Text: Matthew 22:15-21 KJV

“15 Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk. 16 And
they sent out unto him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that thou art true,
and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any man: for thou regardest not the person
of men. 17 Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not? 18 But
Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites? 19 Shew me the tribute
money. And they brought unto him a penny. 20 And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and
superscription? 21 They say unto him, Caesar's. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar
the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's.”

Matthew 22:15-21 NIV

“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[a] 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.”

Matthew 22:15-21 RSV

15 Then the Pharisees went and took counsel how to entangle him in his talk. 16 And they sent
their disciples to him, along with the Hero′di-ans, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are true, and teach
the way of God truthfully, and care for no man; for you do not regard the position of men. 17 Tell us,
then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” 18 But Jesus, aware of their malice, said,
“Why put me to the test, you hypocrites? 19 Show me the money for the tax.” And they brought him a
coin.[a] 20 And Jesus said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” 21 They said, “Caesar’s.”
Then he said to them, “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things
that are God’s.”

Matthew 22:15-21 Good News Translation

15 The Pharisees went off and made a plan to trap Jesus with questions. 16 Then they sent to
him some of their disciples and some members of Herod's party. “Teacher,” they said, “we know that you
tell the truth. You teach the truth about God's will for people, without worrying about what others think,
because you pay no attention to anyone's status. 17 Tell us, then, what do you think? Is it against our
Law to pay taxes to the Roman Emperor, or not?”18 Jesus, however, was aware of their evil plan, and so
he said, “You hypocrites! Why are you trying to trap me? 19 Show me the coin for paying the tax!”They
brought him the coin, 20 and he asked them, “Whose face and name are these?”21 “The Emperor's,”
they [Link] Jesus said to them, “Well, then, pay to the Emperor what belongs to the Emperor, and
pay to God what belongs to God.”

Matthew 22:15-21 Ang Bibliya Translation

 15Niyan naghalin ang mga Fariseo kagnagsinapol kon paano nga masiod nilasia sa iya hambal.16
Kag ginpakadto nila sa iya ang ila mga gintoton-an upud sang mga Herodianhon, nga nagasiling,
Manunudlo, nahibaloan namon nga ilaw maminatud-on, kag nagatudlo ka sang dalanon sang Dios sa
kamatooran, kag wala nagapasulabi sa bisan kay sin-o; kay wala ka nagatamud sang pagkahimtang sang
mga tawo.17 Busa, sugiri kami, ano bala sa hunahuna mo? Tugut bala ang pagbayad sang buhis kay
Cesar, ukon indi?18 Apang si Jesus nakahantup sang kalautan nila, kag nagsiling, Ngaa bala ginatilawan
ako ninyo, kamo nga mga salimpapaw?19 Ipakita sa akon ang cuarta sa [Link] sia nila sing isa
ka denario. 20 Kag nagpamangkot sia sa 1la, kay sin-o bala ini dagway kag sinulat?21 Nagsabat sia sa iya,
Kay Cesar. Niyan nagsiling sia sa ila, busa ihatag, kay Cesarang mga butang nga iya ni Cesar; kag sa Dios,
ang mga butang nga iya sang Dios.

Matthew 22:15-21 Hiligaynon

“15 Naghalin ang mga Pariseo kag nagplano sila kon paano nila madakop si Jesus paagi sa iya
ginapanghambal. 16 Dayon ginsugo nila ang iban sang ila mga sumulunod kag ang pila ka miyembro sang
partido ni Herodes. Nagpamangkot sila kay Jesus, “Manunudlo, nahibaluan namon nga matuod ang imo
ginasugid. Ginatudlo mo ang kamatuoran parte sa kabubut-on sang Dios sa mga tawo. Kag wala ka
nagapadala-dala sa mga tawo bisan sin-o pa sila. 17 Ano bala sa imo, husto bala nga kita nga mga Judio
magbayad sang buhis sa Emperador sang Roma[a] ukon indi?” 18 Pero nahibaluan ni Jesus ang ila malain
nga tinutuyo, gani nagsiling siya sa ila, “Mga hipokrito! Ngaa bala ginatilawan ninyo ako nga dakpon
paagi sa sini nga pamangkot? 19 Abi pakitai ninyo ako sang kuwarta nga ginagamit sa pagbayad sang
buhis.” Kag ginpakita nila ang kuwarta.[b] 20 Nagsiling si Jesus sa ila, “Kay sin-o bala ini hitsura kag
ngalan?” 21 Nagsabat sila, “Iya sang Emperador.” Gani nagsiling si Jesus sa ila, “Ti kundi ihatag ninyo sa
Emperador ang iya sang Emperador, kag sa Dios ang iya sang Dios.”

