 
Fourteen different versions of the Bible were 'data
mined' using a computer to search for terms such as: tax;
taxes; tax collector; toll; custom; coin; tribute; money; etc,
...and Jesus. Other topics can also be found quickly (and completely),
e.g. everything about Moses and commandments, Joseph & Pharaoh, or Herod
& John the Baptist, etc.
The
question here is "Who would Jesus tax?"
 
Why Jesus & Taxes?
1. Criminal Charges
What were the criminal charges made against Jesus?
"They began to accuse him,
saying, "We found this man perverting the nation, forbidding
paying taxes to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ,
a king." - Luke
23:2
Depending on which Bible translation
you read, there were two or three charges made against Jesus.
• Charge 1: "perverting the nation"
pervert:
to turn upside down, overturn, overthrow. Source: LawyerIntl.com
• Charge 2: "forbidding paying
taxes to Caesar"
forbid: to
command [someone] not to. Source: OneLook Dictionary
• Charge 3: "saying that he
himself is Christ, a king."
Christ:
messiah, the expected king and deliverer. Source: Merriam-Webster
Christ:
the Anointed; Savior of the World; Source: Webster's 1828 Dictionary
After being accused, Jesus was asked "Are you king of the Jews?"
 He replied, "My kingdom is not of this world." - John 18:36
So, the question remains...
- Was there any evidence for a tax crime? Was Jesus really a tax protester ... perverting the nation, and leading a tax rebellion?
Fact: Jesus' trial was a tax trial ... where he was charged with a tax crime ... "forbidding
paying taxes".
 How
to Search the Bible with a computer:
- A good tool for searching the Bible is Bible.cc (currently has 15 versions), or use your favorite search tool.
- Find every Bible verse for tax. Also look for related
terms, such as taxes, custom, customs, toll, tolls, tribute,
tributes, tax collector, ...etc.
- Make a list of all these tax related verses, names and numbers.
- Read each verse to see if the words came from Jesus, since this is about Jesus & taxes.
- Read each translation (all 15
versions) when comparing verses. This will help you find and search for other related terms.
- Determine if evidence exists to support a charge that Jesus was "forbidding
paying taxes".
What did Jesus teach about taxes?
2. A Tax Lesson
When tax collectors came to collect the cash, they thought Jesus had been avoiding them. So, they had to actually go ask his companion, Simon, "doesn't he pay his taxes?" After Simon told them "Yes", Jesus stops him and asks...
 "What
do you think, Simon? From whom do kings on the earth collect tolls
or tributes? From their own subjects, or from foreigners?" When
he said, "From foreigners," Jesus said to him, "In that case,
the subjects are exempt."
-Matthew
17:25-27 (ISV)
Notice, Chances are excellent that the tax collectors heard Jesus say this.
Fact:
- Jesus said, "the subjects are exempt" from paying taxes to "kings on the earth."
- Who are subjects?
Subjects
are citizens, like Simon and Jesus. (because Jesus said "we") Subjects: Cambridge Dictionary
- Who would Jesus tax?
Jesus taught, "kings on the earth" should
only tax "foreigners".
Notice Jesus said "we"...
"the subjects are exempt.
However, so that we don't offend them..."
(ISV)
So, Jesus considered himself and Simon to be "subjects" of the king (or "sons" or "children"), regardless of any Bible translation, and thus exempt from tolls or tributes.
Other Bible translations say...
"Therefore the children are exempt"
(WEB)
"Really, then, the sons are tax-free"
(NWT)
Wasn't this about paying a temple tax?
Maybe so, but Jesus asked Simon about taxes for "kings on
the earth" (i.e. governments).
Kings don't have to pay taxes.
Some have said since Jesus was a king, or the son of a king, he
didn't have to pay taxes, but Jesus said the "subjects are exempt". He wasn't discussing exemptions for kings, and ...
Jesus said "My kingdom is not of this world."
- John 18:36
This would make Jesus a "foreigner",
which in his own teaching meant taxpayer.
Jesus then tells Simon to go catch a fish and in its mouth there
will be a coin for the tax payment, then "give it to
them for me and you."
So, Jesus paid taxes.
Some have used this fish story to say that Jesus paid taxes. This
is hardly a feasible example to teach others, since Jesus did
not pay the tax from his earnings or his purse. Perhaps the important point here is that Jesus did not have, i.e. use, this money, which had an engraven image, idol of a god (in this case, Hercules) and so he didn't violate the first commandment to have no other gods.
But, Simon had already committed Jesus to pay the tax.
Some say Jesus did not want to "offend them",
because Simon already told the tax collectors Jesus would pay
them. But, notice, it appears the tax collectors thought Jesus was trying to avoid them, since they had to actually ask Simon if Jesus was going to pay his taxes. It seems Jesus did not intend to pay
this tax, and was avoiding them, if they had to actually ask "Doesn't he pay taxes?"
Notice, Jesus used a question to teach that taxes belong upon "foreigners."
Foreigners are people who do not add to, or contribute to, the
kingdom's economy, unless they are taxed.
It's also possible the tax collectors overheard Jesus giving this
tax lesson to Simon, and they reported Jesus for being a tax protester. Maybe
Jesus even asked the tax collectors this same question...
"Tax collectors, What do you think? ... From whom do kings on the earth collect
tolls or tributes?"
Did Jesus also question (anger) lawyers and judges?
"How terrible it will be for you experts in the law. You have taken
away the key to knowledge. You didn't go in yourselves, and you kept out those who were trying to go in."
- Luke 11:52 ISV
A God of Truth, or money? Some things never change.
