THE ENEMIES of Jesus thought that, perhaps, they might lead him to say
some words against the Roman rulers over the land. If he would do this,
then they could complain to the Roman governor and cause Jesus to be
seized and put in prison, or even slain, as an enemy of the Roman state.
These priests and Pharisees and rulers themselves hated the Romans, and
would gladly throw off the Roman yoke if they dared to do it; but they
were willing to pretend friendliness to their Roman masters, if only
through them they could destroy Jesus.
[Illustration: The head on the coin]
With this purpose in mind, while Jesus was in the Temple on that Tuesday
morning, they sent to him some men whom Jesus had never met, men who
seemed honest and true; for they knew that if they came themselves
Jesus would at once see through their plans and be on his guard against
them. They did not know that Jesus as the Son of God knew all things,
could look into every heart of man and read all their thoughts.
So these men came to Jesus in the Temple and tried at first to speak
flattering words to him to win his favor.
"Teacher," they said, "we know that you are honest and speak the truth;
that you are not afraid of anybody and do not try to please men, but say
only what is right. There is a question that troubles us, for we do not
know how to meet it. For that reason we bring it to you, for we know
that you will give us a right answer. Tell us now what you think about
it. Is it right for our people to pay taxes to the Roman rulers over the
land? Shall we pay, or shall we refuse to pay?"
[Illustration: Silver coin of Tiberius Cæsar]
This was indeed a hard question to answer, especially to answer at once,
without time for thinking about it. For if Jesus should say, "Do not pay
the tax," the Romans would arrest him as an enemy to their rule, and
might even put him to death, as they had seized and slain many for this
very act of refusing to pay the taxes. At that very time hundreds of men
were hiding from the Romans in caves and forests, trying to escape from
paying this tax. On the other hand, if Jesus should say, "Pay the tax,"
all the common people would turn against him; for all the Jews hated
this tax, which was a sign of the Roman power over them; and every man
among them only paid it because he was afraid of the Roman governor and
the Roman soldiers.
But Jesus saw through all their plots and plans, and he had his answer
ready.
"You men of false heart, pretending to be honest!" he said, "why do you
try to catch me in a snare? Let me see some of the tax money!"
They brought to him a piece of silver, a Roman coin. He looked at it
closely and then asked:
"Whose head is this that I find upon the coin? What are the words around
the edge?"
"Why, that is the head of the Roman emperor, Tiberius Cæsar, and those
words are his title."
"Well, then," said Jesus, "give to Cæsar what belongs to Cæsar; and be
sure to give to God what belongs to God."
There was nothing in that answer which they could make to appear either
unfriendly or friendly to the Roman rule; nor yet was there anything
that could be used against Jesus with the people. Wondering at the
answer of Jesus, these men left him.
[Illustration: Jewish half-shekel, the coin in which the Temple tax was
paid--"tribute money" (Matt. 17:27)--value, 32 cents]
The Woman with Seven Husbands