Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Matthew 22:17
Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?
17. Is it lawful to give tribute unto Cesar, or not? ] The injunction, “thou mayest not set a stranger over thee” (Deu 17:15), was interpreted to mean that the Jews should pay tribute to no foreign power. But their history exhibits them as tributary in turn to Assyria, Babylon, Egypt and Persia.
The question was an attempt to see whether Jesus would adopt the watchword of the Zealots. This special tribute, the poll-tax levied on each individual, was particularly offensive to the patriotic party among the Jews.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Ver. 17 Tell us therefore what thinkest thou, c:] Since, as they suggested he was a person of great understanding and sincerity, they earnestly desire that he would be pleased, according to his usual frankness and openness, to give them his opinion in which they intimate, they should sit down satisfied and contented:
whether is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not? Meaning, according to the law of God: this was a question among the Jews: the Herodians were for it, the Pharisees were against it, at least secretly; and, indeed, this latter was the general sense of the nation, who looked upon themselves to be, or however ought to be, a free people, being the children of God, and the seed of Abraham; and who urged, that according to their law, none but one of their own brethren, who was of their own nation and religion, was to be set as king over them; whereas Caesar, the Roman emperor, was a stranger, one of another nation, and an idolater; and some openly refused it, and made mutinies and insurrections on account of it, as Theudas, and Judas of Galilee: now by putting this question to Christ, in the presence of different parties, they hoped to get an advantage of him either way; for had he been silent, they would have reproached him, as not being the honest, faithful, frank, and open man, they pretended to take him to be; and if he had answered either in the affirmative or negative, they were prepared to make use of it to his injury; had he said that it was lawful to give tribute to Caesar, this being contrary to the general notions of the people, they would have improved it to draw them from him, and to set them against him; and had he affirmed it was not lawful to do it, they would then have accused him to the Roman governor, and delivered him up into his hands, to judge and condemn him, according to the Roman laws; which latter was what they were wishing for.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(17) Is it lawful to give tribute . . .?The question was obviously framed as a dilemma. If answered in the affirmative, the Pharisees would be able to denounce Him to the people as a traitor to His country, courting the favour of their heathen oppressors. If in the negative, the Herodians (on the assumption which seems the more probable) could accuse Him, as He was eventually accused, of perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Csar (Luk. 23:2).
Tribute.The original gives the Latin census, i.e., the poll-tax of a denarius per head, assessed on the whole population, the publicans being bound to transmit the sum so collected to the Roman treasury. As being a direct personal tax it was looked on by the more zealous Jews as carrying with it a greater humiliation than export or import duties, and was consequently resisted (as by Judas of Galilee and his followers) by many who acquiesced more or less readily in the payment of the customs (Act. 5:37).
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
17. Lawful to give tribute unto Cesar, or not If he say no, then he will incur the hostility of government. If yes, he loses the favour of the people, by which of late he had been so completely protected. The tribute was a poll-tax, or levy of a denarius upon every person, imposed by the Roman government ever since Judea became a province. Cesar was a name common to all the emperors, derived originally from Julius Cesar, the proper founder of Roman imperialism in the place of the old republic. The present emperor was Tiberius.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
“Tell us therefore, What do you think? Is it right to give tribute to Caesar, or not?”
Then they introduced the crunch question. ‘Was it right (or ‘lawful’) to give tribute to Caesar or not?’ The word exestin can refer either to being ‘right in itself’, or alternatively to being ‘in accordance with the Law’. But the former was probably the main meaning in this context, as is indicated by the addition of ‘or not?’ They wanted a practical ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer that would result in His committing Himself to forbidding the payment of tribute, not just a legal decision which could be dismissed as being merely intended to be a theoretical interpretation of the Law.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
The question and the reply:
v. 17. Tell us therefore, What thinkest Thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?
v. 18. But Jesus perceived their wickedness and said, Why tempt ye Me, ye hypocrites?
