NOTES for Mar 12:13-17
13 And they send unto him certain of the Pharisees and of the Herodians, to catch him in his words. |
14 And when they were come, they say unto him, Master, we know that thou art true, and carest for no man: for thou regardest not the person of men, but teachest the way of God in truth: Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not? |
15 Shall we give, or shall we not give? But he, knowing their hypocrisy, said unto them, Why tempt ye me? bring me a penny, that I may see it. |
16 And they brought it. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? And they said unto him, Caesar's. |
17 And Jesus answering said unto them, Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's. And they marvelled at him. |
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Of course, the way this question is put to the Teacher is a provocation. And we see how brilliantly He gets out of the difficult situation (indeed, for Jews the image of a human being is forbidden, and therefore they cannot even touch coins bearing the emperor's profile), but in His answer Jesus goes much further. The question of the relationship between a person's social obligations and his conscience is relevant in every age. Jesus' famous answer (Mark 12:17) leads a person toward an adult, responsible discernment of what in this world corresponds to God's will and what contradicts it. This, perhaps, is the calling to holiness.
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