Who was Jesus teaching?
 3.
Fisher of Men - School for Tax Collectors
"Now the tax-gatherers and
the notorious sinners were everywhere in the habit of coming close
to Him to listen to Him;" -
Luke 15:1 (WNT)
Everywhere? ... Habit?
Other Bible translations say...
Jesus was teaching tax collectors ...
who where "everywhere". It was a "habit". And, if tax collectors "kept coming", then the topics Jesus was discussing may well have been tax-related. What other subject could draw large groups of tax collectors? ... Higher interest?
Who would Jesus keep around for company?
4. Friends of Jesus
According to Matthew (Jesus' disciple, a tax collector), Jesus was known as ...
'a friend of tax collectors and
sinners!' - Matthew
11:19
Jesus was famous for having tax collectors as friends.
What did Jesus say about his tax collector friends?
"Why do you eat and drink
with the tax collectors and sinners?" And Jesus answered
and said to them, "It is not those who are well who need
a physician, but those who are sick." - Luke
5:30-31
Jesus thought tax collectors are "sick."
Why would Jesus consider tax collectors to be sick?
Was it because of the commandment, Thou shall not steal? ... Or, for serving another god called Mammon?
Why charge Jesus with a tax crime?
5. Interfering with Tax Collectors & Tax Revenue
1. One possible reason for Jesus' tax charge was Zacchaeus,
a chief tax collector.
 Interfering with a chief tax collector's duties could
explain why Jesus was charged with a tax crime.
Zacchaeus believed that he himself had done wrong, so he gave
half of his "goods" to the poor in an attempt
to heal his own sickness. In addition, Zacchaeus knew he had stolen
property for himself, as well as tribute for Caesar. He told Jesus...
"If I have wrongfully exacted
anything of anyone, I restore four times as much." -
Luke 19:8
(WEB)
Zacchaeus, chief collector, was probably responsible for producing
significant revenues for the government. So, to have Zacchaeus
returning half of Caesar's tributes, plus his own commissions (interest),
to the subjects (taxpayers) would have set a bad example for his
junior tax collectors. And, many other individual tax collectors would
have also been upset with Zacchaeus and Jesus for initiating unwelcome tax refunds, costing them money also, which they had already
taken (exacted, stolen, forced) from 'taxpayers'.
2. A second possible reason for Jesus's tax charge was Matthew,
another tax collector who became Jesus' disciple.
 Jesus was disrupting the government system, acting against the Roman's IRS by convincing
tax collectors to follow him.
"As Jesus went on from there,
He saw a man called Matthew, sitting in the tax collector's booth;
and He said to him, "Follow Me!" And he got up and followed
Him." - Matthew
9:9
Matthew, tax collector, abandoned his tax booth and duties (gave up a well paying job) in order to follow
Jesus. Apparently, many other tax collectors also abandoned their
duties, since as shown previously, "the tax collectors and sinners kept
coming to listen to Jesus". - Luke 15:1 (ISV)
What do you think Matthew's boss said to his boss about
Matthew abandoning his duty? And, after the head-boss, Pilate,
found out, surely some of these tax collectors also ended up hanging
from crosses. (Maybe it was a tax collector hanging on the cross
next to Jesus, and the week before, and the week after.)
Chief Tax Man, Pontius Pilate (local IRS head)
 Pontius
Pilate, was the Roman prefect and the head man in charge of collecting
taxes for Rome.
"The procurators' and prefects' primary functions were
military, but as representatives of the empire they were responsible
for the collection of imperial taxes" - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilate
Pilate must have known that many of his imperial tax collectors
were leaving their collecting booths to follow Jesus. Pilate would have noticed
a lack of tax revenues coming into tribute headquarters, and would
have investigated the decline in income tax revenues. He would have
been very angry with Jesus for teaching the tax collectors anything
that contradicts imperial taxation, or for using parables that put tax collectors
in the same category as prostitutes.
"Truly I say to you that the
tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the kingdom of God
before you." - Matthew
21:31
Is this why tax collectors were "everywhere in the habit
of coming close to Him to listen"? Because their own
guilty feelings brought them to Jesus?
Jesus used parables to teach people. This parable put tax collectors
in the same group as "swindlers" and the "unjust"...
"The Pharisee stood and was
praying this to himself: "God,
I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust,
adulterers, or even like this tax collector."
- Luke
18:11
 Pilate may have learned from some of his tax collectors that Jesus didn't speak highly of serving their god-Caesar.
If Zacchaeus, a chief tax collector had "wrongfully
exacted" taxes, and harassed citizens, then it's very
likely that many of his junior tax collectors also followed this
example and wrongfully exacted taxes (organized crime).
Jesus wasn't the only one who believed tax collectors were sinners,
and sick. According to Luke, this belief was common. [Luke 19:7]
On which topic was Jesus tested?
6. Holy Tax Advice
"The Pharisees went and took counsel how they might entrap
him in his talk.
They sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying,
"Teacher, we know that you are honest, and teach the way
of God in truth, no matter who you teach, for you aren't partial
to anyone.
Tell us therefore, what do you think? Is it lawful to pay taxes
to Caesar, or not?"
But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, "Why do you
test me, you hypocrites?
Show me the tax money." They brought to him a denarius
[coin].
He asked them, "Whose is this image and inscription?"
They said to him, "Caesar's." Then he said to them,
"Give therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and
to God the things that are God's." - Matthew
22:15-21 (WEB)
Luke goes on to say...
"They couldn't make him say anything
wrong in front of the people. His answer surprised them, so they
said no more." - Luke
20:26 (GWT)
Jesus was given a "test" about paying taxes.
