It Is Indeed Right, Our Duty, and Our Joy to Pay Taxes

 

It is indeed right, our duty and our joy, that we should at all times and in all places give thanks and praise through paying taxes.

Likewise…

It is indeed right, our duty and our joy, that we should at all times and in all places give thanks and praise to you, almighty and merciful God.

 

Taxes. The gospels are full of stories about taxes, both temple and government tax, along with stories of tax collectors. Matthew, also known as Levi, was a tax collector when Jesus’ called him to be a disciple. There is the story of Zaccheus the tax collector who changes how he lives when he encounters Jesus. In Matthew 17 we hear that Jesus pays the temple tax. Many of the stories depict tax collectors as a group whom fellow Jews despise, demonizing them as traitors and being in-bed with Rome. And we have today’s story where Jesus is cornered and asked, Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?

 

I began with a phrase that we pray in the communion liturgy. It is indeed right, our duty and our joy that we should…  The prayer follows our giving of tithes and offerings and the offering prayer that blesses God for blessing us with these gifts: ourselves, our time, and our possessions. The prayers continue, asking that our hearts turn toward those who hunger in any way, that we might be for the world signs of God’s gracious presence, and that we might feed the world with God’s love. The repetition of offering prayers helps us remember why we are about the work and mission of the church. We are reminded that we are in relationship with God and that giving to the mission and to others is an action of being faithful. Over time we invest in God’s mission by giving of ourselves, our time, and our possessions – praying, praising, gathering, working. Some of our investment we see in returns, some waits collecting interest, and some is withdrawn and seemingly disappears. The offerings we give to God are in God’s hands.

 

It is indeed right, our duty and our joy that we should… It is right and our duty to pay taxes. I suspect that some of you may argue with ‘and our joy.’ Do you pay taxes? Or give taxes? Do you do so not solely from duty but with joy? Joy, in that one has the means to have something to be taxed. Joy, that taxes paid will benefit the common good.

Whether reflecting on prayer, taxes, taking a daily walk or what-have-you, humans often have difficulty connecting the benefits of such to the source of the benefits, and the benefits themselves. In taxes there is an abundance of mercy – mercy in the form of water, sewer, roads, schools, libraries, emergency services, health care, parks and trails – mercy and manna for everyone.

American historian Albert Bushnell Hart reflected that: Taxation is the price which civilized communities pay for the opportunity of remaining civilized. There is joy to be had in the giving of tax to the emperor.

 

With this in mind, we return to the Gospel to reflect on three things to be learned from Jesus’ interaction with the Pharisees and Herodians. Surprisingly -or not so surprising because this is a Jesus’ story, the take-aways are not just about taxes, but a way of life and being; what it means to be in relationship and covenant with God, and how that gets played out in relationships with others and creation.

Lesson 1. With a common goal enemies can work together.

There is no love loss between the Pharisees and the Herodians. The Pharisees are critical of Rome while the Herodians align themselves with the Roman Empire. Both, however, share a common purpose to squash this Jesus’ movement before it gets out of hand, because the Jesus’ movement has the potential to ruin their plans and seats of power.

 

Lesson 2. The answer is not yes or no.

In the world there is a pervasive mindset of all-or-nothing.  Dualism and polarities thrive. To hold a perspective of middle ground, or a fluidity between opposites, is uncomfortable for many. Jesus teaches the crowd that more than one truth can be true, Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s.

 

Lesson 3. Continue to wrestle with the question.

 As New Testament Professor Yung Suk Kim writes, “Jesus’ answer is evasive but penetrating.”

The question is to penetrate our hearts, minds, and beings. We are left wondering, left with the question because it is to be wrestled with. Is it lawful (joyful) to pay taxes? To wrestle with the question means that we continue to be engaged in the world, with all its politics, authorities, and systems of society; it means we participate in a critical interpretation of the world around us; continually applying the Gospel, living God’s mission, and working for the kindom.

 

Consider for a moment these three learnings – with a common goal enemies can work together, the answer is not yes or no, and continue to wrestle with the question- it struck me that the practicing of these three learnings has the potential to change perspectives and the relationship of people with each other, and have a result of an improved commonwealth. Enemies work together, there is more than one answer, and that continued engagement, reflection, and critique are critical to civilized society.

 

Paul and Silas write to the Thessalonians that they remember them before God in prayer. Paul has heard of the Thessalonian’s ministry and the giving of themselves, their time, and their possessions. It is described as: work produced by faith, labour prompted by love, and endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. May our families, our friends, our neighbourhood hear and see that this community of Jesus’ followers – practice the teachings of this Gospel, joyfully contributing to the wider community, giving not paying taxes, and that our work is produced by faith, our labour prompted by love, and our endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. And that these gifts of joy, faith, love, and hope are only this when shared – given to all.

 

We Give thanks and praise to you, almighty and merciful God, through our Saviour Jesus Christ, who on this day over came death and the grave, and by his glorious resurrection opened to us the way of everlasting life. And so, with all the choirs of angels, with the church on earth and the hosts of heaven, we praise your name and with joy give all that we have, all that we are, for the healing of the whole world.