Question/s:

1. What is this passage all about?

2. How can a coin lead to the entrapment of Christ?
3. What does this tell us about the Gospel?
4. Is paying taxes wrong?

Examination of Key Words

Pharisees- a member of an ancient Jewish sect, distinguished by strict observance of the

traditional and written law, and commonly held to have pretensions to superior sanctity.

Herodians- The name of this party probably originated in a kind of hero-worship for Herod the
Great.

Tribute or Tax- a compulsory contribution to state revenue, levied by the government on

workers' income and business profits, or added to the cost of some goods, services, and
transactions:
Augustus Caesar- The Roman emperor during Jesus’ life

Hypocrite-an actor, stage player

Entangle- metaphorically of the attempt to elicit from one some remark which can be turned
into an accusation against him

Render- to pay off, discharge what is due

Penny/ Denarius- A Roman silver coin in NT time

Outline of the Text

Matthew 22:15-22 “Paying taxes to Caesar”

Identify the form and style of the text

The Book of Matthew is one of the Gospels, that shows the life and death of Christ. This passage
is a narration or story about Pharisees trying to fool Jesus Christ through taxes.

Parallel Passages

Luke 20:19-26, Mark 12:13-17

Translations

v.15

KJV: Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk.

NIV: Then the Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap him in his words.

RSV: Then the Pharisees went and took counsel how to entangle him in his talk.

GNT: The Pharisees went off and made a plan to trap Jesus with questions.

ABT: Niyan naghalin ang mga Fariseo kagnagsinapol kon paano nga masiod nilasia sa iya hambal

HILIGAYNON: Naghalin ang mga Pariseo kag nagplano sila kon paano nila madakop si Jesus paagi
sa iya ginapanghambal.

v.16

KJV: And they sent out unto him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that
thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any man: for thou
regardest not the person of men.

NIV: 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.
RSV: And they sent their disciples to him, along with the Hero′di-ans, saying, “Teacher, we know
that you are true, and teach the way of God truthfully, and care for no man; for you do not
regard the position of men.

GNT: Then they sent to him some of their disciples and some members of Herod's party.
“Teacher,” they said, “we know that you tell the truth. You teach the truth about God's will for
people, without worrying about what others think, because you pay no attention to anyone's
status.

ABT: Kag ginpakadto nila sa iya ang ila mga gintoton-an upud sang mga Herodianhon, nga
nagasiling, Manunudlo, nahibaloan namon nga ilaw maminatud-on, kag nagatudlo ka sang
dalanon sang Dios sa kamatooran, kag wala nagapasulabi sa bisan kay sin-o; kay wala ka
nagatamud sang pagkahimtang sang mga tawo

HILIGAYNON: Dayon ginsugo nila ang iban sang ila mga sumulunod kag ang pila ka miyembro
sang partido ni Herodes. Nagpamangkot sila kay Jesus, “Manunudlo, nahibaluan namon nga
matuod ang imo ginasugid. Ginatudlo mo ang kamatuoran parte sa kabubut-on sang Dios sa mga
tawo. Kag wala ka nagapadala-dala sa mga tawo bisan sin-o pa sila.

v.17

KJV: Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?

NIV: Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay the imperial tax[a] to Caesar or not?”

RSV: Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?”

GNT: Tell us, then, what do you think? Is it against our Law to pay taxes to the Roman Emperor,
or not?”

ABT: Busa, sugiri kami, ano bala sa hunahuna mo? Tugut bala ang pagbayad sang buhis kay
Cesar, ukon indi?

HILIGAYNON: Ano bala sa imo, husto bala nga kita nga mga Judio magbayad sang buhis sa
Emperador sang Roma[a] ukon indi?”

v.18

KJV: But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites?

NIV: But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, “You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me?

RSV: But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why put me to the test, you hypocrites?

GNT: Jesus, however, was aware of their evil plan, and so he said, “You hypocrites! Why are you
trying to trap me?

ABT: Apang si Jesus nakahantup sang kalautan nila, kag nagsiling, Ngaa bala ginatilawan ako
ninyo, kamo nga mga salimpapaw?

HILIGAYNON: Pero nahibaluan ni Jesus ang ila malain nga tinutuyo, gani nagsiling siya sa ila,
“Mga hipokrito! Ngaa bala ginatilawan ninyo ako nga dakpon paagi sa sini nga pamangkot?
v.19

KJV: Shew me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny.

