Jesus taught that people should pay taxes to the government ("Render to Caesar what is Caesar's") but also fulfill their duties to God ("and to God what is God's"). In a famous exchange, when asked if paying taxes to the Roman Emperor was lawful, Jesus used a Roman coin to illustrate that since the image and inscription was Caesar's, it should be given to Caesar, while God's image (on people) requires giving oneself to God. He also noted that children (God's people) are exempt from the earthly rulers' taxes but paid the temple tax to avoid causing offense.
' They said to Him, 'Caesar's. ' And He said to them, 'Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's'” (Matthew 22:18-21). Jesus wisely avoided their trap and showed the need to pay both taxes to the civil government (represented by Caesar) and tithes to God.
Mary was making memories. She was collecting a sort of mental scrapbook. The other key word in this verse is the word, “pondered.” The Greek word means “to throw thoughts together; mull over, draw conclusions, consider, confer mentally.” Another definition for ponder is to wonder at a deep level.
Scripture's view regarding taxation is surprisingly simple. Tax evasion is sinful and we need to repent of it (if we have engaged in it) and pay what we are supposed to pay. Romans 13:6-7 is uncomplicated and clear. If the government says we need to pay a certain tax or revenue then we are obliged to pay it.
Matthew 6:12 - Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. Matthew 18:27, 30, 32, 34 - Forgive because your debts have been forgiven. Luke 7:42-43 - He who is forgiven much (debt) loves much; he who is forgiven little (debt) loves little. Romans 4:4 - Wages, like a debt owed, must be paid.
Fathers of the Church
In AD 385, Pacian of Barcelona, in his Sermon Exhorting to Penance, gives contempt of God, murder, and fornication as examples of "mortal" or "capital sins".
2 Timothy 2:13 means that even when believers falter or lack faith, God remains steadfast and true to His character and promises because He cannot deny Himself, serving as a powerful assurance of His enduring faithfulness and love, even amidst human weakness, and motivating perseverance in faith. While some interpret it as a promise of salvation for weak believers, others see it as God's faithful judgment on those who persistently deny Him, drawing from the context of verses 11-12 which speak of dying/living and enduring/denying Christ.
The IRS 7-year rule primarily applies to keeping records for claiming a deduction for bad debts or losses from worthless securities, allowing a longer period to file for a credit or refund, but it's not a universal audit limit; it's often a recommended safe buffer for general record-keeping, with the standard IRS audit period usually being 3 years, extending to 6 years for substantial income omission (over 25%) or foreign income issues, and indefinitely for fraud.
One-time forgiveness, officially known as First-Time Penalty Abatement (FTA), is an IRS program that allows qualified taxpayers to have certain penalties removed from their tax accounts.
Even though not all of government activity serves God's purposes, Jesus does not call us flout the tax requirements of the nations where we reside (Romans 13:1-10; 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12). Jesus is saying in essence that we do not necessarily have to resist paying taxes as a matter of principle.
Background. Tax collectors were hated in biblical times and were regarded as sinners. They were Jews who worked for the Romans, so this made them traitors. People resented paying taxes to the foreigners who ruled over them.
Those biblically based principles by way of review and summary follow: Public servants have the right to tax. Public servants must acknowledge and respect the existence of personal property ownership. The taxes leveled by public servants must be just and proportional to every citizen.
But they kept several millions of pictures of Mary the mother of Jesus, called icons. It was because Mary humbly obeyed God's will to conceive the baby by the Holy Spirit before marriage. God honored her simple and humble obedience to God's will and made her the mother of Jesus and a comfort even to communist people.
Mary's act was far more than a kind gesture of respect and adoration. The gift was equivalent to a whole year's salary and possibly tied to her hope for marriage—her hope for a future. It was often saved for a young woman's wedding day, when she would pour it on her husband as an act of devotion.
Mary is the mother of Jesus.
Mary was an important part of God's plan to bring Jesus, Our Savior, into the world. She loved and cared for Jesus from the time He was a baby to the time He went back to Heaven.
"Even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs" is a biblical phrase (Matthew 15:27, Mark 7:28) showing a Canaanite woman's profound faith and humility, meaning that while God's primary blessings are for His chosen people (the "children," i.e., Israelites), even Gentiles (the "dogs") are worthy of receiving leftover grace, mercy, or healing, demonstrating that God's compassion extends beyond ethnic boundaries, with even the smallest scraps being powerful.
At first glance, the final judgment described in Matthew 25:31–46 appears to be based on works. The evidence the King provides for his judgment of the sheep and the goats consists of deeds of mercy and love (Matt. 25:33–40)—or the absence of such deeds (Matt. 25:41–46).
Saying the "f-word" isn't automatically a mortal sin in Catholicism; it's usually a venial sin (less serious), but can become mortal (grave sin) depending on intent, the gravity of the context, and the impact on others, especially if used with malice, to blaspheme, or to gravely scandalize someone like a child. It's sinful when it's an act of hate, used in deep anger, or takes God's name in vain (profanity), but often just a sign of poor speech or intellectual laziness when used casually, violating principles like building others up (Ephesians 4:29).
Thoughts themselves aren't always sin; it's the intent, dwelling, and action that matter, with many faiths distinguishing between fleeting, intrusive thoughts (not sin) and deliberately entertaining sinful desires (sinful), emphasizing renewing the mind and focusing on good, though some traditions see even deep-seated sinful thoughts as serious. Intrusive thoughts (like unwanted blasphemy) are often seen as temptations to be fought, not sins themselves, but dwelling on lust or plotting harm can be considered sinful.