Cue the ominous, dramatic music. You know what today is, right? This is Tax Day and if you waited until the last minute to complete your taxes, congratulations, you made it! You have until midnight to get the challenging chore completed and to drop them in a mailbox. As Benjamin Franklin said, there is nothing certain but death and taxes. And you had certainly better get those taxes done.
Some folks love to procrastinate, filing for extensions to get the job accomplished. This has always puzzled me. You’ve known for the last 365 days that another Tax Day was coming. The argument could be made that there’s not a lot that could be done about it until the beginning of the year. That’s true, however, there are some things a person could do to get a jump on a new tax season like collecting and filing receipts or correlating the needed tax information throughout the year so there isn’t a last-minute panic of trying to find necessary information.
And there are 105 days between January 1st and April 15th. Wouldn’t you think that would be enough time to get the taxes completed, especially if the receipts had been compiled throughout the year?
Maybe we get a bit grumpy about paying our taxes. We know that the government doesn’t have a good track record of spending responsibly and there are things we don’t want our tax dollars funding. Choosing not to pay our taxes, though, is a wrong, unbiblical response.
Jesus showed the importance of paying taxes. The story is told in Matthew 17:24-27. 
“And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received tribute money came to Peter, and said, Doth not your master pay tribute? (25) He saith, Yes. And when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying, What thinkest thou, Simon? of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? of their own children, or of strangers? (26) Peter saith unto him, Of strangers. Jesus saith unto him, Then are the children free. (27) Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee.”
To understand the scene, the tribute was known as the Temple tax. Commentator John Gill writes that this was the half-shekel payment for the religious services that was owed by every Jewish man. When Peter was asked if Jesus pays the tax, Peter was quick to answer “yes.” But, upon returning to Jesus, Jesus knew what was in Peter’s heart. Peter must have been questioning whether Jesus did this or not. Jesus response was two-fold.
First, he acknowledged that the Temple was God’s house. For Jesus, the Son of God, to pay tribute for the support of this temple would be equivalent to paying tribute to Himself. Technically, therefore, it wasn’t necessary for Jesus to pay this Temple Tax.
Second, Jesus didn’t want to offend anyone so He told Peter to go fishing and get the Temple tax out of the fish’s mouth. Yes, Jesus DID pay the Temple Tax. Now, unless Jesus tells you to do this directly, I wouldn’t suggest fishing in hopes of finding some money in the fish to pay your taxes!
In another situation, the Temple tax collectors (Pharisees) tried to trap Jesus in a battle of wits without realizing they came to the fight unarmed! Matthew 22:15-21 says, “Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk. (16) And they sent out unto him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any man: for thou regardest not the person of men. (17) Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it 
lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not? (18) But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites? (19) Shew me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny. (20) And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? (21) They say unto him, Caesar’s. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.”
Caesar’s government was corrupt. Extortion of the people was taking place. I’m sure the tax wasn’t going to things that a Christian could easily approve. But Jesus made it clear and the clarity of His statement should cause us to handle our tax season with a better attitude.
“Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.”
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