Do I Speak Up or Avoid Conflict?

 (On Matthew 22:15-21) Insofar as possible, we need to live in peace with those around us: in this way, we create better conditions for the preaching of the Gospel. It’s difficult to know when we have to risk conflict and when conflict should be avoided. Let us reflect on Jesus’ example and teaching.

1. The Pharisees hated Jesus and wanted to have Him arrested, so they set a trap. In their mind, it was the perfect trap. The idea was to catch Jesus saying something against the civil government in the presence of the civil authority or those of their party; in this way, the authorities would arrest Him and maybe even execute Him.

In order to “hide” the trap, the Pharisees did not go themselves but sent instead some of their disciples. Now, together with their disciples, they sent some Herodians as well. There are two possible interpretations of who the Herodians were. For some, they were the ministers in charge of collecting the emperor’s tax. Other say, instead, that they were simply Jewish people in favour of keeping peace with the Romans by paying taxes. In any case, the Herodians considered paying taxes a duty. The Pharisees did not like paying taxes to the Romans at all, because the people of God could not be subject to taxation by merely pagans.

So, the trap is as follows. “Should we pay taxes or not?” Is it morally good to pay taxes or is it not? The trap, they thought, was perfect. If Jesus said, “Yes, pay taxes,” He would look like someone in favour of the Romans and lose popularity, and the Pharisees could excite the people against Him. Those asking the question were disciples of the Pharisees, so Jesus knew that if He said, “Pay taxes,” the Pharisees would know it immediately and maybe take action against Him. If, instead, Jesus said, “No, paying taxes is wrong,” the Herodians would put Him in jail for rebellion.

2. Of course, the Pharisees wanted Jesus to choose this second option, because the Herodians had more power to put Him in jail. And so, they proceed to set the trap in the following way. First, they flatter Jesus: “Teacher, we know that you are sincere, and teach the way of God in accordance with truth.” Second, they try to emphasize His virtue and His reputation of not being afraid of anyone: “[you] show deference to no one; for you do not regard people with partiality.” In this way, they try to push Jesus to stick to his reputation and oppose the emperor in the question of taxes. And finally, they present the question: “Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?”

The trap was smart but no match to Jesus’ wit and Divine Wisdom. They obviously did not know Who Jesus was. First, Jesus did not care about flattering words. Moreover, He knew that the workers of evil begin by flattery, as the Psalm says: “[they] speak peace with their neighbors while evil is in their hearts” (Psalm 28:3). Second, Jesus recognizes the deception: of course, it is a good thing not to worry about people’s opinion when you do the right thing, but that does not mean that one should not care at all about what people think.

3. Jesus’ response is: “Give therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” It is as if Jesus were saying, “You have received from Ceasar all of your coins (artificial wealth): give one back to him. You have received from God everything you have (especially natural things): give some of it back to God in your worship (as we do with bread and wine for mass). Paying taxes to the Romans does not prevent you from worshipping God, so you should do it.”

Is therefore a complete division between our religion and our civil life, as if they ran parallel without touching each other? Not at all. God wants us to be just: justice is about giving to everyone what belongs to them. If the civil government is asking justly for what they need to keep things running, then we must contribute. Being just with one another is our way of giving ourselves to God in everything we do. Even when the civil government asks for something that we may disagree with but is not a sin, we should try to do it (for example, transit laws).

Now, what happen when there is a real conflict? Suppose that a human authority (parent, teacher, civil leader, priest or the pope himself) asks you to commit a sin. In that case, we must obey God rather than men. Because no human being has a right to force us to commit sin.

Therefore, when human law is a true exercise of the authority God has given to human governments, Christians obey as if they were obeying God Himself, and it would be a sin not to obey. But if human authority commands sin, then a Christian cannot obey.

4. Keeping peace with those who do not belong to God’s people is important. The Israelites were commanded to keep peace and pray for Babylon, for the city that hold them captives: “Seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper” (Jeremiah 29:7; cf. Baruch 1:10 ff). Peace with those around us creates better conditions to preach and to accept the Gospel. It also may help people grow in faith, especially when they are not too strong. We must avoid provoking people against us or the Church, when possible.

We are free to say and do many things. Sometimes we feel that we should say something against someone because “it is the right thing to do” and we can do it. Sometimes we are afraid that, if we do not do something, we will be wrong and God will be upset with us. Mind you, sometimes this is clearly the case. However, when doing something is possible but not necessary, ask yourself whether doing so would bring your neighbour who does not believe closer to God. Ask yourself whether your action will help him or not. Do not think only about yourself, think about your neighbour as well. If you do not care about your neighbour, how are you in God’s team? (Cf. 1 Corinthians 10:32-33)

May God give us the wisdom of knowing what true love of God and of our neighbour means: the wisdom of knowing when to speak up and when to let go. May we be instruments of peace. Even then, this does not mean that our life will always be sweet and without conflict. In the end, we have been called to be “salt of the earth,” not honey.