Apparently, Jesus had a reputation for talking taxes.
Things to Caesar? ... Things to God?
So, was that a "yes" or "no"?
- Jesus didn't say "yes" or "no".
-
Jesus didn't have the coin, like hypocrites.
- Would Jesus accept Caesar as his god, and pay him a tribute as such?
"Show me a denarius (Roman coin). Whose portrait and inscription are on it?"
- Luke 20:24
What the Bible doesn't say is - what the inscription actually said - on both front and back of a denarius.
Caesar claimed he was a god.
Here is an example of the tax coin thought to be seen by Jesus.
Front of tax coin:
TI[berius] CAESAR DIVI AVG[usti] F[ilius] AVGVSTVS,
"Tiberius Caesar Augustus, son of the Divine Augustus"
Divine: godly, heavenly
Back of tax coin:
Image of Caesar's mother, Livia, depicted as goddess (Pax), and the inscription:
PONTIF[ex] MAXIM[us], "chief priest"
Another possible candidtate for this coin was made by Caesar's father, Augustus. The inscription on his coin said, "Caesar Augustus, Son of God, Father of His Country".
See coins from Jesus' time at Biblical Mites
Tribute coin - Caesar's, rendered to Caesar
Shekels - showing demigod Hercules, used to pay temple tax, came from fish's mouth
Roman
Pilate
Widow's Mite
Some believe a different coin may have been shown to Jesus, possibly a Greek coin, known as the Tetradrachm. But this coin also claimed Caesar is god. This is why Jews considered Caesar's coins (i.e. Caesar) blasphemous. And, this is why moneychangers (bankers) were needed. Because a Jew wouldn't carry a coin which gave his or her allegiance, and service, to another god.
 Thus, the question actually being posed to Jesus, by hypocrites, was ...
Is it lawful to pay tribute (taxes) to Caesar, the man on this coin, who claims he is god?
Notice, Caesar was rubbing it in the noses of Jews when it came time to pay him a tribute. He was forcing a tax to be paid with his own coins, and so making Jews regularly declare their willful obedience and recognition to him as god. The subjects of Rome had to serve (pay tribute to) Caesar - as god - with a coin declaring it is so.
The answer given by Jesus was really a choice, for each person to decide for themselves to whom they belonged. But the people who were present already knew this coin's inscription very well ("Caesar, Son of God") and knew Jesus' answer did not mean pay Caesar, but to give back Caesar's system, entirely.
Since there are only 10 commandments to remember, its likely those listening already knew, it is NOT lawful to pay tribute to a false god, including Caesar.
 So notice, Young's Literal Translation of the Bible ...
"Give back the things of Caesar to Caesar, and the things of God to God." - Mark 12:17
The Bible says they were amazed by his answer. Jesus escapes the trap.
- Would Jesus break the first and/or second commandment?
"Is it lawful to pay taxes
to Caesar, or not?"
Why the question, "Is it lawful?"
This was a reference to the first commandment. Caesar's coin, a denarius, was considered blasphemous by the Jews (unlawful) because it had
the "graven image" of a false god, and because the
coin included an inscription that said Caesar was the son of a god. So, assuming Jesus knew the commandments, "You
shall have no other gods", and "Thou shalt not make thee
any graven image (idol), or any likeness", and "Thou
shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them"
[Deuteronomy 5:8],
then would Jesus break the first and, in some translations, second commandment to use Caesar's "graven image", or "serve"
or "bow down" to a false Caesar-god by offering
a tribute to his system?
Notice, the coin which came from the fish's mouth, and was used by Simon-Peter and Jesus to pay tax collectors (in Matthew 17), was the Shekel. This coin had the image of Hercules, a demigod (half god, half man). Jesus could not carry a shekel, for the same reason he could not carry a denarius. It violated the Jews first commandment - No other god.
- If Jesus was understood to say "Yes, pay your taxes to
Caesar", then why was he charged with "forbidding
paying taxes"?
Is it possible that a person could be charged
with forbidding paying taxes [Luke 23:2], if that person has already stated his position publicly as being "Yes, do pay your taxes"?
- "Things" that are Caesar's, and "things"
that are God's?
Look all around. Can you find anything which God did not make?
If God makes every thing, doesn't every thing
belong to God, including Caesar? Wasn't this the point of Jesus' answer, that everything belongs to God? And, won't everything still belong to God long after Caesar's
greatest grandsons are done using them?
- If the "King of the Jews" really was for
paying Caesar's taxes, wouldn't he have been Rome's favorite
Jew? Indeed, such a well-followed leader, who was even surrounded by tax collectors, would
certainly not have been crucified, but instead would have been
made Caesar's favorite chief tax collector in the land, if he really did say, "Pay your taxes." Governments do
not destroy their best cheerleaders, it's bad for
business. And, the business owners (i.e. bankers, moneychangers) already knew this. Governments always borrow from banks, because there is no "interest" without doing so.
Didn't the "hypocrites" already know "the
way of God in truth," ... that God created and owns
everything? And, didn't they already know all things
belong to God and will still belong to God long after Caesar is done abusing them?
Probably many hypocrites did know, because it was already written in the
scriptures...
"The earth is the Lord's,
with all its wealth; the world and all the people living
in it." - Psalms
24:1
The earth, wealth, and people, are the Lord's,
not Caesar's.
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"The coin? The coin said Caesar is Son of God. I wasn't going to break the first commandment, so I just gave it back. You know, rendered it ...to Caesar." |
"In the beginning God
created the heaven and the earth." - Genesis
1:1
God created everything, including Caesar.
