Render to Caesar the Things That Are Caesar's and to God the Things That Are God's | John Piper

Deep Dive into All That Jesus Commanded by John Piper - Render to Caesar the Things That Are Caesar's and to God the Things That Are God'sJesus possesses absolute and supreme authority, encompassing both heaven and earth, and extending over all earthly powers, including Caesar. This is fundamentally established by his post-resurrection declaration: "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me." This signifies his universal dominion and positions him as the supreme Lord over Caesar, whose authority is ultimately subordinate to Jesus.His authority implies absolute ownership over everything, and he demands absolute allegiance to himself and his ownership. This means that when followers are instructed to "render to God the things that are God’s," it also implies rendering to Jesus the honor of absolute ownership and authority over everything, including what appears to be Caesar's domain. Even the authority wielded by earthly rulers like Pilate is not inherent but is "given... from above" by God, reinforcing Jesus's (and God's) supreme position as the ultimate source of all power.This ultimate authority held by Jesus means that all other allegiances, including those to Caesar, are relativized, warranted, limited, and shaped by this primary allegiance to him. While earthly authority is legitimate because it is indirectly God’s, it is never absolute; it is from God, but it is not God. Therefore, true allegiance belongs ultimately to God and to Jesus himself, making any act of obedience to earthly powers an expression of submission to God's overarching will.Reformed Theologian GPT: https://chat.openai.com/g/g-XXwzX1gnv-reformed-theologianhttps://buymeacoffee.com/edi2730