人们发现耶稣的目的是教导神的道，而不是按照世界的规则行事。这让法利赛人和希律党人认为，他们可以陷害耶稣。他们有关税收的问题看似只有两个选择：要么遵守世上的规则，毁掉祂作为一个以神为中心的教师的声誉，要么拒绝政府的税收，给人一种带头叛乱的假象。
他们就是不明白。我们也常常不明白。
耶稣不遵守世界的规则，不是因为祂轻视这些规则，而是因为祂有更高的目标。耶稣追求的不是凯撒的金钱、王国或任何世上的奖赏。耶稣有更高的目标——一个是税收看起来微不足道的更崇高的目标。耶稣追求的是属神的事物，因为耶稣就是神。
所以，宗教领袖的诡计反而成了耶稣教导祂真正追求的完美契机。“这像是谁的？”耶稣问。祂说，如果这上面有凯撒的像，就把它给凯撒。神想要的是有神形象的东西。
什么才是有神的形象呢？神把祂的名字写在哪里呢？在我们身上。
神不需要我们的钱或东西，祂想要祂的孩子。
亲爱的耶稣，感谢你聚集我们到你的父，也是我们的父面前。请帮助我们看见，我们是属神的，祂愿意完全得着我们。阿们。
马可福音 12:13-17
13后来，他们打发几个法利赛人和几个希律党的人到耶稣那里，要就着他的话陷害他。
14他们来了，就对他说：“夫子，我们知道你是诚实的，什么人你都不徇情面，因为你不看人的外貌，乃是诚诚实实传神的道。纳税给恺撒可以不可以？
15“我们该纳不该纳？”耶稣知道他们的假意，就对他们说：“你们为什么试探我？拿一个银钱来给我看。”
16他们就拿了来。耶稣说：“这像和这号是谁的？”他们说：“是恺撒的。”
17耶稣说：“恺撒的物当归给恺撒，神的物当归给神。”他们就很稀奇他。
"'Whose image is this? And whose inscription?' 'Caesar’s,' they replied. Then Jesus said to them, 'Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.'" - Mark 12:16-17
People were finding out that Jesus aimed to teach the way of God rather than playing by the world’s rules. That led the Pharisees and Herodians to think they could trap Jesus. Their question about paying taxes seemed to give him only two choices: play by the world’s rules and ruin his reputation as a God-centered teacher, or reject the government’s taxes and give the appearance of leading a rebellion.
They just didn’t get it. And often neither do we.
When Jesus didn’t play by the world’s rules, it wasn’t because he despised them; it was because he had a higher purpose. Jesus wasn’t after Caesar’s money or kingdom or anything prized by the world. Jesus had a higher purpose—a loftier goal that made taxes seem trivial. Jesus was after what belonged to God because Jesus was God.
So the trick of the religious leaders became a perfect opportunity for Jesus to teach what he was really after. “Whose image is on the coin?” Jesus asks. If it has Caesar’s image on it, he said, give it to Caesar. What God wants is what has God’s image on it.
And what has God’s image? Where has God inscribed his name? On us.
God doesn’t want our money or stuff; he wants his children.
Dear Jesus, thank you for gathering us to your Father, our Father. Help us see that we belong to God, who wants us completely. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