"the earth is the LORD's."
- Exodus 9:29
Assuming Jesus already knew it was written, "the
earth is the Lord's, with all it's wealth", and
knew the first and second commandments, then it appears
his answer meant No, Paying taxes to Caesar is not
lawful. Jesus was merely avoiding the hypocrites' trap. And, those who think Jesus was advocating rendering taxes to Caesar missed the point completely ...
God made all "things," and so ... all "things"
belong to God, even Caesar. Thus Caesar is not your god. And, thus, there is no tribute due ... "the subjects are exempt."
So, why are we told different on Sunday?
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"Mmmmm, Things to Caesar,
... things to God?"
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What did Jesus think about Bankers, i.e. Moneychangers?
7. Fractional Reserve Banking?
Jesus "overthrew the tables of the moneychangers"
in the temple.
Jesus called moneychangers "thieves." [Mark 11:15, John 2:15, Matthew 21:12]
Evidently, Jesus thought bankers are crooks.
And, just what is fractional reserve banking? If you tried to pull-off this scam, you'd be arrested like a Madoff or Ken Lay.
So, what
happens to people who mess with Big Money? Aren't they set-up?
Judged? Disposed?
Notice Jesus was dead three days after ejecting the moneychangers
from the temple. He was set-up, judged, and disposed of.
See Jesus
and the Money Changers on Wikipedia (Thank you, CIA?)
|
"What is Truth? I already told you ... three days ago ... Get out of town, Moneychanger." |
What did Jesus teach about money?
8. Treasure in Heaven
Jesus had a problem with money itself, a system of service
to a false god, Mammon, god of riches. He made it very clear, rich people won't get into heaven.
 "Truly
I say to you, it is hard for a man with much money to go into
the kingdom of heaven. And again I say to you, it is simpler for
a camel to go through a needle's eye, than for a man with much
money to go into the kingdom of God. And the disciples, hearing
this, were greatly surprised, saying, Who then may have salvation?
And Jesus, looking at them, said, With men this is not possible;
but with God all things are possible." - Matthew
19:23-26
Will a camel ever fit through the eye of a needle? Notice, with
the money-system of men "this is not possible".
"And he said to them all, If any
man has a desire to come after me, let him give up all,
and take up his cross every day, and come after me."
- Luke 9:23
 Give up all? ... What?
"There came one running, and kneeled
to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may
inherit eternal life? And Jesus said to him, Why call me good?
There is none good but one, that is, God. You know the commandments,
Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear
false witness, Defraud not, Honor you father and mother. And he
answered and said to him, Master, all these have I observed from
my youth. Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said to him,
One thing you lack: go your way, sell whatever you have, and
give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven: and
come, take up the cross, and follow me. And he was sad at that
saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions."
- Mark 10:17-22
 Would any of this explain "Give ... to Caesar the things
that are Caesar's", for example his system of money, since "With men this is not possible"?
"You cannot serve both God and Money." - Luke
16:13
Jesus was teaching against chasing after money (because
a camel can never fit), and against serving the engraved-god-image-idol-worship money system. The result would be less
money available for government tax collectors, and so, less tax
money for self-described god Caesar. Apparently, Rome did not find such teachings desirable.
Dissenting with Government Authorities (high
priests, partners of moneychangers)
9. The Romans wanted to punish Jesus for tax crimes, but why did Jewish authorities want him?
"Then Jesus went into the temple.
While he was teaching, the high priests and the elders of the
people came to him and asked, "By what authority are you
doing these things, and who gave you this authority?"
- Matthew 21:23
What were the "high priests" so upset about?
The Jewish priests wanted Jesus punished because he was teaching people they shouldn't go to church. Jesus said the synagogue was a place for hypocrites (such as those who possessed the Caesar-is-god coin, and gave "things", i.e. tribute, to Caesar). Jesus was teaching the people that priests weren't even necessary to be with God. And, Jesus said, if people wanted to pray to God, they should just go into their own rooms in private, at home, and close the door and pray.
"And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues ... But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray" - Matthew
6:5
According to Luke, who wrote Acts, Paul took this notion a step further. Paul said God isn't even at church, and doesn't need anything from people, anyway.
"The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything" - Acts
17:24
After telling the priests and elders a parable, Jesus then insults them by saying
...
"I tell you with certainty, tax
collectors and prostitutes will get into God's kingdom ahead of
you!" - Matthew
21:31
"When the high priests and the
Pharisees heard his parables, they knew that he was talking about
them. Although they wanted to arrest him, they were afraid of
the crowds" - Matthew
21:45
Contrary to Saul's (St. Paul's) message about obeying authorities ordained by God (Romans 13), Jesus himself did not obey such authorities, and even mocked them, though they could have arrested
him. Jesus was telling these Jewish authorities they had a lower
status than tax collectors and prostitutes, and that they weren't even necessary for our salvation. And, if Paul said, God is not at church and doesn't need the service of humans, then he seems to concur with Jesus, that church is best left to hypocrites. Rendered.
So Why kill Jesus? Was it taxes?
- Jesus was publicly charged with the crime of "forbidding paying
taxes." Luke
23:2.
- Jesus was teaching his disciple, Simon, that taxes
belong upon "foreigners". And, "the
subjects [children, sons] are exempt." Matthew
17:25-27
- Jesus was teaching tax collectors who "were
everywhere in the habit of coming close ... to listen to Him."
Luke 15:1
- Jesus was friends with tax collectors
Matthew 11:19,
and sought them out because he thought they were "sick"
Luke 5:30-31 and needed to correct their condition.
