Question About Taxes

August 24, 2022 PM, Matthew 22:15-46.

The Pharisees and Herodians were desperate to find an excuse to get rid of Jesus. They wanted to kill him (John 5:18, 11:53; Luke 13:31) so they could maintain their grip on power. The Pharisees were the religious party, and the Herodians were the political party. Many of the Herodians were likely Sadducees as well. The verbal fluff in verse 16 introduces question was just that — with the purpose to “butter up” Jesus and get Him off guard (as if that was possible?!). The main question is in verse 17: “Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” Let’s try to answer the question in a general way from what we know elsewhere in Scripture.