Question: What did you really mean by this statement?

“Give to Caesar what is Caesar's but give to God what is God's."

Matthew 22:21

God’s answer:

Meaning: The question is: Do you owe?

The word owe means "to have an obligation to pay or repay in return for something received"²¹.

This parable has been used by people to justify taxes. Jesus was not taking a stand whether taxes is just or not. That is for people to determine whether the taxes are commensurate to the benefits they receive.

As it relates to God. Again the question is posed: Do you think you owe God something?

As God said, we owe him our life. And we start repaying him by giving him back our life so He can begin his work of returning us to who we truly are --- a holy child of God.

For anyone who has ever been given a grace, at the very least, we owe God our gratitude.

Question: What are you really trying to say in this parable?

Jesus addressed this parable to those who were convinced of their own righteousness and despised everyone else.

“Two people went up to the temple area to pray; one was a Pharisee and the other was a tax collector.

The Pharisee took up his position and spoke this prayer to himself, ‘O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity — greedy, dishonest, adulterous — or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week, and I pay tithes on my whole income.’

But the tax collector stood off at a distance and would not even raise his eyes to heaven but beat his breast and prayed, ‘O God, be merciful to me a sinner.’

I tell you, the latter went home justified, not the former; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Luke 18:9-14

God’s answer:

Meaning: To rest on one’s laurels means "be so satisfied with what one has already achieved that one makes no further effort"²². To be smug means "having or showing an excessive pride in oneself or one's achievements"²³.