Mark 12:13-17 Meaning: Why Enemies United Against Jesus
13They sent some of the Pharisees and the Herodians to him, that they might trap him with words.
14When they had come, they asked him, “Teacher, we know that you are honest, and don’t defer to anyone; for you aren’t partial to anyone, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?
15Shall we give, or shall we not give?” But he, knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, “Why do you test me? Bring me a denarius, that I may see it.”
16They brought it. He said to them, “Whose is this image and inscription?” They said to him, “Caesar’s.”
17Jesus answered them, “Give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” They marveled greatly at him.
13And they send unto him certain of the Pharisees and of the Herodians, to catch him in his words.
14And 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 Cesar, or not?
15Shall 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.
16And they brought it. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? And they said unto him, Cesar’s.
17And Jesus answering said unto them, Render to Cesar the things that are Cesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s. And they marvelled at him.
13And they send unto him certain of the Pharisees and of the Herodians, that they might catch him in talk.
14And when they were come, they say unto him, Teacher, 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 Cæsar, or not?
15Shall we give, or shall we not give? But he, knowing their hypocrisy, said unto them, Why make ye trial of me? bring me a denarius, that I may see it.
16And they brought it. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? And they said unto him, Cæsar’s.
17And Jesus said unto them, Render unto Cæsar the things that are Cæsar’s, and unto God the things that are God’s. And they marvelled greatly at him.
13and they send unto him certain of the Pharisees and of the Herodians, that they may ensnare him in discourse,
14and they having come, say to him, `Teacher, we have known that thou art true, and thou art not caring for any one, for thou dost not look to the face of men, but in truth the way of God dost teach; is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar or not? may we give, or may we not give?'
15And he, knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, `Why me do ye tempt? bring me a denary, that I may see;'
16and they brought, and he saith to them, `Whose is this image, and the inscription?' and they said to him, `Caesar's;'
17and Jesus answering said to them, `Give back the things of Caesar to Caesar, and the things of God to God;' and they did wonder at him.
13And they send to him certain of the Pharisees and of the Herodians, that they might catch him in speaking.
14And they come and say to him, Teacher, we know that thou art true, and carest not for any one; for thou regardest not men's person, but teachest the way of God with truth: Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar or not?
15Should we give, or should we not give? But he knowing their hypocrisy said unto them, Why tempt ye me? Bring me a denarius that I may see [it].
16And they brought [it]. And he says to them, Whose [is] this image and superscription? And they said to him, Caesar's.
17And Jesus answering said to them, Pay what is Caesar's to Caesar, and what is God's to God. And they wondered at him.
Meaning in one sentence
Pharisees and Herodians, normally opposed, join forces to trap Jesus about taxes. His reply about Caesar and God still guides Christians today.
Context
This is the Tuesday of Passion Week. Jesus has just told the parable of the vineyard, and the religious leaders know he is talking about them. They want to arrest him, but they fear the crowd. So they try a different tactic: a trap with words.
They send a strange pair, Pharisees and Herodians. Normally the Pharisees resented Roman rule and the Herodians supported Rome. But they found common cause against Jesus. Their question about paying taxes to Caesar seemed perfect. If Jesus said yes, he would lose the people who hoped for a liberating Messiah. If he said no, they could report him as a rebel.
Jesus asks for a coin and points to what is on it: Caesar’s image and inscription. Then he gives an answer that leaves them stunned, and still echoes through every generation.
Key Words
Three Greek words hold the key to this scene.
First, ἀγρεύω (agreuō, “to catch” in verse 13) is a hunting word, the same root for “wild game.” These men were not asking a sincere question. They were setting a snare, and they thought they had him cornered.
Second, ὑπόκρισις (hupokrisis, “hypocrisy” in verse 15) originally meant the answer of an actor from behind a mask. Jesus saw the mask. He did not answer their flattery; he answered what they really were.
