Asbury Bible Commentary – 2. The question of taxation (12:13-17)
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2. The question of taxation (12:13-17)

2. The question of taxation (12:13-17)

Taxation was an economic burden, but also, at least potentially, it was an opportunity for venerating the Roman emperor who designated himself as semi-divine. The dilemma facing Jesus, then, is to support taxation and thus compromise his talk of the kingdom, or challenge it and face charges of sedition. Circumventing the trap, Jesus allows for the paying of taxes but at the same time calls into question the divine claims of the state and reaffirms the claims of God to ultimate loyalty.

Asbury Bible Commentary Copyright © 1992 by The Zondervan Corporation.