Julius Caesar

This quote comes from the Gospel of Matthew 22:15-22, and the original problem was a dilemma. The same description is found in Mark 12:13-17. The first thing to know about this is that the Jews were not a "free" people; instead, they were under the jurisdiction of the Romans. But the Jews cherished their national identity and used their own currency in the temple of Judaism. Outside the temple, by law, the currency of the local government was to be used. Therefore, the money for donations and taxes, as well as the popular currency among the people, were Roman coins.

Then the Pharisees, who hated Jesus so MUCH AT that time, joined WITH the HEROdians to ask Jesus this question: "Is it lawful to pay Caesar a tax on Nadine? Shall we pay it or not?" This was a trap: if Jesus said yes, the Jewish people would think Jesus was a traitor, and they would take the opportunity to attack him. If Jesus answered no, the Herodians who were present would immediately lay their hands on him and arrest him for speaking against the government, saying that no one should pay taxes to the government. Then Jesus saw their malice and said, "You hypocrites, why are you trying to tempt me? Show me a tax coin." They handed him a Dena. In THE Roman EMPIRE IN the prevailing silver, one side engraved on the portrait of the emperor and the name, one side engraved with other symbolic design. The emperor at that time was Augustus Tiberius Caesar.

Jesus asked, "Whose image and name are these?" "Caesar's," they answered. Then Jesus said to them, "Render unto Caesar then what is Caesar's, and unto God what is God's." What does that mean? For Jesus took this opportunity to explain man's duty to God and to the government that governs in his stead. Man belongs to the regime and has his duty; Can a man belong to God more than he does his duty? That is to say, both power and divine power come from God and act on people, so they cannot exclude or deny each other. Just as man is made up of body and soul, there is his body life, there is his soul life, the two coexist, the lack of one cannot be a human life. What the regime pursues is the happiness of physical life. What theocracy pursues is the happiness of the life of the soul. For this reason the power which seeks the happiness of the body, in the execution of its own authority, should assist the divine right which seeks the happiness of the soul in fulfilling its mission.

With this sentence, Jesus explained the correct relationship between theocracy and political power, laid the foundation of theocracy and political power, and drew the line between them. Now at that time the Pharisees went to counsel how to ensnare Jesus in his speech. 16Then they sent their disciples and Herodians to him and said, "Master, we know that you are sincere, teaching the way of God in the truth and not caring about anyone, because you have no regard for people. Now tell us, what do you think? Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not?" 18When Jesus saw their wickedness, he asked, "You hypocrites, why are you trying to test me?" They handed him a Dena. 20He asked them, "Whose is this image and name?" 21They said to him, "Caesar's." Jesus said to them, "Render unto Caesar then what is Caesar's, and unto God what is God's." 22When they heard this, they were amazed and left him.