They brought him a denarius, and he asked them, “Whose portrait is this?  Whose inscription?”  

“Caesar’s,” they replied.  Then he said to them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”  When they heard this, they were amazed.  So they left him and went away. - Matthew 22:20-22

It is interesting that Jesus asks about the coin’s “image” (or “portrait” in some versions) and “inscription.”  It reminds us of the phrase God used when He created man, in His own “image and likeness.”  (Genesis 1:27).  Caesar’s image and likeness was on the coin; God’s image and likeness is on each of us.  We owe taxes to the government officials, who issue money with their images; but we should give God our very selves, surrendering our lives to him, because He made us in HIS image and likeness.  We belong to him.  Nevertheless, religious people like those in this passage tend to put things in the reverse.  They use religion as an excuse to withhold things that belong to the government.  At the same time, they give themselves – their hearts and minds and lives- to this world instead of to God.   continue