Luke 20:25 - Printer Friendly

What does Luke 20:25 mean?

ESV: He said to them, “Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”

NIV: He said to them, 'Then give back to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's.'

NASB: And He said to them, 'Then pay to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.'

CSB: "Well then," he told them, "give to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's."

NLT: Well then,' he said, 'give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God.'

KJV: And he said unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar's, and unto God the things which be God's.

NKJV: And He said to them, “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”

Verse Commentary:

This is Jesus' response to a trick question posed on behalf of His enemies. They hope to force Jesus into one of two mistakes: to alienate the common people by endorsing the hated Roman empire, or to violate Roman law and subject Himself to arrest. The man who asked the question (Luke 20:20–21) followed either the Pharisees or the Herodians (Matthew 22:15–16; Mark 12:13). The Pharisees resent the Roman occupation, although not to the point of violence like the Zealots. The Herodians support Herod Antipas and have little problem with the Romans. The nominal question is whether Jesus supports "tribute to Caesar:" the census tax (Luke 20:22). It's a fitting time for the question because it's nearing Passover, when male Jews must pay the half-shekel temple tax.

Jesus says the tribute belongs to Caesar; the Jews owe money to the literal and symbolic government. Then Jesus effectively tells the people they should meet both obligations. The Jewish people need to obey Rome as their civil authority, put in place by God (Romans 13:1–7), as long Rome's commands do not directly contradict God's laws (Acts 5:29). Paying taxes and allegiance to the Lord are not either-or issues.

Many people today find this hard to accept. Obviously, we'd prefer Jesus to say, "no, you should not pay taxes." But that's not the only challenging aspect of His response. The implication of His comment distinguishes between real religious persecution and simply being asked to follow policies we don't like. In most cases, secular rules and regulations don't contradict faith, either blatantly or by implication. But when those don't align with preferences, we bristle and want to resist under the pretext of "faith."

We should resist the temptation to claim "faith" as a blanket excuse for ignoring secular authority. At the same time, the opposite error is condemned: to ignore God's expectations because of worldly concerns. Rather, we are to give God His due. We fail that obligation when we disobey God due to secular concerns: that obeying God would be too controversial, unconventional, uncomfortable, inconvenient, unprofitable, and so forth.

Both mistakes inappropriately blend distinct issues, which Jesus gently separates here. Properly worshipping God does not require using every nuance we prefer. When laws complicate preferences regarding faith or worship, that is not the same thing as religious persecution. The fact that law or culture might cause problems for those who obey God is not good reason to set aside spiritual truth. Insisting that these two sides must be in contradiction is often the result of a lack of creativity, a lack of perspective, or a desire for power and authority.

God never says that following Him will not come with a cost (Luke 14:25–33). For the Jewish people alive during Jesus' earthly ministry, it included the need to pay two taxes.

Luke 20:19–26 continues a long discussion about authority. Chief priests and Old Testament lawyers try to force Jesus into a difficult choice: follow unpopular Roman law or show rebellious loyalty to the Jewish nation. If the trap succeeds, either Jesus' disciples will reject His authority or the Romans will arrest Him. Jesus disarms the trap by pointing out that the people are responsible for following both principles. Next, the Sadducees challenge His authority on doctrinal matters but fail so miserably Jesus' attackers withdraw (Luke 20:27–40). This interaction is also recorded in Matthew 22:15–22 and Mark 12:13–17.

Chapter Summary:

After His triumphal entry into Jerusalem, Jesus find Himself in conflict with the city's religious leaders. Elders, priests, scribes, Pharisees, and Sadducees all attempt to discredit Him. This comes mostly in challenging Jesus with trick questions. Jesus deftly handles those challenges without falling into the trap. He provides several teachings about His role as the Son of God and directly warns the Jewish people against their generation of scribes, who are arrogant and pretentious.

Chapter Context:

Luke 20 is a chiasm about authority. Jesus has entered Jerusalem and cleansed the temple (Luke 19:28–46). Now, the priests and teachers attack Jesus' authority in religion, law, and doctrine; Jesus defends Himself and shows their sinful lifestyles disqualify them for authority. After holding up a widow as a better role model (Luke 21:1–4), Jesus warns His disciples about the challenges they will face in the coming years, including the destruction of Jerusalem (Luke 21:5–38). The events in Luke 20 are also discussed in Matthew 21—23 and Mark 11—12.

Luke was a traveling companion of Paul (Acts 16:10) and a physician (Colossians 4:14). Unlike Matthew, Mark, and John, Luke writes his gospel as an historian, rather than as a first-hand eyewitness. His extensive writings also include the book of Acts (Acts 1:1–3). These are deliberately organized, carefully researched accounts of those events. The gospel of Luke focuses on the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. Luke's Gentile perspective presents Christ as a Savior for all people, offering both forgiveness and direction to those who follow Him.

Accessed 5/7/2024 10:15:52 AM