Matthew 22:21: Edit history

Context

After Jesus entered Jerusalem, the Pharisees, together with the Herodians, sought to entangle him in his talk by asking whether it was lawful to pay tribute to Caesar, the Roman emperor (Matthew 22:15-17). The question was a trap: if he said it was lawful, he would lose the support of a people who resented Roman rule; if he said it was not, he could be accused of rebellion against Rome. Jesus asked them to show him the tribute money and then asked whose "image and superscription" appeared on the denarius. When they answered, "Caesar's," he gave this reply.

Interpretation

• Two spheres: This reading distinguishes between the legitimate obligations owed to the state, such as taxes, and the worship and obedience owed to God. The two kingdoms doctrine of Martin Luther is cited as an example of the development of this distinction.
• The state under God's sovereignty: Just as Caesar's "image" was stamped on the coin, the image of God is stamped on human beings; on this reading, the verse carries the implicit meaning that people themselves belong to God. The Reformed tradition emphasizes that the authority of the state is itself given by God and is legitimate only within those limits (Romans 13:1).
• Cases of conflict: When the demands of the state conflict with God's commands, the principle "We ought to obey God rather than men" (Acts 5:29) is cited alongside this verse.

Debates and Issues

This verse is frequently invoked in support of the separation of church and state, but views differ on how far the church may speak to political matters. It is cited both by those who hold that the church should keep its distance from politics and by those who argue that, because God's sovereignty extends to every sphere, the church must speak to questions of justice. The Anabaptist tradition has drawn a stricter distinction between state power and the church.

In Korea, the verse figured in debate during the Japanese colonial period over whether Shinto shrine worship should be regarded as a state ceremony or as idolatry. More recently, ahead of the implementation of the taxation of clergy, some Korean Christians argued that it is consistent with this verse for clergy, as citizens, to pay taxes, while others voiced concern that the measure would infringe on the autonomy of the church.

Related Passages

• Romans 13:1-7
• Acts 5:29
• 1 Peter 2:13-17
• Mark 12:13-17