Trick question; trickier answer.

Trick question; trickier answer.

Herodians were basically non-practicing Jews loyal to King Herod, as well as Rome, while Pharisees were ultra-conservative observant Jews. Although they were at opposite ends of the political spectrum, they both hated Christ and therefore, sought a means to discredit Jesus. Thus, they posed Him a tricky, seemingly impossible question about paying taxes. 

If Jesus said “NO” to Jews paying taxes, the Herodians would accuse Him of treason against Roman rule. But if He answered “Yes,” the Pharisees would accuse Jesus of disloyalty to the Jewish nation. So, despite being caught between a “rock and the hard place,” our Lord offers a brilliant response. Asking them to show Him a coin and noting that Caesar’s image was depicted upon it, Christ said, “Render to Caeser the things that are Caeser’s, and to God the things that are God’s. 

In answering this way, Jesus not only perplexed the crowd by out-cunning the cunning, but in the process acknowledged a sharp distinction between two kingdoms: the kingdom of this world (Caesar’s) and the Kingdom of God.

Fr. John