As we are now leaving the time of Easter behind us I thought I would remind you of the charge the ‘council of elders’ brought before Pilate concerning the Lord Jesus.
They had previously asked Him if he was the Christ. We see this episode recorded in Luke 22: v 66 onward. Jesus’ answer to the above was ‘if I tell you you will not believe me’ etc. This then prompted the question ‘Are you then the Son of God’ and Jesus replies ‘you are right in saying I am’.
Of course this was of no issue to the Romans, or their governors at this time so when they brought Jesus before Pilate they fabricated evidence claiming that He opposed paying taxes to Caesar to try and produce a more convincing case. Earlier in the Gospels, when He was asked the trick question about paying taxes to Caesar many will remember Him taking a coin and asking whose likeness and inscription was on the coin. He then told the questioners to ‘pay unto Caesar what is Caesar’s and unto God what is God’s’.
On a previous occasion I spoke here at IBCZ on the miracles that are only recorded in John’s Gospel and the meanings thereof. Join with us this Sunday when I talk on the miracle that is only found in Matthew’s Gospel chapter 17 v24-27 (remembering that Matthew had previously collected tax on behalf of the Romans) – the miracle of the coin being made available to pay the temple tax. I am sure we can all learn something from this lesson.