What is the meaning of Matthew 22:17? So tell us The Pharisees and Herodians approach Jesus with feigned respect, hoping to corner Him publicly (Mark 12:13). Their opening words invite Him to speak, but the motive is entrapment. Psalm 55:21 reminds us, “His speech is smooth as butter, yet war is in his heart.” The challengers want Jesus’ own words as evidence against Him, just as Daniel’s enemies sought a pretext in Daniel 6:4. what You think They press for His personal judgment, not merely a legal citation. By asking for His “think,” they expect to set His authority against either Moses or Rome. Yet Jesus consistently speaks what the Father gives Him (John 8:28). His thoughts reflect divine truth, echoing Isaiah 55:8-9 where God’s thoughts are higher than man’s. Their request unwittingly invites the revelation of heaven’s perspective. Is it lawful “Lawful” concerns the Torah. Could a Jew, under covenant law, recognize a pagan emperor’s tax? Deuteronomy 17:14-15 warns Israel about foreign rulers, but Jeremiah 29:7 commands seeking the peace of the city where they live in exile. Jesus will show that honoring God’s law and submitting to governing authorities are not mutually exclusive, a harmony later affirmed in Romans 13:1-2. to pay taxes The tax in view is the poll-tax, a denarius per adult male. Money is a sensitive symbol: Exodus 30:13 sets a half-shekel temple tax for worship, while this Roman tax funds Gentile governance. The tension mirrors 2 Kings 23:35 where Judah pays tribute to Egypt. Jesus will distinguish between monetary obligation and ultimate allegiance. to Caesar or not? Caesar Tiberius claims divine honors; accepting his coin seems to acknowledge his supremacy. Saying “yes” risks alienating nationalist Jews (Acts 5:37), saying “no” invites charges of sedition (John 19:12). The question is a political minefield designed so whichever side Jesus chooses, He appears to deny either God or countrymen. Yet Proverbs 24:21 says, “Fear the LORD and the king,” hinting that both spheres can be rightly honored. summary Matthew 22:17 records a calculated trap: religious leaders demand Jesus decide whether paying Rome’s tax violates God’s law. By dissecting their question—invitation, opinion, legality, payment, and Caesar—Scripture shows the duplicity of the challengers and the tension between earthly authority and divine sovereignty. Jesus’ coming answer will uphold both without compromise, teaching that citizens of heaven can submit to earthly rulers while reserving ultimate devotion for God alone. |
    |