Is it lawful for us to give tribute to Caesar, or not?”
English Standard Version (ESV)
The crucial part of this question is the phrase "for us." It's not just about Roman law, but about whether they, as God's chosen people, were permitted to pay tribute to a foreign ruler, making their supposed freedom a central point of their doubt. This highlights their deep-seated belief that their unique relationship with God should exempt them from such earthly obligations.
Is it lawful for us to give tribute to Caesar, or not?”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus is confronted by religious leaders and their spies, who are trying to trap him into saying something that could get him arrested by the Roman authorities. They've just tried to trick him about his authority, and now they pose a loaded question about paying taxes to Caesar, knowing that either answer could be used against him.
Imagine walking into a room and everyone's eyes are on you, waiting for you to slip up. That's exactly the situation Jesus faced. His questioners weren't looking for truth; they were looking for ammunition.
The religious leaders of Jesus' day were trying to trap Him. They weren't genuinely curious about God's law or Caesar's authority.
Jesus didn't get flustered by their clever question. Instead, He turned their trap into a lesson, using an everyday object to reveal a deeper truth.
Jesus' request for a tribute coin was brilliant. It immediately shifted the ground of the debate.
Ask a follow-up
Jesus' famous answer, 'Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's,' is often quoted. But what does it truly mean to separate these realms?
Jesus masterfully separated two distinct spheres of authority:
Caesar's Realm: This refers to the civil and governmental responsibilities we have. It includes paying taxes, obeying laws, and respecting the governing authorities God has established (as Romans 13 explains).
God's Realm: This encompasses our ultimate allegiance, worship, and the giving of our whole selves to Him. We are made in His image, meaning our very being belongs to God.
Jesus wasn't just giving a political answer; He was making a theological one. True worship and obedience to God are paramount, and our civic duties should never conflict with that higher calling.
Understand the original words
phoron · Greek Noun
A tax or tribute paid to a governing authority; in the New Testament context, it refers to the poll tax demanded by the Roman Empire.
This question about paying tribute to Caesar was a political landmine. Refusing to pay meant rebellion against Rome; paying meant betraying God's sovereignty according to some Jewish interpretations. Jesus' clever answer navigated this perilous situation, distinguishing between earthly and divine obligations.
c. 6 BC
Herod the Great's Death
The death of Herod the Great, a client king of Rome, led to a division of his kingdom among his sons, increasing Roman direct involvement in Judea.
AD 6
Deposition of Archelaus
Following complaints about his rule, Herod Archelaus was deposed by the Romans, leading to Judea becoming a Roman province directly governed by a prefect or procurator.
c. AD 10-30
Roman Procurators in Judea
This period saw Roman procurators, appointed by Caesar, exercising increasing authority in Judea, including tax collection, which was a source of friction with the Jewish population.
c. AD 27-30
Jesus' Galilean Ministry
Jesus taught and performed miracles throughout Galilee, gaining a large following and drawing the attention of religious and political authorities.
c. AD 30— this verse
Jesus' Teaching in Jerusalem
During his final visit to Jerusalem, Jesus taught in the Temple, confronting religious leaders and performing acts that challenged their authority.
c. AD 30
Jesus' Arrest and Crucifixion
Following his confrontation with the Jewish leadership and questioning about his authority, Jesus was arrested, tried, and crucified under Roman authority.
This passage presents the same infamous question about paying tribute to Caesar, highlighting Jesus' clever response that distinguishes between what belongs to earthly rulers and what belongs to God.
Romans 13:1-7Paul explains the believer's obligation to submit to governing authorities, including paying taxes, framing it as a God-ordained system for maintaining order.
1 Peter 2:13-17Peter instructs believers to submit to every human authority for the Lord's sake, whether to the emperor or to governors, emphasizing respect for those in power.
Exodus 30:11-16This passage describes a census tax required for the sanctuary, which the Jews in Jesus' time contrasted with the tribute to Caesar, revealing a tension between divine and civic obligations.
vincentLuke 20:22: "Is it lawful for us to give tribute unto Caesar, or no?"
Tribute (φόρον)From φέρω, to bring. Something, therefore, which is brought in by way of payment. Luke uses the Greek word instead of the Latin κῆνσον, census, in Matthew and Mark.
calvinLuke 20:20-26: "And they watched him, and sent forth spies, which should feign themselves just men, that they might take hold of his words, that so they might deliver him unto the power and authority of the governor."
- Then the Pharisees went away, and took counsel how they might entrap him in his words. 16. And they send to him their disciples, with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, and carest not for any man; for thou regardest…
The crucial part of this question is the phrase "for us." It's not just about Roman law, but about whether they, as God's chosen people, were permitted to pay tribute to a foreign ruler, making their supposed freedom a central point of their doubt. This highlights their deep-seated belief that their unique relationship with God should exempt them from such earthly obligations.
Jesus is confronted by religious leaders and their spies, who are trying to trap him into saying something that could get him arrested by the Roman authorities. They've just tried to trick him about his authority, and now they pose a loaded question about paying taxes to Caesar, knowing that either answer could be used against him.
Jesus is confronted by religious leaders and their spies, who are trying to trap him into saying something that could get him arrested by the Roman authorities. They've just tried to trick him about his authority, and now they pose a loaded question about paying taxes to Caesar, knowing that either answer could be used against him.
"Is it lawful for us to give tribute to Caesar, or not?”" — The crucial part of this question is the phrase "for us." It's not just about Roman law, but about whether they, as God's chosen people, were permitted to pay tribute to a foreign ruler, making the…
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Last reviewed October 2026