the wilderness of mount Sina an angel of the Lord in a flame of fire in a bush. 31 When Moses saw it, he wondered at the sight: and as he drew near to behold it, the voice of the Lord came unto him, 32 Saying, I am the God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Then Moses trembled, and durst not behold. |