Knowing The Word in Matthew 22:15-22

Paying Taxes to Caesar

15 Then the Pharisees went and plotted how to entangle him in his words. [They devised a clever trap because rejecting the tax would show Jesus to be treasonous while accepting it might cause the nationalistic crowd to turn against him.] 16 And they sent their disciples [those who tolerated Roman rule for their own advantages but would prefer them gone] to him, along with the Herodians [those whose political leanings were to Rome], saying, “Teacher, we know that you are true and teach the way of God truthfully, and you do not care about anyone's opinion, for you are not swayed by appearances. [There seems to be elements of flattery, insincerity, and reality all intertwined in this statement.] 17 Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” [The tax is the Roman poll tax paid by those subjected to Roman rule. The question of being lawful refers to the Law of God, not the laws of Rome because not paying was clearly unlawful to Rome. The real question is: Is it lawful to express an allegiance to a pagan emperor?] 18 But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why put me to the test, you hypocrites? 19 Show me the coin for the tax.” And they brought him a denarius [a Roman coin with the picture of the emperor]. [Because the Jews were so adverse to this “ungodly” currency, they were allowed to mint their own copper coins for use. The only time they had to use the Roman denarius was in paying this tax. Why would these people be able to produce such a coin that should not be in their possession?] 20 And Jesus said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” 21 They said, “Caesar's.” Then he said to them, “Therefore render [“give back”—the word used for settling a debt] to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.” 22 When they heard it, they marveled. And they left him and went away. [There is more to this story than Jesus’ cleverness. He is laying down the principle of not dividing life into sacred and profane that must be kept apart. He recognizes that the two will live together. When his disciples move out into other nations, they will have to live under secular authorities and abide by their governance.]