Mark 12:17
Then Jesus told them, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's." And they marveled at Him.
Then Jesus told them
This phrase sets the scene for a profound teaching moment. Jesus, the master teacher, often used questions and challenges from others as opportunities to reveal deeper truths. The Greek word for "told" here is "eipen," which implies a definitive and authoritative statement. Jesus is not merely offering an opinion; He is declaring a truth that transcends the immediate context.

Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s
The word "give" is translated from the Greek "apodote," which means to give back or return. This implies a sense of obligation or duty. The context here is a question about paying taxes to the Roman government, represented by Caesar. The historical backdrop is the Roman occupation of Judea, where taxes were a contentious issue. Jesus acknowledges the legitimacy of secular authority, as represented by Caesar, and the responsibilities that come with living under such governance. This phrase underscores the Christian duty to respect and fulfill civic responsibilities.

and to God what is God’s
The phrase "and to God" shifts the focus from earthly to divine obligations. The Greek word "theo" for God emphasizes the supreme authority and ownership of God over all creation. The phrase "what is God’s" invites reflection on what belongs to God, which, according to Scripture, includes our worship, obedience, and very lives. This part of the verse calls believers to recognize that while they live in the world and have duties to earthly authorities, their ultimate allegiance is to God. It is a call to prioritize spiritual commitments and to live in a way that honors God above all.

And they marveled at Him
The reaction of the listeners is captured in the word "marveled," from the Greek "ethaumazon," which conveys a sense of wonder and astonishment. This response highlights the wisdom and authority of Jesus' teaching. His ability to navigate complex questions with profound simplicity left His audience in awe. This reaction also serves as a reminder of the divine wisdom that Jesus embodied, which often transcended human understanding and expectations.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Jesus
The central figure in this passage, Jesus is responding to a question designed to trap Him. His wisdom and authority are evident in His response.

2. Pharisees and Herodians
These groups came together to question Jesus, despite their usual opposition to each other. They sought to trap Jesus with a question about paying taxes to Caesar.

3. Caesar
The Roman emperor at the time, representing the secular authority and government.

4. Jerusalem
The setting of this event, a city under Roman occupation where tensions between Jewish religious leaders and Roman authorities were high.

5. Denarius
The coin used in the question posed to Jesus, bearing the image of Caesar, symbolizing Roman authority and the economic system.
Teaching Points
Dual Citizenship
As Christians, we are citizens of both earthly nations and the Kingdom of God. We have responsibilities to both, and Jesus' teaching helps us navigate these dual allegiances.

Discernment in Allegiance
Jesus' response calls for discernment in how we prioritize our allegiances. While we respect and fulfill our duties to earthly authorities, our ultimate allegiance is to God.

Image and Ownership
The coin bore Caesar's image, signifying his ownership. We bear God's image, signifying His ownership over our lives. This calls us to live in a way that reflects His character and purposes.

Wisdom in Conflict
Jesus demonstrates wisdom in handling conflict and opposition. His response avoids the trap set by His opponents and teaches a profound truth.

Stewardship of Resources
The passage encourages us to consider how we use our resources—time, money, and talents—in service to both God and society.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does Jesus' response in Mark 12:17 guide us in balancing our responsibilities to government and to God?

2. In what ways can we apply the principle of "rendering to God what is God's" in our daily lives?

3. How does understanding that we are made in the image of God influence our identity and actions as Christians?

4. What are some practical ways we can demonstrate respect for governmental authorities while maintaining our ultimate allegiance to God?

5. How can we use Jesus' example of wisdom and discernment in handling challenging questions or situations in our own lives?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Romans 13:1-7
This passage discusses the Christian's responsibility to submit to governing authorities, as they are instituted by God. It complements Jesus' teaching on rendering to Caesar what is Caesar's.

Matthew 22:15-22
A parallel account of the same event, providing additional context and details about the interaction between Jesus and the Pharisees and Herodians.

Genesis 1:26-27
These verses speak of humans being made in the image of God, which can be connected to Jesus' teaching about giving to God what is God's, as we bear His image.
An Offence Against CaesarBiblical MuseumMark 12:17
God Before CaesarDictionary of IllustrationsMark 12:17
Our Obligations to God and ManDr. Payson.Mark 12:17
Question of the Tribute MoneyJ.J. Given Mark 12:13-17
The Dialectic of JesusE. Johnson Mark 12:13-17
The Politics of ChristianityA.F. Muir Mark 12:13-17
The Tribute MoneyR. Green Mark 12:13-17
People
David, Herodians, Isaac, Jacob, Jesus
Places
Jerusalem
Topics
Amazed, Answering, Caesar, Caesar's, Cesar, Cesar's, Exceedingly, Full, God's, Greatly, Marveled, Marvelled, Pay, Render, Replied, Wonder, Wondered
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Mark 12:17

     2075   Christ, sinless
     2369   Christ, responses to
     4065   orderliness
     5255   citizenship
     5594   tribute
     5784   amazement
     5959   submission
     5962   surprises
     8241   ethics, basis of
     8243   ethics, social
     8436   giving, of possessions
     8456   obedience, to authorities

