Give to God what is God’s. – Mark 12:17 (Mark 12:13-17)

Tha teachers of tha law and tha chief priests sent spies who pretended ter be honest fellers. These rascals were Pharisees and Herodians and no doubt would ‘ave made fine pirates. They said ter tha Son, “We know you teach tha way of Skipper in accordance with tha truth. Tell us,” they said, “Be it right ter pay tha imperial tax ter Caesar or not? Should we pay or shouldn’t we?”

Right off tha Son smelled a rat. “Why are you trying to trap me?” he asked. “Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.” They brung him a coin, and he asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?”

“Caesar’s,” they replied.

“In that case give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.”

Now keep in mind that tha Son had jest told a story ’bout how a vineyard owner—who in tha story be Skipper—sent servants ter collect crops from his fields. Only tha rascals tending tha farm turned away tha servants and killed some. So this be tha second time tha Son calls out them smart Pharisee fellers fer not giving Skipper tha due he deserves.

Tha Son announced, “I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a people who will produce fruit.”

What tha Son doth not say, but be likely thinking, whar a verse in tha Psalms: “This is the gate of the Lord through which the righteous may enter. The stone over the gate the builders rejected has become the capstone. (Psalm 118:20-22)”

Now right off tha Pharisees and Herodians would ‘ave picked up on what tha Son be saying in this verse. We kin as well.

• When tha Son says tha righteous ‘ill enter through the gate of the Lord he means he ‘ill become righteousness fer us, fer tha Son ne’er sinned. We did and do, but he ne’er did.
• When tha Son says, tha stone the builders rejected ‘as become the capstone he means himself, fer tha Pharisees and Herodians, teachers of tha law, Sadducees, Scribes, and High Priests all turned thar backs on him.
• When tha Son says, tha Lord ‘as done this, and it be marvelous in our eyes (Psalm 118:23) he means it be finished. No more ‘ill murdering, thieving, lying scoundrels ‘ave ter remain outside in tha dark. We kin now put on tha righteous robe of tha Son and prance in ter tha city gate with our head held high. 

Tha Pharisees and Herodians tried ter trap tha Son with thar wiley ways, but he be smarter than that. So smart, in fact, that he crafted a way fer us ter be with him and Skipper fer ever and ever.

Here be tha lay of things: if ya messed up in tha past, think ya might ter day, or fear ya may ter morrow, then fall ter yer knees, confess yer mistakes, and beg tha Son ter take on tha blame and shame ya deserve. He be waiting ter do jest that. Then accept that he ‘as fer given ya, put on his robe of righteousness, and walk in ter tha light of tha Son with yer head held high.

Give ter Skipper what be Skipper’s—and ya be Skipper’s when ya step in ter tha Son.