Why does Jesus ask about the image and inscription in Matthew 22:20? Context of the Question Matthew 22:15–22 unfolds in the temple courts during Passion Week. Pharisees and Herodians, ideological enemies united by a common hostility to Jesus, “plotted to trap Him in His words” (v. 15). Their test: “Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” (v. 17). If Jesus says “yes,” He alienates nationalist Jews; if “no,” He risks Roman accusation of sedition. Jesus asks for “the coin used for the tax” (v. 19) and then, “Whose image is this, and whose inscription?” (v. 20). The ensuing answer—“Caesar’s”—allows Him to declare, “Render to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s” (v. 21), stunning the crowd into silence (v. 22). Historical Background: Roman Taxation and Tiberian Denarii The poll-tax (κῆνσος, kensos) instituted after A.D. 6 required every male Jew to pay one denarius annually directly to Rome. Archaeological finds—e.g., denarii from Caesarea Maritima and the “Magdala Hoard” (Israel Antiquities Authority 1986, loci 84–87)—confirm the circulation of the Tiberian denarius in Judea during Jesus’ ministry. Its obverse bore Tiberius’ portrait; its reverse, the enthroned goddess Pax. The Coin’s Iconography: Image and Inscription The obverse legend read: TI CAESAR DIVI AVG F AVGVSTVS (“Tiberius Caesar, son of the divine Augustus”). The reverse legend: PONTIF MAXIM (“High Priest”). Thus the coin proclaimed Caesar’s divinity and priestly supremacy. By forcing His interrogators to acknowledge these blasphemous words on a coin they themselves carried, Jesus exposes their pragmatic compromise with idolatrous imperial claims. Jewish Sensibilities about Images and Idolatry Exodus 20:3–4 forbids graven images. First-century rabbinic disputes (m. Avodah Zarah 3:1) pondered whether possessing such coins violated Torah. That Jesus Himself lacks the coin but His questioners produce it underscores their practical disregard for the commandment they hoped He would break verbally. Jesus’ Pedagogical Strategy: Exposing Hypocrisy By shifting the debate from abstract legality to concrete evidence in their own pockets, Jesus: 1. Forces opponents to reveal complicity with Rome. 2. Turns a binary trap into a higher-level answer honoring civic duty without idolatry. 3. Uses a Socratic question (image/inscription) to make them supply the incriminating facts. Theological Implications: Image of Caesar vs. Image of God Genesis 1:27 declares humanity the “image of God.” A denarius bears Caesar’s image and thus belongs to Caesar; human persons bear God’s image and therefore belong wholly to God. Jesus’ question implicitly asks: If you so easily give Caesar his coin, will you give God His due—your heart, worship, and obedience? Kingdom Allegiance and Civic Responsibility Romans 13:1–7 later codifies the same principle: lawful authority is God-ordained yet limited. Jesus neither endorses Rome’s idolatry nor supports revolt; He reframes allegiance: temporal dues to earthly governors, ultimate allegiance to the Sovereign Creator. Patristic Witness and Rabbinic Parallels Irenaeus, Adv. Haer. 4.30.1, cites the narrative to show Jesus’ acknowledgment of civil structures. The Babylonian Talmud, Shabbat 33b, recounts Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai advising Jews to accommodate Roman infrastructure while rejecting idolatry—an echo of Jesus’ balanced ethic. Application for Discipleship and Worldview Formation Believers honor governmental structures (1 Peter 2:13–17) yet reserve worship for God alone (Revelation 14:7). In vocational, financial, and civic arenas, the question “Whose image?” still probes competing loyalties: career, state, or Christ? Because Christ’s resurrection secures His cosmic lordship (Romans 1:4), rendering oneself to God is the only rational response. Summary Answer Jesus asks about the coin’s image and inscription to: expose His opponents’ hypocrisy, spotlight the coin’s blasphemous claim, distinguish temporal from ultimate authority, reaffirm humanity’s creation in God’s image, and call hearers to give God their whole selves while responsibly discharging civic duties. |
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