Jesus Holds Up the Tribute Coin to Pharisees and Herodiansby emmanuel_higgins
20:22Luke 20:22
Is it lawful for us to give tribute unto Cæsar, or no?
Spies asked Jesus whether Jewish law permitted paying tribute to Rome, a tribute many Jews denied Rome had any right to demand and paid only unwillingly as the penalty for the nation's apostasy. It was a trap demanding yes or no, for approval of the tax would forfeit popular favor and seem against divine law, while rejection would expose Him to arrest by the governor as a rebel against Rome. He did not evade it but answered plainly by distinguishing what belongs to Caesar from what belongs to God, pointing to Caesar's image on the coin and thereby escaping both snares. His answer requires those living under a government to support it and remain peaceably subject to its laws, as He Himself paid tribute and taught His disciples to do. That submission holds only so long as civil law does not conflict with higher duty, for first allegiance belongs to God and His claims.
The Trap and Setting
The question put to Jesus was whether it was lawful for Jews to pay tribute to Caesar, a point then in sharp dispute because many denied that Rome as a foreign power had any right to demand it and held that payment violated Jewish law, so that even the Pharisees who raised it paid only unwillingly. Israel's subjection to Rome itself was the penalty for the nation's apostasy from God. The tribute money in circulation bore Caesar's image and inscription, marking the power under which the people lived.
The question was not honest inquiry but a trap laid by spies seeking to catch Him in His words and force Him into a yes-or-no answer from which there seemed no escape. If He said tribute was lawful, He would lose favor with the people and be accused before the Jews as opposed to divine law. If He said it was unlawful, He would appear rebellious to Rome and be reported to the Roman authorities and to the governor for arrest as a rebel.
It was posed under false pretenses, with insincere praise of Him as a truthful teacher, though those words were true and would stand as testimony against the questioners themselves. The Herodians had been arranged to be present to witness the answer so it could be used against Him at His trial. The spies intended to twist whatever He said to suit their own minds, to deceive the people and create a false, misleading issue that would cloud their minds. Roman observers present saw the plot fail, yet the question and answer were afterward misrepresented as evidence that He opposed paying tribute.
Duty to Caesar and God
Jesus did not evade the tribute question but met it with a candid and plain and intelligent answer that drew a clear line between what belongs to Caesar and what belongs to God. He called for the tribute money and pointed to Caesar's image and inscription upon it, thereby exposing the hypocrisy of those who used the coin while denying the obligation it implied. In doing so He avoided both snares at once, neither forfeiting popular favor by appearing opposed to divine law nor laying Himself open to charge as a rebel against Rome. The principle He stated settled the vexed question for many hearers, bringing light to minds and sowing seeds of truth, though some remained dissatisfied.
The answer establishes that those living under Roman protection should render support to the civil and governing power under which they live. They are to remain peaceably subject to the laws of the land and uphold the authority that shelters them. Jesus Himself lived this rule, for He obeyed the ruling power, paid tribute Himself, and taught His disciples to do the same.
This submission to civil law holds only so far as it does not conflict with a higher duty. First allegiance belongs to God, in obedience to Him and in meeting His claims. What the state rightly claims may be given, provided duty to God is kept supreme.
Spies asked Jesus whether Jewish law permitted paying tribute to Rome, a tribute many Jews denied Rome had any right to demand and paid only unwillingly as the penalty for the nation's apostasy. It was a trap demanding yes or no, for approval of the tax would forfeit popular favor and seem against divine law, while rejection would expose Him to arrest by the governor as a rebel against Rome. He did not evade it but answered plainly by distinguishing what belongs to Caesar from what belongs to God, pointing to Caesar's image on the coin and thereby escaping both snares. His answer requires those living under a government to support it and remain peaceably subject to its laws, as He Himself paid tribute and taught His disciples to do. That submission holds only so long as civil law does not conflict with higher duty, for first allegiance belongs to God and His claims.
The Trap and Setting
The question put to Jesus was whether it was lawful for Jews to pay tribute to Caesar, a point then in sharp dispute because many denied that Rome as a foreign power had any right to demand it and held that payment violated Jewish law, so that even the Pharisees who raised it paid only unwillingly. Israel's subjection to Rome itself was the penalty for the nation's apostasy from God. The tribute money in circulation bore Caesar's image and inscription, marking the power under which the people lived.
The question was not honest inquiry but a trap laid by spies seeking to catch Him in His words and force Him into a yes-or-no answer from which there seemed no escape. If He said tribute was lawful, He would lose favor with the people and be accused before the Jews as opposed to divine law. If He said it was unlawful, He would appear rebellious to Rome and be reported to the Roman authorities and to the governor for arrest as a rebel.
It was posed under false pretenses, with insincere praise of Him as a truthful teacher, though those words were true and would stand as testimony against the questioners themselves. The Herodians had been arranged to be present to witness the answer so it could be used against Him at His trial. The spies intended to twist whatever He said to suit their own minds, to deceive the people and create a false, misleading issue that would cloud their minds. Roman observers present saw the plot fail, yet the question and answer were afterward misrepresented as evidence that He opposed paying tribute.
Duty to Caesar and God
Jesus did not evade the tribute question but met it with a candid and plain and intelligent answer that drew a clear line between what belongs to Caesar and what belongs to God. He called for the tribute money and pointed to Caesar's image and inscription upon it, thereby exposing the hypocrisy of those who used the coin while denying the obligation it implied. In doing so He avoided both snares at once, neither forfeiting popular favor by appearing opposed to divine law nor laying Himself open to charge as a rebel against Rome. The principle He stated settled the vexed question for many hearers, bringing light to minds and sowing seeds of truth, though some remained dissatisfied.
The answer establishes that those living under Roman protection should render support to the civil and governing power under which they live. They are to remain peaceably subject to the laws of the land and uphold the authority that shelters them. Jesus Himself lived this rule, for He obeyed the ruling power, paid tribute Himself, and taught His disciples to do the same.
This submission to civil law holds only so far as it does not conflict with a higher duty. First allegiance belongs to God, in obedience to Him and in meeting His claims. What the state rightly claims may be given, provided duty to God is kept supreme.