Mark 12:13-17

Context

The scene belongs to the final week of the ministry of Jesus, after his entry into Jerusalem, when he was debating the religious leaders in the temple. Just before this, Jesus had directed the parable of the wicked husbandmen against the leaders (Mark 12:1-12). They sought to arrest him but withdrew for fear of the crowd. They then sent some of the Pharisees and of the Herodians "to catch him in his words." Their question concerned the Roman poll tax, a tax levied on each person. If Jesus answered that the tax should be paid, he would offend national sentiment; if he answered that it should not be paid, he could be accused of rebellion against Rome. Jesus had them bring a denarius, a Roman silver coin, asked whose image and inscription it bore, and then gave his answer. The passage is followed by the Sadducees' question about the resurrection (12:18-27). The same incident is also recorded in Matthew and Luke.

Interpretation

• Two-realms reading: This reading holds that the state and God each have their own proper due. In the Lutheran tradition, the passage is often read in connection with Martin Luther's doctrine of the two kingdoms.
• Reading that prioritizes God's sovereignty: The Reformed tradition holds that because the authority of the state is itself established by God, obligations to the state, such as paying taxes, are included within one's obligations to God. When the state demands something contrary to God's will, however, one must obey God.
• Image reading: Just as the coin bore the image of Caesar, human beings bear the image of God (Genesis 1:27); the passage is therefore read as a call to give oneself to God. This interpretation is reported to date back to the early church.
• Reading that relativizes state power: The peace church tradition descended from the Anabaptists, along with some scholars, holds that if all things belong to God, Caesar's share must necessarily be limited. They read the saying as a subtle denial of the emperor's absolute authority.

Debates and Issues

• Translation: The Greek word translated "render" carries the sense of "give back" or "pay what is owed," suggesting that Caesar's money should be given back to Caesar. Among Korean translations, the New Korean Revised Version renders the term as "Caesar," while the Revised New Korean Standard Version renders it as "the emperor."
• Citation out of context: The passage is sometimes cited as a basis for the separation of church and state and taken to mean that "the church should not involve itself in politics." Others point out that the text is simply an answer to a question about taxes and does not directly address the modern institution of church-state separation.

In the Korean Church

The passage is frequently cited in sermons dealing with the relationship between the church and politics. In the debates leading up to the implementation of the taxation of clergy in 2018, pastors and organizations supporting the tax often invoked this passage in support of their position.

Related Passages

• Matthew 22:15-22
• Luke 20:20-26
• Romans 13:1-7
• 1 Peter 2:13-17
• Acts 5:29