Mark 12:1-17

     7552   Pharisees, attitudes to Christ

Mark 12:13-17

     5257   civil authorities
     5577   taxation
     5920   pretence

Mark 12:14-17

     5219   authority, human institutions

Mark 12:15-17

     2054   Christ, mind of

Mark 12:16-17

     5352   inscriptions

Library
God's Last Arrow
'Having yet therefore one son, his well-beloved, he sent him also last unto them.'--Mark xii. 6. Reference to Isaiah v. There are differences in detail here which need not trouble us. Isaiah's parable is a review of the theocratic history of Israel, and clearly the messengers are the prophets; here Christ speaks of Himself and His own mission to Israel, and goes on to tell of His death as already accomplished. I. The Son who follows and surpasses the servants. (a) Our Lord here places Himself in
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Dishonest Tenants
'And He began to speak unto them by parables. A certain man planted a vineyard, and set an hedge about it, and digged a place for the winefat, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country. 2. And at the season he sent to the husbandmen a servant, that he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruit of the vineyard. 3. And they caught him, and beat him, and sent him away empty. 4. And again he sent unto them another servant; and at him they cast stones, and wounded
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Not Far and not In
'Thou art not far from the kingdom of God.'--Mark xii. 34, 'A bruised reed He will not break, and the smoking flax He will not quench.' Here is Christ's recognition of the low beginnings of goodness and faith. This is a special case of a man who appears to have fully discerned the spirituality and inwardness of law, and to have felt that the one bond between God and man was love. He needed only to have followed out the former thought to have been smitten by the conviction of his own sinfulness, and
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Marvels of Holy Scripture, --Moral and Physical. --Jael's Deed Defended. --Miracles vindicated.
Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the Scriptures, neither the power of God. ON a certain occasion, the Son of Man was asked what was thought a hard question by those who, in His day, professed "the negative Theology [588] ." There was a moral and there was physical marvel to be solved. Both difficulties were met by a single sentence. The Sadducean judgment had gone astray from the Truth, (planasthe our Saviour said,) from a twofold cause: (1) The men did not understand those very Scriptures
John William Burgon—Inspiration and Interpretation

Obedience to God the Way to Faith in Christ.
"When Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, He said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God."--Mark xii. 34. The answer of the scribe, which our blessed Lord here commends, was occasioned by Christ's setting before him the two great commandments of the Law. When He had declared the love of God and of man to comprehend our whole duty, the scribe said, "Master, Thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but He: and to love Him with all the heart, and with
John Henry Newman—Parochial and Plain Sermons, Vol. VIII

The Unity of the Divine Being
"There is one God." Mark 12:32. 1. And as there is one God, so there is one religion and one happiness for all men. God never intended there should be any more; and it is not possible there should. Indeed, in another sense, as the Apostle observes, "there are gods many, and lords many." All the heathen nations had their gods; and many, whole shoals of them. And generally, the more polished they were, the more gods they heaped up to themselves. But to us, to all that are favoured with the Christian
John Wesley—Sermons on Several Occasions

For the Candid and Thoughtful
It strikes me that this scribe was half-hearted in the work of tempting our Lord, even at the first. I should imagine him to have been a very superior man amongst his fellows, a man of greater light and discernment than the rest, and of greater ability in statement and discussion. Possibly for this cause his brother scribes selected him, and put him forward to ask the testing questions. Now, it will sometimes happen that a man is thrust forward by others to do what he would never have thought of
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 26: 1880

The First and Great Commandment
It is "the first commandment," again, not only for antiquity, but for dignity. This command, which deals with God the Almighty must ever take precedence of every other. Other commandments deal with man and man, but this with man and his Creator. Other commands of a ceremonial kind, when disobeyed, may involve but slight consequences upon the person who may happen to offend, but this disobeyed provokes the wrath of God, and brings his ire at once upon the sinner's head. He that stealeth committeth
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 3: 1857

Observing the Offerings and Widow's Mites.
(in the Temple. Tuesday, April 4, a.d. 30.) ^B Mark XII. 41-44; ^C Luke XXI. 1-4. ^b 41 And he sat down over against the treasury [It is said that in the court of the women there were cloisters or porticos, and under the shelter of these were placed thirteen chests with trumpet-shaped mouths into which offerings might be dropped. The money cast in was for the benefit of the Temple. An inscription on each chest showed to which one of the thirteen special items of cost or expenditure the contents would
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

A Serious Persuasive to Such a Method of Spending Our Days as is Represented in the Former Chapter.
1, 2. Christians fix their views too low, and indulge too indolent a disposition, which makes it more necessary to urge such a life as that under consideration.--3. It is therefore enforced, from its being apparently reasonable, considering ourselves as the creatures of God, and as redeemed by the blond of Christ.--4. From its evident tendency to conduce to our comfort in life.--5. From the influence it will have to promote our usefulness to others.--6. From its efficacy to make afflictions lighter.--7.
Philip Doddridge—The Rise and Progress of Religion in the Soul

