See The Bigger Picture
Read Mark 12:13–17
Reflection
The Jews resented their Roman occupiers and despised paying taxes to Caesar. The Pharisees and the Herodians, a pro-Herod (Roman) Jewish party, sought to trap Jesus in a religious-state dispute over the issue of taxes. If Jesus answered “Yes” to paying taxes to a pagan ruler, He would lose support from the Jews and be branded as a traitor. If He answered “No “, the Pharisees could report Him to the Roman authorities and had Him arrested. Jesus knew their intentions by challenged them with, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s.” Since the Jews used the Roman currency, Jesus pointed out that what belonged to Caesar must be given to Caesar. What is an obligation to the worship of God, that is, being loving and merciful to others should be accorded to those less fortunate.
Some of the Pharisees were concerned with material wealth. They could not reconcile their lives of abundance with their role as spiritual teachers. Since they could not have an answer to this contradiction in their lives, they thought it was impossible for Jesus to answer this question. Hence, they posed this question in the hope of trapping Him. There are many such people today. Their concern is to gain favor with their superiors at the expense of their colleagues…