NIV: Show me the coin used for paying the tax.” They brought him a denarius, 20

RSV: Show me the money for the tax.” And they brought him a coin.[a]

GNT: Show me the coin for paying the tax!”They brought him the coin,

ABT: Ipakita sa akon ang cuarta sa [Link] sia nila sing isa ka denario.

HILIGAYNON: Abi pakitai ninyo ako sang kuwarta nga ginagamit sa pagbayad sang buhis.” Kag
ginpakita nila ang kuwarta.[b]

v.20

KJV: And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription?

NIV: and he asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?”

RSV: And Jesus said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?”

GNT: and he asked them, “Whose face and name are these?”

ABT: Kag nagpamangkot sia sa 1la, kay sin-o bala ini dagway kag sinulat?

HILIGAYNON: Nagsiling si Jesus sa ila, “Kay sin-o bala ini hitsura kag ngalan?”

v.21

KJV: They say unto him, Caesar's. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the
things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's.”

NIV: “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.”

RSV: They said, “Caesar’s.” Then he said to them, “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are
Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”

GNT: “The Emperor's,” they [Link] Jesus said to them, “Well, then, pay to the Emperor
what belongs to the Emperor, and pay to God what belongs to God.”

ABT: Nagsabat sia sa iya, Kay Cesar. Niyan nagsiling sia sa ila, busa ihatag, kay Cesarang mga
butang nga iya ni Cesar; kag sa Dios, ang mga butang nga iya sang Dios.

HILIGAYNON: Nagsabat sila, “Iya sang Emperador.” Gani nagsiling si Jesus sa ila, “Ti kundi ihatag
ninyo sa Emperador ang iya sang Emperador, kag sa Dios ang iya sang Dios.”

Analyze the Key Concepts of the Text

Pharisees always tries to make a fool out of Jesus. In this passage they tried it by using taxes as a
trap to make Christ an enemy of the Jewish people and Rome. Jesus Christ proved otherwise,
giving Caesar’s what is his, and to God’s, God’s.

Analyze the Context

Pompey, a famous general during the last years of the Roman republic, brought the
territory of Palestine under Rome’s control in 63 b.c. when his support allowed one side in a
Jewish civil war to gain victory. From that point on, Israel ceased to be an independent kingdom
and was ruled by client kings — like Herod the Great — who were loyal to the caesar. In 6 a.d.,
Rome began to rule directly that part of Palestine known as Judea through governors, or
procurators. With this rule came also a yearly poll tax of one denarius, the normal daily wage,
which was levied on every adult from puberty to age sixty-five. Most Jews loathed the poll tax
because it symbolized Rome’s control of Judea.

Here the Pharisees and the Herodians worked together. This was evidence of their great
hatred of Jesus, because they were willing to put aside their own differences for the sake of
uniting against Jesus. Their plotting led them to approach Jesus with flattery. They hoped He was
insecure or foolish enough to be impressed by their hollow praise. Jesus’ dilemma with this
question was simple. If He said that taxes should be paid, He could be accused of denying the
sovereignty of God over Israel (making Himself unpopular with the Jewish people). If He said
that taxes should not be paid, He made Himself an enemy of Rome. The coins that they showed
had a portrait of Caesar, which means that, that coin was a Roman coin. This particular tax was
the poll tax. Paying the poll tax was the most obvious sign of submission to Rome. Zealots
claimed the poll tax was a God-dishonoring badge of slavery to the pagans.

Reflect on the Text

Jesus was in a no-win situation. If He said that it is lawful to give tax to Caesar, Jewish
people will hate him. But if He said otherwise then He will be charged with treason. That’s why
Matthew said that this was a trap. But what Christ said marvelled them and left them
speechless.

Jesus affirmed that the government makes legitimate requests of us. We are responsible
to God in all things, but we must be obedient to government in matters civil and national.
According to Barclay, “Every Christian has a double citizenship. He is a citizen of the country in
which he happens to live. To it he owes many things. He owes the safety against lawless men
which only a settled government can give; he owes all public services.”. If the Jews, as God’s
nation, gave God His due, they would never have to give back anything to Caesar. They would’ve
never been under the Roman Empire they obeyed their covenant to God.

Everyone has the image of God impressed upon them. This means that we belong to
God, not to Caesar, or not even to ourselves. However, we are still living on earth. What Christ
answered to the question of the Pharisees and Herodians, showed us that we should obey what
the Government tells us, as long as it does not contrast to God’s will for us Christians.
 Our Lord’s teaching is a useful principle for understanding when it is lawful to obey the
state. As long as it does not claim for itself the rights that appropriately belong to God, Christians
must obey the ruling authorities. This means we obey even when we do not agree with their tax
rates, speed limits, or regulation of other parts of our lives.

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