Luke 20:22Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Observe the deceitful scheme! If the Lord claims He must pay tribute to Caesar, they would charge Him with enslaving those who are descendants of Abraham, a people who have never been in servitude (John 8:33). However, if He were to prohibit the payment of taxes, they would present Him to the governor as a disruptor.

What do they ask? “Teacher, we recognize that You teach and speak with authority, not showing favoritism, but conveying God’s truth: Is it permissible for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” What a grave misunderstanding! The Almighty indeed wished for Israel to be freed from human tyranny; however, because they disregarded Divine commandments and engaged in their own rebellious actions, they found themselves oppressed by their rulers at that time. They were subjected to taxes and burdens of unwarranted servitude. Even the prophet Jeremiah lamented over Jerusalem as though it had already faced this tragedy, proclaiming, “How the bustling city has become desolate! How the populous city has turned solitary!” Thus, their intention was to hand Him over to the authority of the governor, as they anticipated that He would declare it unlawful to pay taxes to Caesar.

The adversaries of the Lord witnessed the wonders He performed, and they inquired: By what authority are you engaging in these actions? (Luke 20:22). Their inquiry was filled with malice, as they hoped to brand Him a blasphemer if He asserted His authority. Observe how He skillfully handled the situation with the coin when they sought to ensnare Him; had He stated that it was lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, He would have essentially condemned the Jewish people, rendering them subservient to Caesar. Alternatively, had He declared that taxes were unlawful, they would have sought to report Him to Caesar's officials for discouraging tax payment. Instead, He asked them to show Him the denarius, inquiring whose likeness and inscription were on it. They replied, Caesar's.

In the fifty-second chapter, Matthew provides a clearer exposition of this concept, so you may find a comparable interpretation there.

We strive diligently to fulfill the obligations imposed by your officials, following the teachings of Christ. When questioned about whether to pay taxes to Caesar, He responded by asking, “Whose image is on this coin?” They replied, “Caesar’s.” He then said, “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's” (Luke 20:22-25). Thus, while we worship one God, we also serve you willingly, acknowledging your roles as sovereigns and leaders of people, and we pray that along with your royal authority, you may possess sound judgment.

The high priests and Pharisees, embarrassed before the crowd by the teachings of the Lord, sought to arrest Jesus Christ and bring Him to trial. Yet they were deterred by the same people who acknowledged Jesus, anticipating Him as the Messiah. To undermine the people’s reverence for Jesus and create an opportunity to accuse Him as a criminal, His adversaries attempted to trap Him with His words in front of the public (Luke 20:26).

At this gathering, the participants deliberated on how to pose questions to Jesus that might trap Him in His words. It was agreed to challenge Him with the issue of whether paying taxes to Caesar was permissible; for this, the Herodians were invited, as their acceptance of the legitimacy of taxes owed to the Romans made them more likely to accuse Jesus if He opposed such payments. During that period, two types of coins circulated in Palestine: civil and sacred. The civil coin was the Roman currency, marked with the likeness of Emperor Caesar and inscribed appropriately; this coin was used in all trade among the Jews, including tax payments to Caesar.

All their cunning tactics and sly deceptions were futile. The sharp sting and poisonous fangs were instantly recognized. And so they asked Him, "What do you think? Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?" They believed He was forced to respond with either a yes or a no. If He affirmed, it would suffice for the people to reject Him as someone who acknowledged the despised yoke of the Romans, thus unworthy of the title of Messiah. Conversely, if He chose to maintain His rapport with the crowds by denying the lawfulness, they would swiftly expose Him and present Him to the governor as a blatant insurrectionist, leading to immediate and harsh consequences, as had recently occurred with others from Galilee, whose blood had been mixed with their sacrificial offerings.

The inquiry concerning the tribute to Caesar is presented in the Gospel of Luke, mirroring how it appears in both the Gospels of Matthew and Mark. Refer to Matthew 22:15-22 and Mark 12:13-17. The phrase ‘Watching Him’ indicates their vigilance for opportunities to bring about His downfall (Luke 19:47). The term ‘Evil men’ refers more explicitly to the Pharisees and Herodians in Matthew and Mark, whose malice was recognized and condemned by the Lord immediately. Their pretension of piety signifies their strict legalism, designed to create the illusion that they approached Jesus from a place of genuine religious concern, rather than as agents of His adversaries with malicious intent. The phrase ‘Caught at the word’ relates to the commentary on Matthew 21:15.