Memorial of Saint Justin, Martyr
June 1, 2021
Daily Reading from the USCCB: Mark 12:13-17
Audio file
Another attempt to lead Jesus into controversy and get him into trouble. The question of how observant Jews were supposed to relate with the Romans was sensitive. If you weren’t careful you could get into trouble with the Roman authorities as a suspected revolutionary, or you could find yourself on the outs with religious leaders as a collaborator with the Romans.
“Is it all right to pay tax to the Romans?” Jesus’ answer sidesteps the question quite neatly. “If you belong you have to pay dues.” Jesus implies that we owe something to God because we have received everything from him. We owe something to government because we receive services of various kinds from it. Both government and religion have claims on us. We owe both.