- Jesus was disrupting tax collections by taking
tax collectors away from their jobs. Luke
19:8 , Matthew
9:9
- Jesus was publicly tested over the subject of "taxes",
by "hypocrites" who possessed and used the Caesar-is-god coin. Matthew
22:15-21
- Jesus disrupted the moneychangers operations in the temple, thus disrupting
the banking industry. He even called them thieves. Mark
11:15, John
2:15, Matthew
21:12 .... Notice, less banking = less money = less taxes.
- Jesus taught, rich men don't get into
heaven (since a camel will never fit through a needle's eye), and taught against the accumulation of money, and
against the Caesar-god's money system... "With men this is not
possible." Matthew
19:23-26, This would also mean less taxes,
and would have resulted in a reduction or even the destruction of the
moneychanger's (banker's) tax-money-slave system.
- Jesus insulted the chief priests and elders (i.e. local authorities,
local government, crime partners of moneychangers)
by telling them "tax collectors and prostitutes will
get into God's kingdom ahead of you!" - Matthew
21:31 And, Jesus taught; priests weren't necessary; hypocrites frequent church; and praying should be done at home, instead. This would have also insulted all those other tax
collectors, those who were perfectly happy taking other people's money (stealing).
The problem Romans had with Jesus was over taxes
(i.e. money).
  Jesus was interfering with the Roman internal revenue service,
and teaching 'Roman IRS agents' about their sickness. Evidently,
Jesus did forbid paying taxes (except "from foreigners").
Jesus was a tax protester, against wealth, and against
the money system itself. He could not use Caesar's money, whose own coin
declared him to be divine, without breaking the first
two commandments, "You shall have no other gods,"
and No idols.
This type of behavior would put Jesus on any government's bad-boy
list.
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How can a government get treasure into it's treasury if
there are no taxpayers, no money users, and no one dependent
on the system?
This was a choice of whom to serve...
"Give ... to Caesar the things
that are Caesar's,
and to God the things that are God's."
The system of man wants you - and needs you -
in the system.
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"I want You ...
in my piggy!" |
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If you think we are the only ones
having this interpretation of Jesus being a tax protester,
see...
- "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Jesus"
by Bell and Sumner, p. 198-199, 2005 Edition. It describes
a similar interpretation of the rendering unto Caesar.
- Jesus-on-taxes.com
- This website has an entire book, by Ned Netterville, on the subject of
Jesus and taxation. It's titled "Jesus
of Nazareth, Illegal-Tax Protester"
and is free to download. This e-book is filled with
details and analysis, and as the title implies comes
to the same conclusion [there are legal taxes and
there are illegal taxes]. Considering that this author
did not data mine the Bible with a computer [or so
we assume], this e-book is amazingly thorough and complete. Ned Netterville's effort, including all those contributing to it, is probably the most important thing written about Jesus since the words of Jesus were first recorded. Do not continue through life without reading this e-book, because your 501(c)3 church is failing you, greatly.
- "Rabbi Jesus", a book
by Bruce Chilton, p. 202, April 2002 Edition. Chilton
also indicates Jesus meant that all locals "should
be free of taxes" - though he attributes
Jesus' statement to an issue of Temple taxes instead
of His actual question about tolls or tributes to "kings on the earth"
...
"He [Jesus] is telling his preeminent
disciple [Simon/Peter] that all Israelites, as sons
of a king, should be free of taxes for the Temple,
and that those who collect such taxes can, in effect,
go fish for them." - Rabbi Jesus
- Other interesting observations can be read in the
online encyclopedia, Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Render_unto_Caesar. Also use Archive.org to see older versions of this Wiki page (because
all tax related topics on Wiki are highly censored, by ... Guess who?)
- Probably the most significant interpretation, also
found on Wikipedia, is this amazing take on the "Render
unto Caesar" moment...
"A second time when asked about Roman
taxes Jesus doesn't produce a Roman coin but asks
his opponents to. They are able to produce one complete
with its idolitrous image and blasphemous inscription.
Having once again exposed his opponent's divided
loyalties [by having them produce a idolitrous,
blasphemous coin] he responds that those who
are Caesar's should be given to Caesar and those
who are God's should be given to God."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesus_and_the_Money_Changers#Jesus.27_authority
(You may need to copy this address into Archive.org to find this one)
* Notice, this interpretation renders people
loyal to Caesar to Caesar, and people loyal
to God to God. Money may not have even been
the object of Jesus' answer. Considering
Jesus was trying to save people, and wasn't very fond
of money [Mark
10:23, Matthew
19:24], this is possibly the most accurate interpretation.
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Our
emperor, Fraud, stands naked.
"But he has nothing on!"
Watch
Uncle Sam dance
for Mammon. (Warning: Slightly graphic) |
 Jesus said...
"You cannot serve both God and Money." - Luke
16:13
According to Jesus, we have two choices: Either serve the god of riches - i.e. Caesar's system (Money),
or God. Since Jesus said no one can serve two masters, what did he say we should do?
"You shall worship the Lord your God, and you shall serve him
only."
- Matthew 4:10
Notice, Jesus set an example for us to follow, and truth was the religion...
"I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me."
- John 14:6 |
Apparently, if we live by the truth, we just might make it to the Father in Heaven.
According to Jesus, it is impossible to serve Caesar,
to give him your time, through labor and taxes, and to also serve
God.
The Pharisees disciples who tested Jesus were only
temporarily stumped by his answer, because he was charged with
forbidding taxes, anyway.
Why might Jesus have forbidden paying taxes to "kings on the earth" (i.e. governments)?