The Cross as a Social Principle
Social Redemption is Wrought by Vicarious Suffering DAILY READINGS First Day: The Prophetic Succession And he began to speak unto them in parables. A man planted a vineyard, and set a hedge about it, and digged a pit for the winepress, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into another country. And at the season he sent to the husbandmen a servant, that he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruits of the vineyard. And they took him, and beat him, and sent him away empty.
Walter Rauschenbusch—The Social Principles of Jesus

Whether to the Words, "Thou Shalt Love the Lord Thy God with Thy Whole Heart," it was Fitting to Add "And with Thy Whole Soul, and with Thy Whole Strength"?
Objection 1: It would seem that it was unfitting to the words, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with thy whole heart," to add, "and with thy whole soul, and with thy whole strength" (Dt. 6:5). For heart does not mean here a part of the body, since to love God is not a bodily action: and therefore heart is to be taken here in a spiritual sense. Now the heart understood spiritually is either the soul itself or part of the soul. Therefore it is superfluous to mention both heart and soul. Objection
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica

The Tribute Money
"And they send unto Him certain of the Pharisees and of the Herodians, that they might catch Him in talk. And when they were come, they say unto Him, Master, we know that Thou art true, and carest not for any one: for Thou regardest not the person of men, but of a truth teachest the way of God: Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not? 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. And they brought
G. A. Chadwick—The Gospel of St. Mark

Christ and the Sadduccees
"And there come unto Him Sadducees, which say that there is no resurrection: and they asked Him, saying, Master, Moses wrote unto us, If a man's brother die, and leave a wife behind him, and leave no child, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother. There were seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and dying left no seed; and the second took her, and died, leaving no seed behind him; and the third likewise: and the seven left no seed. Last of all the woman also
G. A. Chadwick—The Gospel of St. Mark

The Discerning Scribe
"And one of the scribes came, and heard them questioning together, and knowing that He had answered them well, asked Him, What commandment is the first of all? Jesus answered, The first is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God, the Lord is one: and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength. The second is this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. And the scribe said
G. A. Chadwick—The Gospel of St. Mark

David's Lord
"And Jesus answered and said, as He taught in the temple, How say the scribes that the Christ is the Son of David? David himself said in the Holy Spirit,-- The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit Thou on My right hand, Till I make Thine enemies the footstool of Thy feet. David himself calleth Him Lord; and whence is He his son? And the common people heard Him gladly. And in His teaching He said, Beware of the scribes, which desire to walk in long robes, and to have salutations in the marketplaces, and chief
G. A. Chadwick—The Gospel of St. Mark

The Widow's Mite
"And He sat down over against the treasury, and beheld how the multitude cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. And there came a poor widow, and she cast in two mites, which make a farthing. And He called unto Him His disciples, and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, This poor widow cast in more than all they which are casting into the treasury; for they all did cast in of their superfluity; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living." MARK
G. A. Chadwick—The Gospel of St. Mark

Talks with Bohler
I asked P. Bohler again whether I ought not to refrain from teaching others. He said, "No; do not hide in the earth the talent God hath given you." Accordingly, on Tuesday, 25, I spoke clearly and fully at Blendon to Mr. Delamotte's family of the nature and fruits of faith. Mr. Broughton and my brother were there. Mr. Broughton's great objection was he could never think that I had not faith, who had done and suffered such things. My brother was very angry and told me I did not know what mischief
John Wesley—The Journal of John Wesley

The Room was Like and Oven
Sunday, 8.--We were at the minster [21] in the morning and at our parish church in the afternoon. The same gentleman preached at both; but though I saw him at the church, I did not know I had ever seen him before. In the morning he was all life and motion; in the afternoon he was as quiet as a post. At five in the evening, the rain constrained me to preach in the oven again. The patience of the congregation surprised me. They seemed not to feel the extreme heat or to be offended at the close application
John Wesley—The Journal of John Wesley

The Morality of the Gospel.
Is stating the morality of the Gospel as an argument of its truth, I am willing to admit two points; first, that the teaching of morality was not the primary design of the mission; secondly, that morality, neither in the Gospel, nor in any other book, can be a subject, properly speaking, of discovery. If I were to describe in a very few words the scope of Christianity as a revelation, [49] I should say that it was to influence the conduct of human life, by establishing the proof of a future state
William Paley—Evidences of Christianity

Prophecy.
PROPHECY. Isaiah iii. 13; liii. "Behold, my servant shall deal prudently; he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high. As many were astonished at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men: so shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider. Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?
William Paley—Evidences of Christianity

In Reply to the Questions as to his Authority, Jesus Gives the Third Great Group of Parables.
(in the Court of the Temple. Tuesday, April 4, a.d. 30.) Subdivision C. Parable of the Wicked Husbandmen. ^A Matt. XXI. 33-46; ^B Mark XII. 1-12; ^C Luke XX. 9-19. ^b 1 And he began to speak unto them ^c the people [not the rulers] ^b in parables. { ^c this parable:} ^a 33 Hear another parable: There was a man that was a householder [this party represents God], who planted a vineyard [this represents the Hebrew nationality], and set a hedge about it, and digged a ^b pit for the ^a winepress in it
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

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