Matthew 22:15-22
Paying the Imperial Tax to Caesar
15 Then the Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap him in his words.16 They sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians. “Teacher,” they said, “we know that you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren’t swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are. 17 Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not?”
18 But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, “You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? 19 Show me the coin used for paying the tax.” They brought him a denarius, 20 and he asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?”
21 “Caesar’s,” they replied.
Then he said to them, “So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”
22 When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left him and went away.
The Pharisees at times tried to trap Jesus in different ways...Here they ask Jesus if they should pay the imperial tax to Caesar...But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, “You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap Me?...Show Me the coin used for paying the tax.”...They brought Him a denarius, and He asked them, “Whose image is this?...And whose inscription?”...“Caesar’s,” they replied...Then He said to them, “So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”...When they heard this, they were amazed...So they left Him and went away...
Jesus answered this trap-like question and other ones like it like only He could...Jesus knew the people He was around and what their intentions were and also what and who they believed in...
Author Philip Yancey wrote, “Having spent time around "sinners" and also around purported saints, I have a hunch why Jesus spent so much time with the former group: I think He preferred their company...Because the sinners were honest about themselves and had no pretense, Jesus could deal with them...In contrast, the saints put on airs, judged Him, and sought to catch Him in a moral trap...In the end it was the saints, not the sinners, who arrested Jesus.”...