Slavery
 Jesus knew that people were having their land and property taken,
and even having their children taken as slaves, if they did not
pay their taxes. Such tax slavery was written about some 400 years
before Jesus...
"We have borrowed money for the king's tax on our fields
and our vineyards... we are forcing our sons and daughters to
be slaves, and some of our daughters are forced into bondage already,
and we are helpless because our fields and vineyards belong to
others." - Nehemiah
5:4-5
Taking children was done by many cultures. In the case of males,
to be taken while still young, then indoctrinated into the tyrant's
fighting force, or enslaved. In the case of females, to be taken
as additions to harems for the rulers, or as army prostitutes,
or also enslaved. In recent times, the Japanese were accused,
by their now elderly victims, of taking women as prostitutes for
their military.
Can you tell that, it's the Income tax and Property tax that are mentioned here? This is happening today. You've all sold your children, even your great, great grandchildren into slavery, since it will take generations to pay off the trillions of dollars stolen by banker bailouts (currently over 23 trillion dollars).
Most people will choose to serve the god of Mammon, and chase money, being trained to do so from birth, ("go to college, be successful") and in stock markets, expecting profits without actually performing labor, a simple form of gambling. And, now the U.N. will become a global IRS, squeezing you for your carbon credits, with a cap and trade bill, just for existing, and for your government "healthcare". (You will take your shots, or run, like Logan)
Seized Property and Land
 Jesus also knew that a Caesar would spend his "tributes"
[taxes, seized property, land] on war, oppression, and building
monuments to himself, a false god. To get a good, graphic
idea of what forced tax payments were like in Jesus' time, see
the movie The Nativity
Story. To read about some modern-day examples of forced tax
collections, just search the Internet for "IRS raid".
According to non-Christian, Roman historians, some people were
even put to death when they could not pay Caesar's tax. Likely,
these were some of the people that ended up on crosses, and fed
to lions in a Roman coliseum. Maybe Christians were favored as
lion food because, at the time, they were still living by Jesus'
teaching, to serve one master, God, and refused to pay Caesar tribute.
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War
What does a 'Caesar' do after taking your tax money? Isn't
war frequently one of "the things that
are Caesar's"? Over the last 100 years, the United
States alone has been averaging one war for every 16 years. The last serveral "wars" weren't even declared by Congress, the only ones legally able to do so, thus they were illegal actions, just invasions for the god of mammon.
And, all these wars are just scams of merchants and mercenaries. No need to believe us dumb data miners. Just Google "War is a racket" by General Smedley Butler. It's now a free online book.
This doesn't even include the smaller military actions, such as
bombing
Serbians, the Iran-Contra
'affair', or the invasion of Panama and the capture of Panama's
leader, Noriega. (When Noriega was asked, "who is your drug dealing partner?", he said, George Bush)
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Warning: This is very graphic, but then you have
already played your part and payed tribute for this, and even sacrificed your own sons and daughters. (Google "War is a racket" by General Smedley Butler)
If any links have disappeared, copy the address into Archive.org |
Thou shall not kill
Every creature is born with the right to kill anything that is coming to kill it. Aside from that, what part of this don't people understand. If we give tributes to a 'Caesar', haven't we then enabled him
to conquer others with deadly force? Haven't we then become an accomplice, part of
the killing, and so, violated the commandment "Thou shall
not kill"?
 Yes. We do kill, and pay for death, with our taxes. The funder
of death is as guilty as the trigger man. Thus, all taxpayers are useful idiots.
Look into your mirror to see destruction incarnate. Your fingerprints
are found all over the tribute money, and the murder weapon. You've labored hard for it, too.
But, not everyone is with you.
"We are war tax resisters because we have discovered
some doubt as to what belongs to Caesar and what belongs to God,
and have decided to give the benefit of doubt to God."
- Pastor John K. Stoner
Pastor Stoner has apparently not been drinking his fluoride
water, or taking his vaccinations.
 The
question is "Who would Jesus Tax?" - Not Paul,
or anyone else.
- Romans 13 was written by Paul (Saul), a Roman citizen.
- Paul, like many Romans, was dedicated to wiping out followers
of Jesus (e.g. stray tax collectors, prostitutes, sinners,...)
- PBS.org
- Paul (Saul) played a part in the stoning murder of Stephen.
- Acts 7:58 (Apparently, he ran the coat check for Stephen's killing.)
- Paul was not quoting Jesus in Romans 13:1-13:7.
- Paul was not one of Jesus' 12 disciples.
- Jesus never even knew Paul, though Paul claimed otherwise.
- Paul was arrested and put in prison. (So, Paul, like Jesus, didn't
obey the "higher authorities", either.)
- Half of the New Testament was written by this Roman Paul. -
Bible,
Wiki
For more on Paul, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_the_Apostle
It appears Paul may have written Romans to benefit "authorities".
"be in subjection to the higher authorities,
for there is no authority except from God, and those who exist
are ordained by God" - Romans 13:1 (WEB)
Paul wrote this, Jesus did not.
Paul served Rome, working as a bounty hunter of Nazarenes, the followers of Jesus of Nazareth.
One bible translation explains Paul like this,
"If you owe taxes, pay them. If you owe toll, pay them.
If you owe someone respect, respect that person. If you owe someone
honor, honor that person" - God's
Word.
But, what if you don't owe any of that?
If you don't owe - then you don't owe! ... So, then nothing is due.
Who do we actually owe? Does God approve of government authorities
who are tyrants, such as Hitler, Stalin, or the Communist
Chinese government? Are tyrants "the higher authorities"
we must be "in subjection to", because they're
ordained by God?
