Luke 20:20-26
Paying Taxes to Caesar
20Keeping a close watch on him, they sent spies, who pretended to be honest. They hoped to catch Jesus in something he said so that they might hand him over to the power and authority of the governor. 21So the spies questioned him: "Teacher, we know that you speak and teach what is right, and that you do not show partiality but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. 22Is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?"
23He saw through their duplicity and said to them, 24"Show me a denarius. Whose portrait and inscription are on it?"
25"Caesar's," they replied.
He said to them, "Then give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's."
26They were unable to trap him in what he had said there in public. And astonished by his answer, they became silent.
Roman 13:1-13
Submission to the Authorities
1Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. 4For he is God's servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience. 6This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing. 7Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.
Jesus after making a triumphal entry into Jerusalem, is ask by some about paying taxes to the Romans, specifically Caesar... Not many people, both then and now, like to pay taxes...The people asking the questions were trying to trap Jesus...Jesus is much more concerned about helping us repent and keeping us and saving us from sin, the payment of money was not a priority in His ministry...Jesus, is all knowing, answers that we should give Caesar what is Caesar's, but we need to give God what is God's... We might ask, what is God's???...The answer is a simple one, everything...
Caesar was the Emperor who ran the Roman Empire...Jesus makes it clear we should pay taxes...But He does imply that these earthly taxes are one thing, that is "give to Caesar" and there are more important spiritual and Godly things, that is "give to God"...Jesus taught His disciples to obey government and to pay taxes...We are to give governments any taxes we owe it...
St. Paul furthers the point, in his letter to the Romans, of paying taxes and submitting to government authorities...St. Paul tells us there is no authority except that which God has established...So, in a sense, St. Paul tells us when we do not pay our taxes and obey the government we are in, we are rebelling against the authority that God knows is in existence and God has established...(This is a point Paul teaches, that God has created everything on earth...God has put man on earth and has selected the time on earth for us to live and the exact place we should live (Acts 17:24-26))...This is why we pay taxes, for the authorities are servants of God (even though some do not realize this or have forgotten this), who give their full time to governing...St. Paul teaches we are to pay everyone what we owe...If we owe taxes we are to pay those taxes, if it is a debt or revenue, then we are to pay the debt or revenue, if we owe someone respect, we are to pay them respect, if we owe someone honor, then we are to pay them honor...
Both St. Paul and Jesus teach us we have certain duties and we are to take care of those duties...Taxes of of the earth...Taxes is one of the duties we must take care of and pay here...We also have a duty to respect, honor and pay tribute to our Creator...This is why Jesus teaches us to give God what is God's...