Render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s

5. Then the Pharisees,  having gone out, decided  amongst  themselves  to ensnare him in his own words. Thus, they sent to him their disciples with the Herodians to say to him, “Master, we know that you are truthful and that you teach the way of God through the truth, without  regard for whomever one might be, because you do not take into consideration men’s positions. So tell us your opinion on this: is it permissible for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?

Jesus, however, knowing their malice, said to them, “You hypocrites, why are you testing me? Show me the coin you use for the tax.” And having presented him with a denarius,  Jesus said to them, “Whose image and inscription  is this?” “Caesar’s,” they said to him. Then Jesus answered them, “Then render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.”

Having heard him speak like this, they marveled at his response, and leaving him, they went away. (Mt. 22:15-22; Mk. 12:13-17)

6.  The  question posed to  Jesus was motivated by the circumstance in which the Jews dreaded the tax imposed on them by the Romans and thus they made it a religious issue. A large political party had been formed to repeal the tax. The payment of the tax was thus a current matter of outrage for them; otherwise, the question they put to Jesus, “Is it permissible for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” would not have made any sense. The question was a trap, because, depending on his response, they hoped to incite either the Roman authorities or the Jewish dissidents against him. But “Jesus, knowing their malice,” eluded the problem and gave them a lesson in justice by telling them to pay to each what was owed. (See the Introduction, section on Publicans)7. This maxim: “Render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s” should not be understood in a restrictive ands absolute manner. Like all Jesus’ teachings, it is a general principle summed up in a practical and usual form and is deduced from a particular circumstance. This principle is a consequence of the one that suggests acting toward others as we would want them to act toward us. It condemns all physical or moral harm caused to others and any violation of their interests. It prescribes respect for others’ rights, just as each one desires his or her own rights to be respected; it extends to the fulfillment of duties toward family, society and authorities as well as toward individuals.