The Amazing Answer to Trappy Question

Mark 12:13 - 17

¹³ Later they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to Jesus to catch him in his words. ¹⁴ They came to him and said, “Teacher, we know that you are a man of integrity. You aren’t swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are; but you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not? ¹⁵ Should we pay or shouldn’t we?”

But Jesus knew their hypocrisy. “Why are you trying to trap me?” he asked. “Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.” ¹⁶ They brought the coin, and he asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?”

“Caesar’s,” they replied.

¹⁷ Then Jesus said to them, “Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.”

And they were amazed at him.

(short message)

During the final exam, some people might face difficult questions. Today let's read about the amazing answer to trappy question written in the Bible.

The question was a trap. But Jesus answered wisely.

Jesus didn't say "Pay tax", which expression would make the Jews disagree or upset. Instead, based on the image of Caesar in the coin, money belonged to Ceasar, so Jesus asked them to give back what was Ceasar's. No one could disagree or upset.

After this, Jesus added, "and to God what is God's."

Genesis 1:27 says

²⁷ So God created mankind in his own image,
    in the image of God he created them;
    male and female he created them.

Mankind have the image of God, therefore mankind belong to God and have obligation to (serve) God.