Shew me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny.
The demand to see the tribute money comes when the Pharisees joined with the Herodians, spies sent by the priests, approach to entangle Jesus in His talk with the question whether paying tribute to Caesar and Rome is lawful, as one of a series of entangling questions put with flattering words commending Him as true and with pretended confidence and candor. The question is laid as a trap with two intended accusations, for if He says tribute should not be paid He can be reported to the Romans as an enemy to civil authority and as rebellion, and if He says it should be paid He can be accused to the elders of opposing the law of God, at a time when many Jews held that paying tribute to a foreign power violated Jewish law and Rome watched closely for sedition and revolt. Jesus perceives their wickedness, reads their hearts and wicked purposes, calls them hypocrites, and is not deceived for a moment by their flattery. His unexpected demand to see the tribute money throws the questioners off guard and exposes and defeats the trap, and they immediately bring Him a penny.
The penny brought to Him is a Roman tribute coin bearing the image and inscription of Caesar, the Roman ruler. He uses the coin's image and inscription to identify Caesar's claim and to teach that what belongs to Caesar should be rendered to Caesar, distinct from what belongs to God, so that those living under Roman rule and protection should support its authority so long as doing so does not conflict with their higher duty and first allegiance to God. His teaching and example prove He was always obedient to the reigning power, for He paid the tribute Himself and taught His disciples to do so, which proves false the priests' later charge before Pilate that He perverted the nation and forbade tribute to Caesar while claiming Himself Christ a king in order to make Him appear to stir up rebellion against Rome. His answers to the entangling questions were plain and intelligent, brought precious light to the people, and sowed seeds of truth. As He then understood character, Christ still understands the true character of every person and writes the true motives of all in His book whatever their profession, and no cover of pretentious righteousness can deceive Him.
The demand to see the tribute money comes when the Pharisees joined with the Herodians, spies sent by the priests, approach to entangle Jesus in His talk with the question whether paying tribute to Caesar and Rome is lawful, as one of a series of entangling questions put with flattering words commending Him as true and with pretended confidence and candor. The question is laid as a trap with two intended accusations, for if He says tribute should not be paid He can be reported to the Romans as an enemy to civil authority and as rebellion, and if He says it should be paid He can be accused to the elders of opposing the law of God, at a time when many Jews held that paying tribute to a foreign power violated Jewish law and Rome watched closely for sedition and revolt. Jesus perceives their wickedness, reads their hearts and wicked purposes, calls them hypocrites, and is not deceived for a moment by their flattery. His unexpected demand to see the tribute money throws the questioners off guard and exposes and defeats the trap, and they immediately bring Him a penny.
The penny brought to Him is a Roman tribute coin bearing the image and inscription of Caesar, the Roman ruler. He uses the coin's image and inscription to identify Caesar's claim and to teach that what belongs to Caesar should be rendered to Caesar, distinct from what belongs to God, so that those living under Roman rule and protection should support its authority so long as doing so does not conflict with their higher duty and first allegiance to God. His teaching and example prove He was always obedient to the reigning power, for He paid the tribute Himself and taught His disciples to do so, which proves false the priests' later charge before Pilate that He perverted the nation and forbade tribute to Caesar while claiming Himself Christ a king in order to make Him appear to stir up rebellion against Rome. His answers to the entangling questions were plain and intelligent, brought precious light to the people, and sowed seeds of truth. As He then understood character, Christ still understands the true character of every person and writes the true motives of all in His book whatever their profession, and no cover of pretentious righteousness can deceive Him.