Made in God’s Image
Jesus was a threat to the Roman authorities of his day, because he was a popular leader, who had a large following and talked about everyone being equal. That was a huge threat to the Empire, because it was built on inequality, beginning with slavery. Jesus was also a threat to the religious leaders of his day, also because he preached about everyone being equal under God. If you preach that everyone is equal under God, then no-one can be excluded, but the religious leaders of his day were excluded plenty of people, basically, anyone who didn’t measure up to their standards of perfection.
Jesus was such a huge threat, that various groups attempted to trap him in what he said. The Pharisees attempt to do so in Mark 12, verses 38–40. They ask him whether it’s lawful to pay taxes to the Emperor or not. If he says, “No” then they can snitch on him to the Roman authorities and potentially have him arrested for rebelling against the Empire. Governments hate it if you avoid tax: they get really annoyed! But if he says, “Yes, it is lawful to pay tax,” then he will get off-side with the local Jewish people, his fellow inhabitants, because they really resented paying tax to a foreign power. So, Jesus is in a no-win situation.
His response is brilliant: “Whose image is on the coin?” he asks and, of course, it’s the Emperor’s. “Then give to the Emperor the things that are the Emperor’s,” in other words, “Pay your taxes,” but “Give to God the things that are God’s,” in other words, “You are all made in God’s image and belong to God.” He then follows his up with the command to love your neighbour.
Jesus’ response is brilliant, because he avoids the trap about whether it’s right to pay taxes or not. But then he changes the whole discussion. We are all made in God’s image and therefore we are all acceptable to God. If we are all made in God’s image and if we are all acceptable to God, then no-one is excluded. If no-one is excluded, then the practical result of that is that we must love our neighbours as ourselves.
Being inclusive is a core Gospel value: it’s at the heart of what it means to be a Christian and it is at the heart of what it means to be a decent person. So, I would like you to ask yourself, “How can I be more inclusive in the language I use and the actions I take?”
The Reverend Dr Theo McCall
School Chaplain