21st Sunday after Pentecost, October 18, 10:30am
Sermon: Imago Dei
Accompanying Scripture: Matthew 22 : 15 -22

Imago Dei
Matthew 22:15-22 10/18/2026
I wonder if Jesus is as disgusted with the religious leaders’ testing as I am.
Matthew 22 occurs during Holy Week. Jesus has entered the city on a
colt while the crowd cheered him on. Perhaps turning over tables in the
Temple has something to do with the testing. They want to trap him so
they can get rid of him.
Jesus knows this. Jesus knows how this week will end. Despite this, he
handles each test with a mix of grace and pushback. Some explanations
require a parable. This morning’s answer is straightforward.
The Pharisees seem tired of parrying Jesus. So they send some of their
disciples. They invite followers of Herod Antipas to join them.
Apparently, they follow the saying, “The enemy of my enemy is my
friend.”
The Pharisees’ disciples represent the Temple and God. The Herodians
represent King Herod, the puppet king who reports to the Emperor.
They will ask him an either/or question. No matter how Jesus answers,
someone will walk away with charges of either treason or breaking Torah
law. Either way, they plan to bring Jesus up on charges.
They begin by buttering him up. I can see Jesus standing with arms across
his chest, nodding knowingly, saying, “Yea, yea. I rock. What do you really
want?”
The question is loaded. The answer will floor them, as it does us. “Show
me the coin used to pay taxes.” Notice that Jesus doesn’t have one.
That’s for a reason. They find a denarius and bring it to him.
“Whose image is on the coin?” Ah-oh. No graven images are allowed in
the Temple. Symbols of God? Yes. Pictures and images? Absolutely not.
The disciples, feeling squirmy, answer him. Caesar. Not just Caesar, but
Caesar, Son of the Divine. Heresy!
Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.”

They are astonished and we quietly cheer Jesus on.
Give to the emperor that which bears his image. The denarius. Give to
God what bears God’s image.
Who might that be? Us. Remember the first creation story in Genesis?
“Then God said, ‘Let us make humankind in our image, according to our
likeness…” (Gen 1:26 NRSV) Said another way, ““Let us make human
beings in our image, make them reflecting our nature…” (The Message)
We call this the Imago Dei. The Image of God. Being the image of God is
significant in three different ways: Responsibilities, Relationship to God,
and Created for Community.
When Creator breathed life into us, we entered into a special relationship
with God. No other creature on earth has this relationship. We were
created to steward the earth and manage resources on God’s behalf. 1
We were created for community. Fellowship with God and each other.
When we do this, we are sharing God’s love. 2
And we are created for relationship. “…humans are intended by their
creator for relationships…we are thus dependent on God.” 3
As the Imago Dei, we have responsibility to care for the earth and all that
is on it. Just as Jesus carried the image of God by how he lived, so do we.
We have made mistakes during the Earth’s lifetime. Our planet is hurting,
people continue to die from wars and famines, etc. We believe we can go
it alone and don’t need anyone, sometimes, not even God.
But, God hangs in there with us. And when we hear Jesus say, “Render
unto God,” we hear the reminder to get back on track. And when we do,
we are being the light in the world, caring for creation, and humanity,
alike.
And what do we give God? Everything.
Because it all belongs to God in the first place.

All glory and honor be to God.
Amen.

1 Donald K. McKim, Introducing the Reformed Faith: Biblical Revelation, Christian Tradition,
Contemporary Significance (Louisville, Westminster John Knox Press, 2001) Page 64
2 Ibid Page 65
3 Ibid