Matius 22:15-22
Konteks22:15 Then the Pharisees 1 went out and planned together to entrap him with his own words. 2 22:16 They sent to him their disciples along with the Herodians, 3 saying, “Teacher, we know that you are truthful, and teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. 4 You do not court anyone’s favor because you show no partiality. 5 22:17 Tell us then, what do you think? Is it right 6 to pay taxes 7 to Caesar 8 or not?”
22:18 But Jesus realized their evil intentions and said, “Hypocrites! Why are you testing me? 22:19 Show me the coin used for the tax.” So 9 they brought him a denarius. 10 22:20 Jesus 11 said to them, “Whose image 12 is this, and whose inscription?” 22:21 They replied, 13 “Caesar’s.” He said to them, 14 “Then give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” 15 22:22 Now when they heard this they were stunned, 16 and they left him and went away.
Markus 12:13-17
Konteks12:13 Then 17 they sent some of the Pharisees 18 and Herodians 19 to trap him with his own words. 20 12:14 When they came they said to him, “Teacher, we know that you are truthful and do not court anyone’s favor, because you show no partiality 21 but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. 22 Is it right 23 to pay taxes 24 to Caesar 25 or not? Should we pay or shouldn’t we?” 12:15 But he saw through their hypocrisy and said 26 to them, “Why are you testing me? Bring me a denarius 27 and let me look at it.” 12:16 So 28 they brought one, and he said to them, “Whose image 29 is this, and whose inscription?” They replied, 30 “Caesar’s.” 12:17 Then Jesus said to them, “Give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” 31 And they were utterly amazed at him.
Lukas 20:20-26
Konteks20:20 Then 32 they watched him carefully and sent spies who pretended to be sincere. 33 They wanted to take advantage of what he might say 34 so that they could deliver him up to the authority and jurisdiction 35 of the governor. 20:21 Thus 36 they asked him, “Teacher, we know that you speak and teach correctly, 37 and show no partiality, but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. 38 20:22 Is it right 39 for us to pay the tribute tax 40 to Caesar 41 or not?” 20:23 But Jesus 42 perceived their deceit 43 and said to them, 20:24 “Show me a denarius. 44 Whose image 45 and inscription are on it?” 46 They said, “Caesar’s.” 20:25 So 47 he said to them, “Then give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” 48 20:26 Thus 49 they were unable in the presence of the people to trap 50 him with his own words. 51 And stunned 52 by his answer, they fell silent.
[22:15] 1 sn See the note on Pharisees in 3:7.
[22:15] 2 tn Grk “trap him in word.”
[22:16] 3 sn The Herodians are mentioned in the NT only once in Matt (22:16 = Mark 12:13) and twice in Mark (3:6; 12:13; some
[22:16] 4 sn Teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Very few comments are as deceitful as this one; they did not really believe this at all. The question of the Pharisees and Herodians was specifically designed to trap Jesus.
[22:16] 5 tn Grk “And it is not a concern to you about anyone because you do not see the face of men.”
[22:17] 6 tn Or “lawful,” that is, in accordance with God’s divine law. On the syntax of ἔξεστιν (exestin) with an infinitive and accusative, see BDF §409.3.
[22:17] 7 tn According to L&N 57.180 the term κῆνσος (khnso") was borrowed from Latin and referred to a poll tax, a tax paid by each adult male to the Roman government.
[22:17] sn This question concerning taxes was specifically designed to trap Jesus. If he answered yes, then his opponents could publicly discredit him as a sympathizer with Rome. If he answered no, then they could go to the Roman governor and accuse Jesus of rebellion.
[22:17] 8 tn Or “to the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).
[22:19] 9 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate their response to Jesus’ request for a coin.
[22:19] 10 tn Here the specific name of the coin was retained in the translation, because not all coins in circulation in Palestine at the time carried the image of Caesar. In other places δηνάριον (dhnarion) has been translated simply as “silver coin” with an explanatory note.
[22:19] sn A denarius was a silver coin worth approximately one day’s wage for a laborer. The fact that they had such a coin showed that they already operated in the economic world of Rome. The denarius would have had a picture of Tiberius Caesar stamped on it.
[22:20] 11 tn Grk “And he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity. Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
[22:20] 12 tn Or “whose likeness.”
[22:20] sn In this passage Jesus points to the image (Grk εἰκών, eikwn) of Caesar on the coin. This same Greek word is used in Gen 1:26 (LXX) to state that humanity is made in the “image” of God. Jesus is making a subtle yet powerful contrast: Caesar’s image is on the denarius, so he can lay claim to money through taxation, but God’s image is on humanity, so he can lay claim to each individual life.
[22:21] 13 tn Grk “they said to him.”
[22:21] 14 tn Grk “then he said to them.” τότε (tote) has not been translated to avoid redundancy.
[22:21] 15 sn Jesus’ answer to give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s was a both/and, not the questioners’ either/or. So he slipped out of their trap.
[22:22] 16 tn Grk “they were amazed; they marveled.”
[12:13] 17 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[12:13] 18 sn See the note on Pharisees in 2:16.
