Mark 12:13-17
Whose Face Is on the Coin
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13Later, they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to catch Jesus in His words.
14“Teacher,” they said, “we know that You are honest and seek favor from no one. Indeed, You are impartial and teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Should we pay them or not?”
15But Jesus saw through their hypocrisy and said, “Why are you testing Me? Bring Me a denarius to inspect.”
16So they brought it, and He asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?” “Caesar’s,” they answered.
17Then Jesus told them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” And they marveled at Him.
Berean Standard Bible
Read aloud
The question sounds respectful. Jesus is honest, His visitors say, and He teaches God's way without favoring anyone. Yet Mark has already told us why they have come: they want to catch Him in His words. Their compliments serve a trap.
Should they pay taxes to Caesar? The Pharisees and Herodians press for an answer, but Jesus sees their hypocrisy. He asks for a denarius and has them identify its image and inscription. Both point to Caesar.
Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.
Jesus recognizes an obligation to the ruler whose coin they use. He also names an obligation Caesar cannot take over. God must receive what belongs to God. Political authority does not become ultimate authority because it collects taxes.
Genesis gives us a helpful way to consider that second obligation: human beings are made in God's image. Jesus does not explicitly make that connection here, but it reminds us how much belongs to our Creator. We owe Him more than a religious corner of our lives. Our work, choices, speech and use of money all take place before Him.
The visitors marvel at Jesus. His answer has defeated their attempt to trap Him and given them something to obey. We can admire it too, then still avoid its demand. Paying a bill is fairly easy to measure. Giving God our allegiance reaches into the reasons we do everything else.
Questions
1 Why is the praise at the start of the conversation dishonest?
AnswerMark says the visitors came to catch Jesus in His words. They describe His teaching truthfully but use those compliments to set up their trap.
2 What does Jesus ask them to notice about the denarius?
AnswerIts image and inscription identify Caesar. Jesus uses their answer when He tells them to give Caesar what belongs to Caesar and God what belongs to God.
3 How does Genesis 1:27 help us think about what we owe God?
AnswerWe bear God's image and belong to Him as our Creator. That connection goes beyond the coin question to our whole lives, including how we treat other people.
4 What would it look like to honor God while fulfilling an ordinary responsibility?
AnswerWe might report money honestly, complete work faithfully or speak respectfully about people in authority. Our duty to God also means we cannot treat any human ruler as above Him.
What This Means for Us
Choose an ordinary responsibility you would rather avoid: a task at work, something you owe, or a promise you made. How could you carry it out honestly before God? Worship reaches into those duties.
It also reaches beyond them. Finishing every task on a list does not give us the rest of our lives to spend without regard for Him. Ask God to show you one choice where pleasing another person has become more important than pleasing Him. His claim on us deserves willing obedience, not merely an admiring response.
Prayer
Father, You made us and we belong to You. Help us fulfill our responsibilities honestly and give You our wholehearted allegiance. When approval or convenience tempts us to disobey You, remind us whose people we are. Amen.