v. 19. Show Me the tribute-money. And they brought unto Him a penny.
v. 20. And He saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription?
v. 21. They say unto Him, Caesar’s. Then saith He unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s, and unto God the things that are God’s.
v. 22. When they had heard these words, they marveled, and left Him, and went their way. They come out with their question as though they were altogether innocent and harmless, merely asking for the opinion of a respected teacher, desiring to know whether it is the right, the proper thing, whether it should be done thus, to pay tribute or poll-tax to the Roman emperor. The difficulty of the question lay in this, that it was put from the religious point of view: Would it not seem that the tax-payer is in danger of coming into conflict with God and with his duty toward the Church? They expected, of course, that Jesus would declare against the paying of the tax, in which case they would have had reason to denounce Him before the Roman governor as a rebel. On the other hand, if He favored the paying of this most objectionable tax, they could easily cast the suspicion upon Him as though He were a friend and agent of the Roman government and had no proper love for the privileges of the Jews as the chosen people of God. But Christ knew their wickedness. He tells them that they are hypocrites with their attempt to mask their attack under the guise of sincere compliments, poor actors in tempting Him from the path of His ministry. He demands to be shown the coin of the census, the piece of money which had to be paid for this tax. And when they showed Him a denarius , the Roman silver coin with the image and inscription of Caesar, worth about seventeen cents in American money, He quickly gave them His decision: Caesar’s give to Caesar, God’s to God; a simple and most effective rule for keeping the distinction between Church and State clearly defined. It was an answer which silenced them completely, and should provide the necessary information on this vexed question for all time. God’s people should above all give to God due honor and obedience. In those things which concern the Word of God, worship itself, faith, and conscience, we are obedient to God only and pay no attention to objections made by men. But in mere temporal, earthly things, which concern money, possessions, body, life, we obey the government of the country in which we live. “Though they were not worth it, yet the Lord taught them the right way. And with these words He also confirms the temporal sword. They hoped He would condemn it and talk against it; but He does nothing of the kind, but praises the worldly government and commands they should give to it what pertains thereto. Thereby He states His will that there should be government, princes, and lords, to whom we should be obedient, let them be whoever and whatever they will. And we should not ask whether they have the rule and the government with justice and right or with injustice, and hold it thus; we must merely look upon the power and government which is good, for it has been ordained and instituted by God, Rom 13:1. Thou dare not abuse the government if thou occasionally be oppressed by princes and tyrants, and they abuse their power which they have from God; they will surely have to give an account of it. The abuse of a thing does not make the thing evil which in itself is good. But what if they should want to take the Gospel from us, or prohibit its preaching? Then thou shalt say: The Gospel and the Word of God I will not give you, neither have ye any power concerning that; for your government is a temporal government over earthly goods, but the Gospel is a spiritual, heavenly possession; therefore your power does not extend over the Gospel and the Word of God. That we shall not yield, for it is the power of God, Rom 1:16; 1Co 1:18, against which even the portals of hell cannot prevail, Mat 16:18. Therefore the Lord condenses these two points very nicely, and separates them from each other in one verse, and says: ‘Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s, and unto God the things that are God’s. ‘ To God pertains His honor, that I believe Him to be the true, almighty, and wise God, and confess that He is the Author of everything good. And though I do not give Him this honor, yet He keeps it; thy honoring will neither add to nor detract from it; but in me He is true, almighty, and wise if I consider Him thus and believe that He is just as He has it told about Him. But to the government is due fear, custom, tribute, tax, and obedience. God wants the heart; the body and goods are under the government, over which it should rule in the stead of God.”
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
Mat 22:17 . ] problem founded on theocratic one-sidedness, as though the Jews were still the independent people of God, according to their divine title to recognise no king but God Himself. Comp. Michaelis, Mos. R. III. p. 154. It was also on this ground that Judas the Gaulonite appears to have refused to pay the tribute. See Joseph. Antt. xviii. 1. 1. As to , not merely poll-tax, but land-tax as well, see on Mat 17:25 .