[12:13] 19 sn Pharisees and Herodians made a very interesting alliance. W. W. Wessel (“Mark,” EBC 8:733) comments: “The Herodians were as obnoxious to the Pharisees on political grounds as the Sadducees were on theological grounds. Yet the two groups united in their opposition to Jesus. Collaboration in wickedness, as well as goodness, has great power. Their purpose was to trip Jesus up in his words so that he would lose the support of the people, leaving the way open for them to destroy him.” See also the note on “Herodians” in Mark 3:6.
[12:13] 20 tn Grk “trap him in word.”
[12:14] 21 tn Grk “and it is not a concern to you about anyone because you do not see the face of men.”
[12:14] 22 sn Teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Very few comments are as deceitful as this one; they did not really believe this at all. The question of the Pharisees and Herodians was specifically designed to trap Jesus.
[12:14] 23 tn Or “lawful,” that is, in accordance with God’s divine law. On the syntax of ἔξεστιν (exestin) with an infinitive and accusative, see BDF §409.3.
[12:14] 24 tn According to L&N 57.180 the term κῆνσος (khnso") was borrowed from Latin and referred to a poll tax, a tax paid by each adult male to the Roman government.
[12:14] sn This question concerning taxes was specifically designed to trap Jesus. If he answered yes, then his opponents could publicly discredit him as a sympathizer with Rome. If he answered no, then they could go to the Roman governor and accuse Jesus of rebellion.
[12:14] 25 tn Or “the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).
[12:15] 26 tn Grk “Aware of their hypocrisy he said.”
[12:15] 27 tn Here the specific name of the coin was retained in the translation, because not all coins in circulation in Palestine at the time carried the image of Caesar. In other places δηνάριον (dhnarion) has been translated simply as “silver coin” with an explanatory note.
[12:15] sn A denarius was a silver coin stamped with the image of the emperor and worth approximately one day’s wage for a laborer.
[12:16] 28 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate their response to Jesus’ request for a coin.
[12:16] 29 tn Or “whose likeness.”
[12:16] sn In this passage Jesus points to the image (Grk εἰκών, eikwn) of Caesar on the coin. This same Greek word is used in Gen 1:26 (LXX) to state that humanity is made in the “image” of God. Jesus is making a subtle yet powerful contrast: Caesar’s image is on the denarius, so he can lay claim to money through taxation, but God’s image is on humanity, so he can lay claim to each individual life.
[12:16] 30 tn Grk “they said to him.”
[12:17] 31 sn Jesus’ answer to give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s was a both/and, not the questioners’ either/or. So he slipped out of their trap.
[20:20] 32 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[20:20] 33 tn Grk “righteous,” but in this context the point is their false sincerity.
[20:20] 34 tn Grk “so that they might catch him in some word.”
[20:20] 35 tn This word is often translated “authority” in other contexts, but here, in combination with ἀρχή (arch), it refers to the domain or sphere of the governor’s rule (L&N 37.36).
[20:21] 36 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “thus” to indicate the implied result of the plans by the spies.
[20:21] 37 tn Or “precisely”; Grk “rightly.” Jesus teaches exactly, the straight and narrow.
[20:21] 38 sn Teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Very few comments are as deceitful as this one; they did not really believe this at all. The question was specifically designed to trap Jesus.
[20:22] 39 tn Or “lawful,” that is, in accordance with God’s divine law. On the syntax of ἔξεστιν (exestin) with an infinitive and accusative, see BDF §409.3.
[20:22] 40 tn This was a “poll tax.” L&N 57.182 states this was “a payment made by the people of one nation to another, with the implication that this is a symbol of submission and dependence – ‘tribute tax.’”
[20:22] 41 tn Or “to the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).
[20:23] 42 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[20:23] 43 tn Or “craftiness.” The term always has negative connotations in the NT (1 Cor 3:19; 2 Cor 4:2; 11:3; Eph 4:14).
[20:24] 44 tn Here the specific name of the coin was retained in the translation, because not all coins in circulation in Palestine at the time carried the image of Caesar. In other places δηνάριον (dhnarion) has been translated simply as “silver coin” with an explanatory note.
[20:24] sn A denarius was a silver coin worth approximately one day’s wage for a laborer. The fact that the leaders had such a coin showed that they already operated in the economic world of Rome. The denarius would have had a picture of Tiberius Caesar, the Roman emperor, on it.
[20:24] 45 tn Or “whose likeness.”
[20:24] sn In this passage Jesus points to the image (Grk εἰκών, eikwn) of Caesar on the coin. This same Greek word is used in Gen 1:26 (LXX) to state that humanity is made in the “image” of God. Jesus is making a subtle yet powerful contrast: Caesar’s image is on the denarius, so he can lay claim to money through taxation, but God’s image is on humanity, so he can lay claim to each individual life.
[20:24] 46 tn Grk “whose likeness and inscription does it have?”
[20:25] 47 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate that Jesus’ pronouncement results from the opponents’ answer to his question.
[20:25] 48 sn Jesus’ answer to give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s was a both/and, not the questioners’ either/or. So he slipped out of their trap.
[20:26] 49 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “thus” to indicate the implied result of Jesus’ unexpected answer.
[20:26] 50 tn On this term, see BDAG 374 s.v. ἐπιλαμβάνομαι 3.
