Luke 20:22
Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”
BSB
ASV
Is it lawful for us to give tribute unto Cæsar, or not?
KJV
Is it lawful for us to give tribute unto Cesar, or no?
Rare words are the text's own signal of a deliberate thread: the fewer the occurrences, the more the places it appears belong together.
COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 135 (444)
What do they say? "Teacher, we know that you speak and teach rightly, nor do you accept persons but teach the way of God in truth. Is it lawful for us to give tribute to Caesar, or not?" O what polluted dishonesty! The God of all certainly wanted Israel to be exempt from human rule. They trampled under foot the divine laws and totally despised the commandment given to them. They committed themselves to their own devices. They therefore fell under the hand of those who at that time ruled over them.
And everywhere we, more readily than all men, endeavour to pay to those appointed by you the taxes both ordinary and extraordinary, as we have been taught by Him; for at that time some came to Him and asked Him, if one ought to pay tribute to Caesar; and He answered, "Tell Me, whose image does the coin bear?" And they said, "Caesar's." And again He answered them, "Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's."
Is it lawful for us to give tribute unto Caesar, or no? The Syriac and Persic versions here, as in the other evangelists, render it, "head money". The phrase, "for us", is here added, and on it lies the emphasis, and stress of the question; for the doubt pretended, was not whether it was lawful for the Romans to pay tribute to Caesar, but whether it was lawful for them who were Jews, were Abraham's seed, and, as they boasted, were never in bondage, but were the Lord's free people, to pay tribute to an Heathen emperor, or no.
1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1858)
Let us mark, for one thing, in this passage — the cloak of goodness under which some of our Lord's enemies approached Him. We read that "they sent spies, who pretended to be honest. They hoped to catch Him in something he said so that they might hand him over to the power and authority of the governor." We read further that they attempted to trick Him by flattering words, "Teacher, we know that you speak and teach what is right, and that you do not show partiality — but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth."
The walk8
Follow this verse’s cross-references two steps out. Each card is a verse this one points to, and beneath it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several different paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it. Every stop shows its own words, and every stop is a page.
Through
Ezra 4:13Let it now be known to the king that if that city is rebuilt and its walls are restored, they will not pay tribute, duty, or toll, and the royal treasury will suffer.
leads to
And be advised that you have no authority to impose tribute, duty, or toll on any of the priests, Levites, singers, doorkeepers, temple servants, or other servants of this house of God.
Reached by 3 independent paths from here.
Still others were saying, “We have borrowed money to pay the king’s tax on our fields and vineyards.
This is also why you pay taxes. For the authorities are God’s servants, who devote themselves to their work.
Through
Nehemiah 9:37Its abundant harvest goes to the kings You have set over us because of our sins. And they rule over our bodies and our livestock as they please. We are in great distress.
leads to
A people you do not know will eat the produce of your land and of all your toil. All your days you will be oppressed and crushed.
you will serve your enemies the LORD will send against you in famine, thirst, nakedness, and destitution. He will place an iron yoke on your neck until He has destroyed you.
Through
Nehemiah 5:4Still others were saying, “We have borrowed money to pay the king’s tax on our fields and vineyards.
leads to
Let it now be known to the king that if that city is rebuilt and its walls are restored, they will not pay tribute, duty, or toll, and the royal treasury will suffer.
And mighty kings have ruled over Jerusalem and exercised authority over the whole region west of the Euphrates; and tribute, duty, and toll were paid to them.
Through
Acts 5:37After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and drew away people after him. He too perished, and all his followers were scattered.
leads to
Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that a census should be taken of the whole empire.
