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Mid-Week Manna
- God’s Purposes Revealed by Inspiration : IT IS LAWFUL TO RENDER TRIBUTE TO CAESAR
MID-WEEK MANNA FROM PASTOR NAT’S DESK:
February 25, 2026
God’s Purposes Revealed by Inspiration
IT IS LAWFUL TO RENDER TRIBUTE TO CAESAR
“Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute due; custom to whom custom [is due]; fear to whom fear [is due]; honor to whom honor [is due]. Owe no man anything, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.” Rom. 13: 7, &, KJV.
The true and faithful disciples and followers of Jesus Christ—God’s law-abiding Christians—have clearly-defined, separate duties to ‘church’ and to ‘state.’
In today’s mid-week “Manna,”we shall first consider what Christ and His apostles taught regarding “tax paying tribute to Caesar” or tax returns. Prayerfully read the following Scriptures on your Bibles: Matt. 22: 15-22; Mark 12: 12-17; Luke 20: 19-26; Rom. 13: 1-8; preferably the KJV, then, RSV.
Now these (all emphases, bracketed words provided):
“The ‘taxing’ of Luke 2:2 (KJV), is a rendering of the Greek ‘apographe,’ ‘registration,’ ‘census.’ Doubtless the registration of names and of property was also the basis for the LEVY of a property tax. Levi Matthew, a Jewish tax collector (see Publican) under Roman appointment, was called by Christ to be a disciple (Matt. 9:9; Luke 5: 27).
Christ disapproved the general practice of EXTORTING amounts ABOVE THE OFFICIAL TAX (see Luke 3: 12, 13), yet earned the reputation of ‘a friend of tax collectors’ (Matt. 11: 19, RSV; cf. ch. 9:10-13). When asked whether it was LAWFUL to pay taxes (see RSV) to CAESAR, JESUS ENDORSED the practice, BUT USED THE OPPORTUNITY to enjoin the fulfillment of THE OBLIGATION TOWARD GOD, thus setting forth the CHRISTIAN’S SEPARATE DUTIES TO CHURCH AND TO STATE. (Matt. 22: 15-22).” – SDA Bible Dictionary Complete with Atlas, Commentary Reference Series, Vol. 8, Review & Herald, WA D.C., 1960, entry ‘Taxes,’ p. 1067
TRIBUTE. “In general, forced contributions of money, goods, or labor to be made at stated times by a SUBJECT PEOPLE TO THE RULER by whom they are conquered and are under whose suzerainty they live. MOSES instructed Israel (Deut. 20:11) concerning the placing of other nations under ‘tribute’ (the Hebrew ‘mas’ ‘forced labor,’ is commonly rendered ‘tribute’ in the KJV. Gen. 49:15; Judges 1:28; 1 Kings 4:6, etc.).
“A ‘tribute’ of a spoil captured by the army was to be given to the Lord (Num. 31: 28-30).
“The Israelites paid tribute at various times to Moab (Jgs. 3:15, RSV), Egypt (2 Kings 25:33; 2 Chron. 36: 3, RSV), Assyria (2 Kings 17:3; 2 Chron. 28:21, RSV), and Persia (Est. 10:1, etc.).
“Taxes were always heaviest at times in times of emergency, did the MILITARY campaigns of kings [or ‘kingly powers’] and emperors were FINANCED BY SUBJECT PEOPLES.
“Xerxes (Ahasuerus) king of Persia distinguished himself as a great raiser of tributes (see Est. 10:1). His disastrous campaign against Greece necessitated increases burdens on those he ruled (see Dan. 11:2). In Ezra’s time the Jews were still under tribute to Persia [modern-day Iran] (Ezra 4:13).
“Paul counseled CHRISTIANS to pay ‘phoros,’ ‘tribute,’ ‘TAXES,’ to the civil government. (Rom. 13: 6, 7).” – Ibid, p. 1110.
God’s appointed way, “It is written,” “Thus saith the Lord,” “To the law and the testimony,” is always the best way for it is the “way of righteousness.”
To be continued next MWM, God willing. Bless all, NMF.
- God’s Purposes Revealed by Inspiration : SEEK THE PEACE OF THE COUNTRY WHERE YOU LIVE
MID-WEEK MANNA FROM PASTOR NAT’S DESK:
February 18, 2026
God’s Purposes Revealed by Inspiration
SEEK THE PEACE OF THE COUNTRY WHERE YOU LIVE
Omniscient, omnipotent, and all-merciful God is in full control of the rise and fall of the nations and their final destinies—from the first and most glorious of the world empires, Nebuchadnezzar’s neo-Babylonia—to the final antitypical global spiritual “Babylon the great” described in Revelation chapters 13, 17, and 18!
The only wise and safe way for any and all of fallen mankind, from the least of men to the mightiest of the “great men and kings of the earth,” is to simply exercise faith, trust and obey God’s plan, fulfill His revealed will and purposes and heed all His counsels as declared by His chosen prophets and messengers. He “is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”
None need fear the forebodings future except he chooses sinful ignorance of God’s recorded dealings, or carelessly “forgets how He has led in the past,” that is, from Old Testament times!
Thus, “It is written” in Jeremiah 29: 1, 5-7, KJV (all emphasis mine):
“Now these are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem unto the residue [remnant] of the elders which were carried away captives, and to the priests, and to the prophets, and to all the people to whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried away captive to Babylon. . . . Build ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them; take ye wives, and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sins, and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; that ye may be increased there, and not diminished. And SEEK THE PEACE OF THE CITY wither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and PRAY UNTO THE LORD FOR IT: FOR IN THE PEACE THEREOF SHALL YE HAVE PEACE.” (end quote from the KJV Bible.
(Next week: God’s Word says it is lawful to “pay tribute to Caesar,” or pay taxes).
To be continued next MWM, God willing. Bless all, NMF.
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