Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?
The question about paying tax to the Roman ruler was not sincere but a planned trap set by religious leaders with their political opponents to force an answer that could be used to have Him arrested. They flattered Him and demanded a yes-or-no reply, hoping a no would let them denounce Him to Rome as a rebel and a yes would turn the people against Him as unfaithful to God. He saw through their motives completely yet answered without evasion by distinguishing the two obligations, using the ruler's coin to show that what bears his stamp is owed to him and what belongs to God is owed to God. That answer requires peaceable obedience and support to the governing power under whose protection people live, as He Himself modeled, but only so far as it does not conflict with supreme allegiance to God.
Trap Laid to Entangle
The question was not an honest inquiry but a deliberate snare laid to entangle Him in His talk and incriminate Him. It was put by spies sent by the chief priests and rulers, arranged privately with the Herodians to hear Him, witness against Him for trial, report Him, and have Him arrested and condemned. The Pharisees joined with the Herodians in the plot, pretending to seek instruction while trying to make Him condemn Himself.
The trappers came with courteous pretended friendship and flattering commendation, professing confidence in His wisdom and teaching. They praised His straightforward course without regard to favor or frowns, and with assumed candor asked as if seeking information about the lawfulness of giving tribute to Caesar. They tried to ensnare Him by praise and flattery while pretending to be His friends, and they expected a direct yes or no answer.
The dilemma was framed so that either answer would expose Him. If He said tribute was unlawful, those present would report Him at once to the Roman authorities as an enemy of civil authority, a rebel creating sedition and rebellion among the Jews, to insure His arrest and condemnation. If He said it was lawful, they designed to turn the Jewish people and the elders against Him and accuse Him as opposed to the law of God. The Pharisees chafed under Roman taxes, held that paying tribute was contrary to God's law, and stirred resistance to Roman rule, hoping He would offend either Jewish law or Roman authority.
He was not deceived by the flattering commendation and cover of pretentious righteousness, for He perceived their wickedness. He read their hearts, wicked purposes, character and motives as an open book, and they knew He detected their trap. He still knows the true motives of every person, with no profession able to deceive Him. Though constantly assailed, He continued in pity, sympathy and love to labor for the salvation of lost, ungrateful men, firmly and unswervingly telling the truth and teaching heaven's law of righteousness and justice, without revenge and without deviating one hair from principle.
The question belongs with His illustrations and repeated warnings showing what rejecting the Son of God would bring on the Jews. In it He was addressing all in every age who refuse to receive Him as Redeemer, exposing their true condition and warning of retribution and doom unless they repent. Spies followed Him and scrutinized His words so they could twist them, create false issues, and mislead the people. Yet the questions of the Pharisees, Herodians and Sadducees were answered plainly and wisely, bringing precious light to the people and sowing seeds of truth.
Duty to Caesar and God
Jesus settled the disputed question without evasion by distinguishing what is owed to each, holding up the Roman coin stamped with Caesar's name, image and inscription and teaching to render to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God. Because they lived under the protection of the Roman power, they were to give the state its due support and remain peaceably subject to and obey the laws of the land. His own teaching and example were always obedience to the reigning power, for He Himself paid tribute and taught His disciples to do so. That answer met an issue stirred by resistance to Roman rule and by the claim among the Jews that their law forbade paying tribute to a foreign power, a claim that produced constant tumults and insurrections against Rome.
That civil obligation is limited and ordered: it holds only so long as it does not conflict with duty to God. At all times obedience must be rendered to God and His claims answered, for first allegiance always belongs to God. The Jewish nation's subjection to Rome was the penalty of apostasy, brought on by failure to meet God's claims.
At His trial before Pilate the priests falsely charged Him with the exact opposite of this teaching, that He forbade giving tribute to Caesar. They did this in order to make Pilate view Him as a rebel, suppressor of Roman rule and leader of sedition.
The question about paying tax to the Roman ruler was not sincere but a planned trap set by religious leaders with their political opponents to force an answer that could be used to have Him arrested. They flattered Him and demanded a yes-or-no reply, hoping a no would let them denounce Him to Rome as a rebel and a yes would turn the people against Him as unfaithful to God. He saw through their motives completely yet answered without evasion by distinguishing the two obligations, using the ruler's coin to show that what bears his stamp is owed to him and what belongs to God is owed to God. That answer requires peaceable obedience and support to the governing power under whose protection people live, as He Himself modeled, but only so far as it does not conflict with supreme allegiance to God.
Trap Laid to Entangle
The question was not an honest inquiry but a deliberate snare laid to entangle Him in His talk and incriminate Him. It was put by spies sent by the chief priests and rulers, arranged privately with the Herodians to hear Him, witness against Him for trial, report Him, and have Him arrested and condemned. The Pharisees joined with the Herodians in the plot, pretending to seek instruction while trying to make Him condemn Himself.
The trappers came with courteous pretended friendship and flattering commendation, professing confidence in His wisdom and teaching. They praised His straightforward course without regard to favor or frowns, and with assumed candor asked as if seeking information about the lawfulness of giving tribute to Caesar. They tried to ensnare Him by praise and flattery while pretending to be His friends, and they expected a direct yes or no answer.
The dilemma was framed so that either answer would expose Him. If He said tribute was unlawful, those present would report Him at once to the Roman authorities as an enemy of civil authority, a rebel creating sedition and rebellion among the Jews, to insure His arrest and condemnation. If He said it was lawful, they designed to turn the Jewish people and the elders against Him and accuse Him as opposed to the law of God. The Pharisees chafed under Roman taxes, held that paying tribute was contrary to God's law, and stirred resistance to Roman rule, hoping He would offend either Jewish law or Roman authority.
He was not deceived by the flattering commendation and cover of pretentious righteousness, for He perceived their wickedness. He read their hearts, wicked purposes, character and motives as an open book, and they knew He detected their trap. He still knows the true motives of every person, with no profession able to deceive Him. Though constantly assailed, He continued in pity, sympathy and love to labor for the salvation of lost, ungrateful men, firmly and unswervingly telling the truth and teaching heaven's law of righteousness and justice, without revenge and without deviating one hair from principle.
The question belongs with His illustrations and repeated warnings showing what rejecting the Son of God would bring on the Jews. In it He was addressing all in every age who refuse to receive Him as Redeemer, exposing their true condition and warning of retribution and doom unless they repent. Spies followed Him and scrutinized His words so they could twist them, create false issues, and mislead the people. Yet the questions of the Pharisees, Herodians and Sadducees were answered plainly and wisely, bringing precious light to the people and sowing seeds of truth.
Duty to Caesar and God
Jesus settled the disputed question without evasion by distinguishing what is owed to each, holding up the Roman coin stamped with Caesar's name, image and inscription and teaching to render to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God. Because they lived under the protection of the Roman power, they were to give the state its due support and remain peaceably subject to and obey the laws of the land. His own teaching and example were always obedience to the reigning power, for He Himself paid tribute and taught His disciples to do so. That answer met an issue stirred by resistance to Roman rule and by the claim among the Jews that their law forbade paying tribute to a foreign power, a claim that produced constant tumults and insurrections against Rome.
That civil obligation is limited and ordered: it holds only so long as it does not conflict with duty to God. At all times obedience must be rendered to God and His claims answered, for first allegiance always belongs to God. The Jewish nation's subjection to Rome was the penalty of apostasy, brought on by failure to meet God's claims.
At His trial before Pilate the priests falsely charged Him with the exact opposite of this teaching, that He forbade giving tribute to Caesar. They did this in order to make Pilate view Him as a rebel, suppressor of Roman rule and leader of sedition.