The Founding Fathers of the United States were very religious,
but even Thomas Jefferson, the third President and chief author
of the Declaration of Independence, said, "Resistance
to tyrants is obedience to God." (So, Here we have an example
of someone ordained by God, the 3rd President of the United States,
Thomas Jefferson, saying it is obedience to God to resist tyranical
government.) Isn't this exactly what Jesus and his disciples were doing? They were killed by tyranical government.
If Paul really did write Romans 13:1-13:7, then why did the
Romans kill him? Wouldn't such words, which render to Caesar
obedience and taxes, have made Paul one of the Emperor's favorite
citizens, much like Jesus would have been, if He really was rendering things (tax money) to Caesar?
It seems Paul himself did not actually practice obedience to authorities,
because he was imprisoned by higher authorities, and eventually
killed by higher authorities.
Notice Paul also exposed Peter as an outlaw...
"He [Paul] utterly opposed any idea that the law was
binding on Christians, declaring that even Peter did not live
by the law."
See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_of_Tarsus#Arrest_and_death,
and see Gal 2:14.
Why should people accept Romans 13:1-13:7, believing subjection
and obedience to authorities is Christ-like, when Jesus, and
nearly every apostle, was killed by the higher authorities, including
Paul.
"be in subjection to the higher authorities" - Romans
13:1 (WEB)
Perhaps Paul wrote this after he was sent to prison.
Evidently, Paul did learn something from Jesus, since he wrote in 1 Timothy 6, "the love of money is the root of all evil." And so, the solution was, in other words "Render unto Caesar that which belongs to Caesar."
"Would you like to live without being afraid of the authorities?
Then do what is right, and you will receive their approval."
- Romans
13:3 (ISV)
Translation: Do what you are told, if you don't want any trouble.
Too bad Paul couldn't warn Jesus about this, since he never actually met Jesus.
Read what happened to the apostles...
Subjection is forced ... by governments & their tax collectors
| Service +
Force = Compliance
- 1040
Instructions, 2004
"To protect the honest
taxpayer, we have strengthened enforcement of the tax laws."
-IRS Commissioner, Mark W. Everson
"...everyone who
does evil hates the light, and doesn't come to the light,
lest his works would be exposed." - John
3:20-21
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Notice Nazis also wore black.
Was this government "ordained
by God"?
Homeland Security? |
"You devour widow's houses and
say long prayers to cover it up. Therefore, you will recieve greater
condemnation." - Matthew
23:14
Those who use force to take "taxes" are violating
well established laws.
Pilate asked him, saying, Are
you the King of the Jews? And he answered him and said, You say
it." - Luke 23:3
Notice, Jesus didn't admit to Pilate he was a King. Jesus only
said, "You say it". (Only 3 of 14 Bibles, or
21%, say Jesus answered "yes" to this question). Evidently,
Pilate didn't care if Jesus thought he was a king, since even
Jesus admitted he wasn't a king in "this world" ...
"My kingdom is not of this world." - John
18:36
And Pilate said to the chief priests
and the people, "In my opinion this man has done no wrong."
- Luke 23:4
So, if Jesus really did confess to being a king, then why did Pilate say, "this man has done no wrong"?
Obviously, claiming a kingship over Jews was not the reason Jesus was whipped and executed. It had to have been one of the other charges against him, perverting the nation, or forbidding paying taxes.
[Also notice, Jesus was preaching for three years, but was not arrested by the government
until he threw the moneychangers out of the temple. Three days
later Jesus was dead.]
When Pilate found out Jesus was from Galilee
he sent Jesus and his accusers to Herod, the ruler of Galilee.
But, Herod also found Jesus not guilty and returned him
to Pilate. Apparently, Herod didn't care either if Jesus wanted
to be a king. And, when Jesus was returned to Pilate, he again
pronounced Jesus not guilty.
Also agreeing Jesus was innocent was Pilate's wife...
"Have nothing to do with
that righteous Man; for last night I suffered greatly in a dream
because of Him." - Matthew
27:19
But the chief priests continued to demand that Jesus be killed.
So, Pilate got some water and washed his hands, literally, in
front of the crowd, of any responsibility for killing Jesus.
"I am innocent of the blood of
this righteous person. You see to it." - Matthew
27:24
Notice, Pilate and his wife both said Jesus was righteous.
So, after Pilate said, several times, he saw no reason to punish
Jesus, he then has him scourged, which is worse than an ordinary
whipping.
Why would Pilate scourge Jesus, after he just said "I
can't find this man guilty of any crime"? Such harsh
punishment wouldn't fit the crime, if he "has done no
wrong."
Why would Pilate change his mind?
Pilate's primary concern, at least one of them, was getting tribute-tax-money-property
into Caesar's treasury. And, all bureaucrats, including Pilate
know, those who don't perform as expected soon lose their jobs.
Did Pilate hear new testimony about Jesus? Maybe some testimony from
a few of the tax collectors - that Jesus was indeed teaching tax
collectors to not pay taxes? If so, Pilate would
have heard that his tax collectors were neglecting to collect
taxes, in order to follow Jesus. This might explain why Pilate
changed his mind, from declaring Jesus not guilty, to then having
him scourged.
Was Pilate's question "What is truth?" concerning
Jesus and taxes?
- Fact: Jesus was charged with "forbidding paying taxes".
Luke 23:2
- Fact: Jesus taught "the subjects [children, sons] are exempt."
And, that "kings of the earth" should instead collect taxes
from "foreigners." Matthew
17:25-27
- Fact: Jesus was teaching to tax collectors.
