Lynne Baab

Matthew 22: Whose image do you bear?

Lynne Baab • Wednesday October 7 2020

The Pharisees often tried to trip up Jesus, “entrap him in what he said,” according to Matthew 22:15. In an incident late in Jesus’ ministry, the Pharisees send some of their own disciples to him. These disciples butter up Jesus with some florid compliments, then ask him whether or not it is lawful to pay taxes to the emperor. This was a divisive issue at the time in occupied Israel.

It was impossible to give an answer to that question that wouldn’t anger someone, and Jesus knows that. He asks them to show him the coins that were used to pay the tax. They bring him a denarius, which had the head of the emperor on it. “Whose image is on the coin?” Jesus asks. “Whose inscription?”

They reply, “Caesar.” Jesus says, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” (You can read this story in Matthew 22:15-22.)

Whose image is on your face, in your hands and the way you use them, woven into your entire body and your very being? We use Genesis 1:26-27 to argue that all humans are made in God’s image. In Jesus’ brilliant teaching moment he does two important things: he masterfully diffuses a conflict that the Pharisee’s disciples were trying to set up, and he teaches something important. Being made in God’s image, Jesus indicates in this incident, helps us understand that our whole beings – heart, soul, mind, strength, body, spirit, soul – belong to God.

Give to God what is God’s. Give your life to God. Give each day to God. Give your mind, eyes, ears, heart, hands, and feet to God. Obey God with your whole being.

Jesus’ powerful teaching also illuminates the central reason why Christians were the force behind the anti-slavery movement, and why we are called to engage with anti-racism today. All humans are made in God’s image. All people are precious in God’s sight.

I suspect that many of us don’t spend a lot of time pondering the implications of the words we say so blithely, “human beings are made in God’s image.” I suspect that if we took those words more seriously for ourselves, we would honor God with more parts of our lives in a spirit of service, gratitude, and joy. I suspect that part of the reason why we sometimes find it hard to work for racial justice is that we have a hard time believing deep down that all humans really are made in God’s image.

God who created us in your image, thank you for Jesus’ creativity as a teacher. Thank you that he slipped in a lesson for all of us when he responded to an antagonistic question. Help us to see your image in ourselves, as hard as that is, and help us to see your image in others, especially in people who are different than we are in some small or large way. Thank you for the Holy Spirit’s power to help us and shape us. Amen.

(Next week: Matthew 27 and the question of Judas. Illustration by Dave Baab: me, reading. I love to get new subscribers. Sign up below to receive an email when I post on this blog.)

I wrote another travel blog post about our journey south from Auckland, called "Hamilton, New Plymouth, Taupo and the journey to Napier."

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Lynne M. Baab, Ph.D., is a teacher and writer. She has written numerous books and Bible study guides. Lynne lives in Seattle, and you can contact her at LMBaab [at] aol [dot] com. Read more »

Lynne is pleased to announce the release of her book on midlife, A Renewed Spirituality: Finding Fresh Paths at Midlife, for kindle. Her 2018 book is Nurturing Hope: Christian Pastoral Care for the Twenty-First Century, and her best-selling book is Sabbath-Keeping: Finding Freedom in the Rhythms of Rest. You can see her many other book titles here, along with her Bible study guides.

Lynne recently spoke on "Spiritual Practices for Preachers" (recorded as a video on YouTube). The talk is relevant to anyone in ministry and focuses on how to draw near to God simply as a child of God as well as engaging in spiritual practices for the sake of ministry.

Here are two talks Lynne gave on listening (recorded in audio form on YouTube): Listening for Mission and Ministry and Why Listening Matters for Mission and Ministry.

Lynne preached recently on Reverent Submission, trying to reclaim the word "submission," which has a bad rap in our time. 

Soon before she left her position in New Zealand as senior lecturer in pastoral theology, Lynne recorded a one-minute video for her departmental website describing what's most important to her in her writing and teaching.

"Lynne's writing is beautiful. Her tone has such a note of hope and excitement about growth. It is gentle and affirming."
— a reader

"Dear Dr. Baab, You changed my life. It is only through God’s gift of the sabbath that I feel in my heart and soul that God loves me apart from anything I do."
— a reader of Sabbath Keeping