Third, ἀποδίδωμι (apodidōmi, “give back” or “render” in verse 17) means to pay what is due, to discharge a debt. It is not a voluntary gift. The coin already belonged to Caesar in a sense, it bore his image. So give it back. And you? You bear God’s image. Give yourself back to him.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians have always seen this as Jesus’ wise escape from a trap, but they have drawn different boundaries.
Some believers, especially in traditions that emphasize the separation of church and state, read the verse as drawing a clear line: Caesar has a limited claim (taxes, civil order), and God has everything else. Others focus on the image on the coin and the image of God in every person (Genesis 1:26-27). If the coin goes back to the one whose image it bears, then we go back to the One whose image we bear. That is the whole of our lives, not just our worship.
Across centuries, whether under Roman emperors or modern governments, Christians have wrestled with how to honor both loyalties when they conflict. This verse does not give a detailed political program, but it gives a framework: give to each what is theirs. And what is God’s? Everything that bears his likeness, which means all of us.
A common misunderstanding
Some read this as Jesus saying we should give equal priority to Caesar and to God, as if they run two separate departments of life. In fact, the word “render” means to pay back a debt, not to divide loyalties evenly. What belongs to Caesar is only what carries his image and circulates in his system. What belongs to God is everything else, and that includes you, who bear his image.
Living This Out
You may face a situation this week where two loyalties pull against each other. Maybe your employer asks something that crosses your conscience. Maybe a family member pressures you to compromise your faith.
Before you answer, notice the flattery. Notice the loaded question. Ask yourself: what bears the image of this world’s system, and what bears God’s image? Give to each what is due, but remember, everything that bears God’s image belongs to him. That includes your time, your money, your work, and your heart. Start by giving him what you owe: your whole self.
Main takeaway: Give to earthly powers what belongs to them, and give to God what belongs to him, your whole life, because it bears his image.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
Some people tried to trick Jesus with a question about money. They thought they were so smart. But Jesus knew what they were doing, and he gave a wise answer. You can trust Jesus even when people try to trick you.
For ages 9, 12
The Pharisees hated the Romans, and the Herodians supported them. They were enemies, but they teamed up to trap Jesus. They asked if it was right to pay taxes to Caesar. If Jesus said no, he’d be in trouble with Rome. If he said yes, the people who wanted freedom from Rome would be angry. Jesus asked for a coin and said, “Whose picture is on it?” Caesar’s. So give Caesar’s coin back to him. And give God what belongs to God, because you bear God’s image. It was so wise that everyone was amazed.
Questions People Ask
Who were the Herodians?
The Herodians were a Jewish party that supported the rule of Herod Antipas and the Roman Empire. They were politically aligned with the Romans, unlike the Pharisees who resented Roman rule. That is why it was so surprising to see them working with the Pharisees against Jesus.
What was a denarius?
A denarius was a Roman silver coin worth about a day’s wage for a laborer. It had the image of the Roman emperor (likely Tiberius) and an inscription calling him “divine.” That is why the coin itself was offensive to many Jews, it carried a graven image and claimed godhood for Caesar. Jesus used that coin to make his point.
Does this verse mean Christians should always pay taxes, even to unjust governments?
Most Christians have understood this verse to mean that civil government has a legitimate claim to our financial support for the order it provides. But the verse does not address unjust taxation directly. Christians across traditions have disagreed on when resistance may be justified. The key principle is that loyalty to God is always primary, and if the two ever directly conflict, we must obey God rather than human authorities (Acts 5:29).
Why didn’t Jesus just say yes or no to the tax question?
Because either answer would have been used against him. A simple yes would make him look like a collaborator with Rome. A simple no would let his enemies charge him with rebellion. Instead, Jesus reframed the question entirely. By pointing to the coin’s image, he showed that some things already belong to Caesar, give those back. And then he pointed to the deeper truth: you belong to God. That answer escaped the trap and challenged everyone to consider where their ultimate loyalty lies.
For pastors & researchers
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