Jesus and the Government

It is interesting that Jesus never got involved in governmental matters. In this posting we will look at a few verses that show what the Bible teaching is regarding following governmental laws.

First, we might note that Jesus had no interest in pursuing the rich and powerful; certainly not to the exclusion of the poor man.  Jesus showed over and over that He came to save people, anyone who would follow Him.  When He picked the 12 apostles, He went to just regular working men; men not particularly educated or who would stand out in any special way.  When He taught, He sought out sinners, people who were rejected by society, people who needed to change their lives.  We see all of this as we read the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. 

But the Jewish leaders were not satisfied with this.  They pursued Him further.  Note Matthew 22:15+: "Then the Pharisees went and plotted how they might entangle Him in His talk.  And they sent to Him their disciple with the Herodians, saying, 'Teacher, we know that You are true, and teach the way of God in truth; nor do You care about anyone, for You do not regard the person of men.  Tell us, therefore, what do You think?  Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?'  But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, 'Why do you test Me, you hypocrites?  Show Me the tax money.'  So they brought Him a denarius.  And He said to them, 'Whose image and inscription is this?'  They said to Him, 'Caesar's.'  And he said to them, 'Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.'  When they heard these words, they marveled, and left Him and went their way."  Jesus made it clear that laws are to be followed, taxes paid.

But we also note in Acts 4, well after Jesus has left the earth to return to heaven, the Jewish leaders, not the Roman government, pressed the apostles to stop speaking of Jesus.  The answer (Acts 4:20) was, "..we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard."  Then in the next chapter, Acts 5, when commanded by the Jewish leaders to not teach, the answer was, "We ought to obey God rather than men."  The truth needed to be taught....and these men were going to do it.

We can keep in mind that the government at the time of Jesus, and even after for awhile, was quite corrupt.  It was run by the Romans.  They were brutal, unfair, and dominating.  Still, Jesus was not concerned with the government, was not a reactionary.  He came to bring "change" but it was only in the spiritual lives of people.

And it can change us....if we let it. 

Thanks for reading.  Feel the love.