] without the article, being used as a proper name.
] “flagitant responsum rotundum,” Bengel.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
17 Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?
Ver. 17. Is it lawful ] They make it a case of conscience. Dissembled sanctity is double iniquity. Covetousness goes cloaked or coloured, 1Th 2:5 . So doth malice most times; but God will wash off its varnish with rivers of brimstone.
To give tribute ] , a kind of coin proper to this purpose. The Jews paid then to the Romans, as now they do to the pope, and other princes of Italy, a yearly rent for the very heads they wear. And yet how they brave it to our Saviour, and say, Joh 8:33 ; “We were never in bondage to any man.” And there is not a more vain glorious people this day under heaven than the Jews, saith Alsted.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
17. ] = , Luk 20:22 ; = : a poll tax, which had been levied since Juda became a province of Rome.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Mat 22:17 . , etc.: the snare, a question as to the lawfulness in a religious point of view ( fas est , Grotius) of paying tribute to Caesar. The question implies a possible antagonism between such payment and duty to God as theocratic Head of the nation. Vide Deu 17:15 . : yes or no? they expect or desire a negative answer, and they demand a plain one responsum rotundum , Bengel; for an obvious reason indicated by Lk. (Luk 20:20 ). They demanded more than they were ready to give, whatever their secret leanings; no fear of them playing a heroic part.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
tribute. This was the poll-tax paid in Roman money by each person who was enrolled in the census. See note on Mat 17:25. Occurs only there, here, and Mar 12:14.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
17.] = , Luk 20:22; = : a poll tax, which had been levied since Juda became a province of Rome.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Mat 22:17. , is it lawful?) They do not merely say, is it incumbent? but, is it lawful? [not must we? but may we?] i.e. on account of what was due to God.- , or not) They demand a categorical answer.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
What: Jer 42:2, Jer 42:3, Jer 42:20, Act 28:22
is: Deu 17:14, Deu 17:15, Ezr 4:13, Ezr 7:24, Neh 5:4, Neh 9:37, Act 5:37, Rom 13:6, Rom 13:7
Caesar: Luk 2:1, Joh 19:12-15, Act 17:7, Act 25:8
Reciprocal: 1Ki 22:16 – that thou tell Eze 17:14 – the kingdom Eze 33:30 – Come Mat 12:10 – Is it Mat 21:28 – what Mar 12:14 – is it Luk 20:22 – General Joh 7:3 – Depart
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2:17
In their ignorance of the nature of the kingdom of heaven they thought that Jesus would be opposed to all other governments. Were that the case he naturally would oppose giving them financial support. Had he answered them to that effect it would have been ground for accusing him of disloyalty to the “powers that be.”
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Mat 22:17. Is it lawful. According to Jewish law.
Tribute, the poll-tax which had been levied since Judea became a province of Rome.Cesar, the Roman Emperor, at that time. Tiberius. To say Yes, would alienate the people, who hated the Roman yoke; to say No, would have given good ground for accusing Him to the Roman authorities. Themselves regarding the person of men, the Pharisees did not avow their own belief, that it was not lawful. Their motive now was not their usual hostility to Rome, but hatred of Christ. They afterwards actually accused Him of forbidding to pay tribute (Luk 23:2), and the chief priests, despite their Pharisaism, from the same hatred of Him, cried out: We have no king but Cesar (Joh 19:15).
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
22:17 {5} Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give {k} tribute unto Caesar, or not?
(5) The Christians must obey their magistrates, even though they are wicked and extortioners, but only in as much as is in agreement with the commandments of God, and only in as much as his honour is not diminished.
(k) The word that is used here signifies a valuing and rating of men’s substance, according to the proportion of which they payed tribute in those provinces which were subject to tribute, and it is here taken for the tribute itself.