What does Jesus and the Bible say about paying taxes?

Each year at the time of taxes these questions arise: Did Jesus pay taxes? What did Jesus teach his disciples about taxes? And what does the Bible say about taxes?

A careful study on the subject reveals that the Scripture is quite clear on this subject. Although we may disagree with how the government spends our money, our duty as Christians is spelled out in the Bible. We have to pay our taxes and do it honestly.

Did Jesus Pay Taxes in the Bible?
In Matthew 17: 24-27 we learn that Jesus actually paid taxes:

After Jesus and his disciples arrived at Capernaum, the debt collectors of the double drachma tax went to Peter and asked, "Does your teacher not pay the temple tax?"

"Yes, it does," he replied.

When Peter entered the house, Jesus was the first to speak. "What do you think, Simon?" churches. "From whom do the kings of the earth collect duties and taxes, from their own children or from others?"

"From the others," replied Peter.

"Then the children are exempt," said Jesus. "But in order not to offend them, go to the lake and throw your line. Get the first fish you catch; open his mouth and you will find a four drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my taxes AND yours. " (NIV)

The Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke each tell of another story, when the Pharisees tried to trap Jesus in his words and found a reason to accuse him. In Matthew 22: 15-22 we read:

Then the Pharisees went out and planned to trap him in his words. They sent their disciples to him together with the Herodians. "Master," they said, "we know that you are a whole man and that you teach the way of God according to the truth. You are not influenced by men, because you do not pay attention to who I am. so what is your opinion? Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not? "

But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said: “You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? Show me the currency used to pay the tax. " They brought him a denarius and asked them: “Whose portrait is this? And whose is the inscription? "

"Cesare," they replied.

Then he said to them, "Give Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and to God what belongs to God."

When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left him and went away. (NIV)

The same incident is also recorded in Mark 12: 13-17 and Luke 20: 20-26.

Send to government authorities
People complained of paying taxes even in the time of Jesus. The Roman Empire, which had conquered Israel, imposed a heavy financial burden to pay its army, the road system, the courts, the temples to the Roman gods and wealth staff of the emperor. However, the Gospels leave no doubt that Jesus taught his followers not only in words, but by example, to give the government all the taxes due.

In Romans 13: 1, Paul brings further clarification to this concept, along with an even wider responsibility towards Christians:

"Everyone must submit to government authorities, since there is no authority other than that established by God. Existing authorities have been established by God." (NIV)

From this verse we can conclude that if we do not pay taxes, we rebel against the authorities established by God.

Romans 13: 2 gives this warning:

"Consequently, those who rebel against authority rebel against what God has instituted and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves." (NIV)

As for the payment of taxes, Paul could not make it clearer than it was in Romans 13: 5-7:

Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment, but also because of conscience. This is also the reason why you pay taxes, because the authorities are God's servants, who dedicate all the time to government. Give everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if you enter, then enter; if I respect, then I respect; if honor, then honor. (NIV)

Peter also taught that believers should submit to government authorities:

For the love of the Lord, submit to all human authority, whether the king is the head of state, or the officials he has appointed. Because the king sent them to punish those who do evil and to honor those who do good.

It is God's will that your honorable lives silence those ignorant people who make foolish accusations against you. Because you are free, yet you are a slave to God, so do not use your freedom as an excuse to do evil. (1 Peter 2: 13-16, NLT)

When is it okay not to report to the government?
The Bible teaches believers to obey the government but also reveals a higher law: the law of God. In Acts 5:29, Peter and the apostles said to the Jewish authorities: "We must obey God rather than any human authority." (NLT)

When the laws established by human authorities conflict with the law of God, believers find themselves in a difficult position. Daniel deliberately broke the law of the earth when he knelt in front of Jerusalem and prayed to God. During the Second World War, Christians like Corrie ten Boom broke the law in Germany by hiding innocent Jews from the murdering Nazis.

Yes, sometimes believers have to take a courageous position to obey God by violating the law of the earth. But paying taxes isn't one of those times. While it is true that government abuse and corruption in our current tax system are valid concerns, this does not excuse Christians from submitting to government according to Bible instructions.

As citizens, we can and must work within the law to change non-biblical elements of our current tax system. We can take advantage of all legal deductions and honest means to pay the minimum amount of taxes. But we cannot ignore the Word of God, which explicitly tells us that we are subject to government authorities in the matter of paying taxes.

A lesson from two tax collectors in the Bible
Taxes were handled differently in Jesus' time. Instead of issuing a payment to the IRS, you paid directly to a local tax collector, who arbitrarily decided what you would pay. Tax collectors did not receive a salary. They got paid by paying people more than they should. These men routinely betrayed citizens and did not care what they thought of it.

Levi, who became the apostle Matthew, was a Capernaum customs officer who taxed imports and exports based on his judgment. The Jews hated him because he worked for Rome and betrayed his compatriots.

Zacchaeus was another tax collector mentioned by name in the Gospels. The chief tax collector for the Jericho district was known for his dishonesty. Zacchaeus was also a short man, who one day forgot his dignity and climbed a tree to better observe Jesus of Nazareth.

As distorted as these two tax collectors were, a critical lesson emerges from their stories in the Bible. None of these greedy men worried about the cost of obeying Jesus. Neither asked what was in it. When they met the Savior, they simply followed and Jesus changed their lives forever.

Jesus is still changing lives today. No matter what we have done or how tarnished our reputation, we can receive God's forgiveness.