Luke 15:1
- Fact: Jesus was friends with tax collectors Matthew
11:19, and He sought their company in order to heal their sickness.
Luke 5:30-31
- Fact: Jesus interfered with tax collectors work.
Luke 19:8 , Matthew
9:9
- Fact: Evidently, being the right person to ask, Jesus was tested
specifically about paying taxes. Matthew
22:15-21
- Fact: Jesus overthrew the tables of moneychangers, disrupting banking,
and thus, taxes. Mark
11:15, John
2:15, Matthew
21:12
- Fact: Jesus was against Caesar's money system, because it was harder
("impossible") for the rich to enter into
heaven - "Who then can be saved?" Jesus looked
at them and said, "With men this is impossible".
Matthew
19:23-26 If there was less wealth to tax, Caesar's taxes
(his pile of money) would shrink.
- Fact: Jesus insulted the chief priests and elders (i.e. government
authorities, the crime partners of moneychanging thieves) by
telling them "tax collectors and prostitutes will get
into God's kingdom ahead of you!" - Matthew
21:31 He said this even though they could have arrested
him. And, this would have also insulted all the tax
collectors who were completely happy taking other people's money.
Result: Guilty!
Jesus was found guilty of a tax crime. Forbidding paying
taxes is what put Jesus on the cross. And so, he was killed by Pilate
over money (what else). By convincing people
to give (render)
Caesar's false-god money system back to Caesar, Jesus was "perverting
the nation."
"...To Caesar the things that are Caesar's."
For this he was beaten, scourged, given the walk-of-shame,
and slowly executed.
 Jesus
was a tax protester who would not serve Caesar's tax-money-slave system.
Wouldn't Good
Friday be a better national tax due-date in the United States,
instead of April
15, as a reminder to all the slaves - Thou shall not resist?
Who would Jesus tax?
Is this what really happened?
Pilate: "What is truth?"
Jesus: "The subjects are exempt. You should only tax foreigners."
Pilate: "I'm going to crucify you!"
If you can find a Bible translation which quotes Jesus
teaching something different about taxes, contact
us and we'll add it here.
The Subjects are Exempt. Just Tax
Foreigners
"In God We Trust?"
What would the Founding Fathers do? ... What else? ... Tea Party!
It's well known the USA began as a tax revolt, by Christians. But, is having a tax revolt behaving like a Christian?
Evidently, yes, since Jesus was charged for being a tax protester, and forbidding paying taxes to Caesar (the Government).
Where is the list of taxable income located in U.S. tax law?
 The
list of taxable income from U.S. Income Tax law is located in Title 26, CFR Sec.
1.861-8T(d)(2)(iii). It's a list of taxable items
and prescribes that only a "foreign taxpayer"
and "Foreign earned income" are taxable. It
is written immediately after the legal definition of "exempt
income" (excluded income).
To find this list, simply go to the US Government's Electronic-CFR:
http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov
- Click 'Simple Search' (on left side)
- Enter 26 for Title number
- In search box enter: income that is not considered tax
exempt
- Click 'submit search' button.
Result: Section 861
Fact: All fundamental income tax instructions
are written in Sec. 861, including...
- how to determine taxable income
- eliminated income
- eliminated items
- excluded income
- income that is exempt or excluded
- the sources of income for purposes of the income tax
- specific sources
- specific guidance
- deductions to gross income
- exempt income (defined)
etc, etc ... There are many more, just examine the rest of this website
Only one section in the Code of Federal Regulations lists
the "income that is not ... exempt" (a.k.a. taxable income). Read the list. It's just one of many things
you can find with your computer.
 Why
isn't the list of taxable items written up front in Sec.
1, but instead hidden hundreds of sections later in Sec. 861?
You'll find that U.S. Income tax is fraudulently implemented
by politicians and bureaucrats (high priests), and bankers
(money changers).
The US Tax Code (26USC) and Regulations (26CFR)
have been data mined, and the result is Sec. 861. Read it
and confirm. Ignorance is no excuse. To see more about
data mining tax code, start with these...
How does such massive fraud happen without being noticed? You'll
find many "tax experts" don't even read tax
code, or regulations. In fact, tax experts use Publications,
which are printed by the IRS. These Publications tell
your expert what to do, and how to do it. The "experts"
know very little about their own expertise, or laws. They simply obey Mafia instructions.
Don't believe it? Just visit any tax preparation business and
ask if they have the US Tax Regulations (26CFR), or the Internal
Revenue Code (26USC), or... if they just follow IRS Publications. [Quite
likely, they don't even have Publications anymore. Now, they simply
rely on tax software, fraudulently written, to locate the amount
of tax "imposed".]
Test Your Tax Expert!
Why not? They work for you, see if they know what they're doing.
You don't even have to make the test difficult. Simply ask your
tax expert...
"Where is Exempt income defined?"
If your tax expert doesn't know, then show them the answer...
Answer
Then, tell your expert to search for your "excluded
income". It's their job. They get paid to know the law,
and to save you money with deductions and excluded income.
Did you know that data mining can be done in all 48 Titles of
Law, and in every country which uses codification?
Leb
wohl, Konsortialführer! Der schwindel is over. The jig
is up.
All of your houses will fall.
* Please report any errors using "found error"
in your email subject line. Thank you.
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"What do you think, Simon? From whom do kings on the
earth collect tolls or tributes? From their own subjects,
or from foreigners?" When he said, "From foreigners,"
Jesus said to him, "In that case, the subjects are exempt."
- 
The Founding Fathers Agreed with Jesus