Luke 20:24Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

How did Christ triumph over their deceitful tactics? He requested, "Show Me the denarius." After they presented it to Him, He inquired, "Whose likeness and inscription are on it?" To which they replied, "Caesar's." Christ then responded, "Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and unto God the things that are God's." Those tasked with governance impose a monetary tribute on their citizens, while God seeks from us, in the realm of the transient and perishable, nothing less than our willing obedience, submission, faith, love, and the pleasing aroma of good deeds. These are the offerings that the Israelites ought to have devoted to God, yet they were heedless and negligent, too quick to surrender themselves to all manner of base desires.

The adversaries of the Lord observed the wonders He performed and questioned Him, asking: By what authority do you carry out these actions? (Luke 20:22). Their inquiry was fueled by hostility, as they hoped to entrap Him in blasphemy should He indicate His divine authority. Consider how He responded regarding the coin when they sought to ensnare Him; had He affirmed that it was permissible to pay taxes to Caesar, He would have condemned the Jewish people, placing them under Caesar’s rule. Conversely, if He had declared that paying taxes was unlawful, they could have accused Him before Caesar's allies as opposing tax payment. Therefore, He instructed them, Show Me the denarius: whose likeness and inscription is on it? They replied, Caesar's.

Whose likeness and inscription does it bear? Through His response, the Lord instructs us on how to engage thoughtfully in discussions with those who hold heretical views and with the Jews. In another instance, He advised, ‘Be wise as serpents’ (Matthew 10:16). This can be interpreted as the ascension of the serpent, which signifies the Cross of Christ, through which the venom of malevolent spirits was nullified. Hence, we should embody the wisdom of Christ while remaining innocent like the Spirit (See: Lk. 3:22). Observe the Serpent, who always retains its head (See: Gen. 3:14-15) and does not suffer a mortal wound. When questioned by the Jews regarding the source of His authority from heaven, Christ countered with, ‘Was the baptism of John from heaven or from men?’ (Luke 20:4).

We strive in every place to fulfill the obligations and duties owed to your authorities, as instructed by Christ. When some approached Him with the question, 'Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar?' He replied, 'Show me a denarius. Whose likeness and inscription does it have?' 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' (Luke 20:22-25). Thus, while we worship one God, we also serve you willingly, acknowledging you as sovereigns and leaders of humanity, and praying that you may govern with wisdom alongside your royal power.

The high priests and Pharisees, publicly humiliated by the Lord's teachings, sought to apprehend Jesus Christ and bring Him to trial. However, they feared the multitude who supported Him, believing Him to be the Messiah. Thus, Christ's adversaries attempted to entrap Him with their questions in front of the people, hoping to diminish their esteem for Him and find grounds to accuse Him as a criminal (Luke 20:26).

Demonstrate the coin used for the tax payment. It had long been established by Jewish authorities that the currency belonged to the kingdom of its ruler. The tempters presented Jesus with a denarius, a Roman coin bearing the likeness of Caesar along with an inscription of his name. After examining the coin, He returned it and inquired: Whose image and inscription does this bear? Unaware of the deeper implications of the question, the tempters replied: Caesar's.

They eagerly awaited a response, but a word from Christ's lips immediately silenced their wicked accusations. "Why do you test me, you hypocrites?" the Savior replied. "Show me the coin used for the tax." They presented Him with a denarius, which displayed on its front the proud and noble visage of Emperor Tiberius, and on the back, his title, Pontifex Maximus. "Whose likeness and inscription are these?" Christ inquired. "Caesar's," responded those who questioned Him.

The inquiry regarding the tribute to Caesar is presented in the Gospel of Luke in a manner consistent with the accounts found in the Gospels of Matthew and Mark. Refer to Matthew 22:15-22 and Mark 12:13-17. They were ‘Watching Him,’ seeking opportunities to undermine Him (Luke 19:47). The term ‘evil men’ is directly referenced in Matthew and Mark—specifically, certain Pharisees and Herodians whose malice was immediately recognized and admonished by the Lord. They approached Him ‘pretending to be pious,’ positioning themselves as devout legalists to suggest that their inquiry stemmed from genuine religious concerns, rather than being instigated by adversaries with nefarious intentions. The phrase ‘caught at the word’ relates to Matthew 21:15.